Wiretap CBC STORIES

The controversial reality TV show known as ‘Kid Nation’, which borrowed its premise from Lord of the Flies, was cancelled shortly after its 2007 debut. Producers took 40 kids into a makeshift desert town to fend for themselves and create their own society. Was the series an opportunity to discover what kids are capable of? Or simply a ploy for ratings? With access to former ‘Kid Nation’ contestants, their families, and the show’s creators, culture journalist Josh Gwynn uncovers how this cult TV show became a lightning rod for an ongoing debate about the ethics of reality TV. Welcome to Split Screen, an examination of the utterly captivating, sometimes unsettling world of entertainment and pop culture. From reality TV gone awry, to the cult of celebrity, each season of Split Screen takes listeners on an evocative journey inside the world of showbiz. Ex-contestants, producers, and cultural critics uncover complicated truths behind TV’s carefully curated facades, and question what our entertainment reveals about us. Split Screen: sometimes reality is twisted. More episodes are available at: https://link.chtbl.com/fxO94euO

An ex-cult-member tells the story of how he escaped mind-control and regained his freedom of thought, plus Gregor explains four easy steps for coping with negative thoughts.

Jonathan Goldstein's story about the real miracle of Hanukkah. Plus, Howard delivers singing telegrams for the holidays.

A man tries to win back his wife by buying her an iPhone, Howard tries to finally be cool by becoming a middle-aged hipster, and a couple makes a desperate attempt to have a child.

A woman tries to hold her tongue as a professional listener while Gregor tries to convince Jonathan to shush up, once and for all.

Stories of people doing things differently than everyone else. A man is convinced he's found a major scientific flaw that no-one else seems to have noticed and a young girl shares her thoughts on fitting in at school.