Despite attacks on its new reality series "Kid Nation," CBS is putting the program on air Sept. 19. Network executives express confidence that it will go as planned. "Everybody's questions about the
show will be answered when it airs," says Tom Forman, the show's executive producer. However, the Tiffany Network is worried about scaring off advertisers and has screened the first episode for some.
The show puts dozens of kids ages 8 to 15, in a "ghost town" in New Mexico to see if they can build a working society without adults. But after production wrapped, one mom complained
about an injury to her child. CBS, which thinks it could have a hit, has already made plans to produce a second round. But plans could go awry as the network can't be sure it will find a state to let
it shoot.
The attorney general's office in New Mexico had dropped its investigation of the show, but later reopened it following the complaints. Forman says he would have gone
elsewhere to a different abandoned town to rebuild but state law in New Mexico would likely have prevented a second production there. He adds that "nothing is off the table" when it comes to locations
like Mexico, but still expects to be able to produce a second edition here in the U.S.
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