Win This Baby

[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.

[Rudey]

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.

[The1calledTKE]

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.

[DWAlphaGam]

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.

[Rudey]

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.