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April 28, 2004 -- A giant-sized controversy is brewing over a baby adoption special on "20/20" - and sending ABC execs into a tailspin. Millions of viewers across the country watched in surprise over the weekend as the network aired a sensational promo for Friday's segment, which pits five desperate couples against each other for the privilege of adopting a 16-year-old's baby.
A very personal, intimate process was made to look like a reality-show contest, with prospective parents dubbed "winners" and "losers."

Yesterday, complaints flooded into radio stations, Web sites and even the FCC - many of them noting that host Barbara Walters is not only a respected journalist, but also an adoptive mother.

http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/19700.htm/

Making a baby a prize for reality tv is going to far.

Re: Win This Baby

Quote:

Originally posted by The1calledTKE
April 28, 2004 -- A giant-sized controversy is brewing over a baby adoption special on "20/20" - and sending ABC execs into a tailspin. Millions of viewers across the country watched in surprise over the weekend as the network aired a sensational promo for Friday's segment, which pits five desperate couples against each other for the privilege of adopting a 16-year-old's baby.
A very personal, intimate process was made to look like a reality-show contest, with prospective parents dubbed "winners" and "losers."

Yesterday, complaints flooded into radio stations, Web sites and even the FCC - many of them noting that host Barbara Walters is not only a respected journalist, but also an adoptive mother.

http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/19700.htm/

Making a baby a prize for reality tv is going to far.

Why is it going too far?

How is this different from a documentary?

I figure I'd get you all to think.

-Rudey
--Nice usage of the Post...I love that paper.

Using a human as a prize is not moral. Doing stupid things for money is no where near giving away a baby. A child should be paired with a family that can take care of it better, not awarded by compitition.

The woman from the adoption agency featured on the show was on the radio this morning, and apparently this report is going to be a documentary on open adoption, like Rudey said. Unfortunately, the PR people jumped on the reality show bandwagon and marketed it like a contest, causing it to seem much more controversial than it actually is. However, the strategy probably worked, because I'm sure that 20/20 is going to get huge ratings tomorrow night because people have made such a big deal about the commercials.

People compete for kids at adoption agencies all the time. It's not like it's easy to adopt. This seems to be footage of that with a bit more emphasis on the competition than just the prize.

And it's not like they're letting career criminals and bad parents try and get the child.

-Rudey
--Either way, televised or not, the baby is the prize in adoption.