Jon and Kate Plus 8: Children and Reality TV -- a Concern

The Jon and Kate Plus 8 marriage meltdown continues and the tabloids are simply eating it up, publishing every little scrap of information they can on Jon Gosselin, his new girlfriend, Kate Gosselin, her young chore boy, their friends, and where the show stands -- but where's the Plus 8, the children? Several celebrity gossip magazines are focusing on the children this week but only on how the sadness of the children reflect on Jon and Kate. The Plus 8 seem to be mere window dressing and emotional background for the soap opera that the Jon and Kate Plus 8 story has become for popular media.

Just this past weekend, Kate Gosselin made the trip into New York City, where Jon Gosselin now rents a million-dollar apartment, for a TLC-sponsored photo shoot. Various sources reported how upset the children seemed to be and how, as the photo shoot wore long, they seemed to become even more upset. Self-absorbed parents paid them little mind. And when it was all over, the children, of course, were none too happy to be parted from their father again.

Hopefully, Kate Gosselin is being diligent keeping the children from television and newsstands, where she and Jon Gosselin and their very public separation and new separate lives are over-represented of late. One would never know that Jon and Kate Plus 8 was on hiatus.

The fact of the matter is that they are -- but only on The Learning Channel. On some form of media somewhere, Jon and Kate Gosselin are being discussed, broadcast, streamed, downloaded, watched or read about on a constant basis.

On a show that once centered around the family dynamic of interaction between parents and between parents and children, the Plus 8 seem to have become supplementary, a crowd of little extras...

Where is the line that separates the use of young children in reality television shows from abuse and exploitative entertainment? And does such a line even exist?

The Learning Channel announced Wednesday that their reality show Jon and Kate Plus 8 would start a new season on August 3. Not everyone was happy about this decision, however. The announcement on Facebook garnered 3,783 thumbs up out of a fan base of 695,871 - not exactly a scientific measure, but it does make a cogent point. The discussion board was a-buzz with those in favor of the return and a growing contingent that would like to see the show mothballed permanently. The latter group's major concern was what they say is the perceived exploitation of the children. One writer referred to continued viewing of the show as "voyeurism."

There is a child abuse watchdog that would agree with that sentiment. Child AbuseWatch.net (CAN), a national child abuse prevention group, has been watching developments with Jon and Kate and their eight children closely.

CAN's Executive Director, Evin Daly, wrote an open letter to John Hendricks, Chairman of the Learning Channel, on June 23 asking that the show be cancelled. His letter explained his reasoning: The children were being subjected to emotional abuse and neglect. Daly sent copies to TLC's Investor Relations Department and the Governing Board as well. There was no response.

CAN also notified Pennsylvania Child Protective Services of their concerns. On the 23rd of July, Child AbuseWatch sent another open letter advising that they would encourage an advertiser boycott should the new season air as planned. (See links to these open letters below.)

A CAN spokesperson commented that the role of "watchdog" was not Child AbuseWatch's primary purpose. "As a child rights and abuse prevention entity," they said, "we could not ignore what we regard as the blatant exploitation of a group of young children. " The Gosselin children, Cara and Madelyn (twins) are aged nine and Alexis, Aaden, Collin, Leah, Hannah and Joel are aged five.

Last fall CAN bumped heads with Hewlett Packard by urging HP to ditch the soundtrack for their Touch Smart ad campaign. HP ran the commercial featuring a track written by British pedophile Gary Glitter, who was to receive upward of $140,000 in royalties. Child AbuseWatch's press release informing the public of HP's reluctance to pull the ad was picked up by over 300 media outlets worldwide. HP's global ad campaign was subsequently quietly withdrawn and later ran with different music in limited markets.

"We are not intentionally combative or confrontational," Evin Daly said. "CAN is an organization dedicated to educating the public about the aspects of child abuse as an effective means of prevention . Our mission however is 'the protection of children from abuse' and we are quick to step up to the plate to act for those children who do not have a voice." Daly is a seasoned professional in the protection of children in his role as a volunteer Guardian ad Litem in West Palm Beach where he represents abused, abandoned and neglected children in court.

The Jon and Kate Plus 8 fiasco brings to the forefront the question as to where the line of decency should be where reality TV and children are concerned. Another TLC show that is accused of skirting that line is Toddlers and Tiaras, a reality show which one commentator recently described as bordering on child pornography.

The question that should be asked is: Who is ultimately responsible for the protection from exploitation of the children on these reality shows? The parents? The management of the TV channel? Both?

Unfortunately, and perhaps unbelievably, the line of responsibility appears hazy, possibly due to both parties having a financial interest in the venture. The children, of course, do not have a say in the matter and are simply along for the ride.

And that is why Child AbuseWatch exists. When those that are expected to be responsible for the welfare of children tend not be, there rises a necessity for an outside entity to intercede on behalf of the children. Jon and Kate Gosselin seem to have abdicated their responsibility as parents, hellbent on becoming totally self-absorbed, willing to allow their eight children to become extraneous props on the reality show of their lives. TLC seems unwilling to accept responsibility or unwilling to facilitate or foster a more positive environment for the Plus 8 children. Child AbuseWatch believes that all parties need to be reminded that the children were and still are the most important part of Jon and Kate Plus 8, regardless of the parents' respective situations, regardless of ratings.

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Sources:

Usmagazine.com

The Learning Channel: http://tlc.discovery.com/

Child AbuseWatch.net: www.abusewatch.net

07/23/09 Open Letter to John Hendricks at The Learning Channel

06/23/09 Open Letter to John Hendricks at The Learning Channel