5 episodes
Split Screen: Kid Nation CBC STORIES
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- Society & Culture
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.
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Episode 4: Little People, Big Ideas
The producers prompt the kids to confront adult themes, with a joint religious service and town hall elections. Through the introduction of politics and religion, we see how Kid Nation is a microcosm of the real world in 2007, where the shadow of 9/11 and the War on Terror looms large.
For early access to Split Screen: Kid Nation episodes and to listen ad-free, subscribe to CBC's Stories channel here. -
Episode 3: Class War
The kids are forced to navigate social hierarchies as producers introduce class, competition and warped financial incentives. Every few days, a team competition sorts the kids into four social classes: upper class, merchant, cooks and labourers. We ask what these themes reveal about America’s values and prejudices.
For early access to Split Screen: Kid Nation episodes and to listen ad-free, subscribe to CBC's Stories channel here. -
Episode 2: Kid Casting
Every reality show has a villain. In Kid Nation, that role was assigned to 15-year-old Greg Pheasant. Through multiple perspectives on Greg’s bullying, we explore whether kids were cast to perform predetermined roles. It raises questions about the different levels of agency these kids had in what was a high-pressure and high-stakes situation.
For early access to Split Screen: Kid Nation episodes and to listen ad-free, subscribe to CBC's Stories channel here. -
Episode 1: Dropped in the Desert
We introduce the concept of 'Kid Nation' through the lens of its controversial reception, including a campaign to have the show banned before it even aired. But how bad was it? We hear from one of the parents about their hopes for the show, and their daughter’s auditions and first few days. We’re left wondering: what have these kids signed up for?
For early access to Split Screen: Kid Nation episodes and to listen ad-free, subscribe to CBC's Stories channel here. -
Split Screen: Kid Nation | Trailer
What happens when 40 kids, ages 8 to 15, spend 40 days without parents in the desert? Split Screen: Kid Nation explores the aftermath of the 2007 reality show Kid Nation. Coming April 17, 2024, wherever you get your podcasts.