News Sources: "Kid Nation" Controversy

"Kid Nation" has been billed as a Lord of the Flies for the reality TV generation. But the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists announced it was investigating reports of the show's alleged abuse of children, starting with a 12-year-old girl who was burned on her face while cooking unsupervised. Four other children were given medical treatment after drinking bleach. AFTRA contends that the children, and other amateur contestants on reality shows - apparenlty are not protected by the National Code of Fair Practices for Network Television Broadcasting. Reporters looking for experts to interview on this topic can find them online at the collegenews.org database of news sources and subject matter experts from America's leading liberal arts colleges, including (click on names for contact information):

Edward Lorenz - Professor of Political Science, Alma College - Lorenz is a research consultant for the National Commission for Employment Policy, and can offer a perspective on child labor laws and social policy.

Cathy M. Johnson - Chair of Political Economy, Williams College - Johson's work focuses on how children are represented politically in the United States and how public policy is made on their behalf.

Ronald Lembo - Associate Professor of Sociology, Amherst College - Lembo's newest book is Thinking Through Television: Viewing Practices and the Social Limits to Power. He teaches and writes about the sociology of mass media and mass culture, news and entertainment systems, and media corporations.