Chapter 1: The interview (ID #480963)
an addition by: Miguel-Kestrel   More by this author
Extract of an interview with Mr John Goldsire, producer of the "Second Chance" reality tv shows line.
"So, Mr Goldshire, some parents have shown concerns about Second Chance Kids, what do you tell us about that?"
"Oh, I would need to know what those concerns are. Honestly, I'm puzzled".
"Well, violence, children being used by media, lack of humane concern for the detainees and how poor role models they are, that sort of thing".
"Really? Well, maybe I can give them some peace of mind. We are not just a show but primarily a re-education resources. Minors who would spend their best years locked in a reformatory institution have the chance of their lifes to redeem themselves, to experience a great adventure, even to be famous in front of their peers. There are many succesful, inspiring stories, spanning the seven planetary systems".
"What about the violence, John?"
"Oh, thanks for reminding me that. Violence... er, the ever present companion of humanity. Yes, there is a little violence in our programs, but not so much different to what you can see in fiction. In fact, we have studies that show, on average, our participants are much less violent than most characters in literature, games, interactive fiction and holoexperience. Point 1: We only let them use a stunner rifle or some derivative. They can be quite painful but never fatal. Point 2: We ensure that no team can interact with any other team, specially adult teams, so there would only be androids after them; androids we can control at any time. Point 3: They know they need the votes from the public and that they could be expelled from the program at any time by breaking any single rule, like using a branch of a tree as a lethal weapon".
"John, some human rights activists have called our networks expressing concerns by the way we treat the contestants".
"I understand. From the inception of the series, which as you all know, started with adults participants, one of our main aims was to ensure that their basic human rights were to be respected. For our kids, as we warmly call them, we have gone to even tighter standards".
"How?"
"For example we tend to avoid derogatory comments, disallow close-ups of our participants if fully nude..."
"Do you?"
"Yes, our emissions are encripted with a 2 GB keyword which makes impossible for any receptor to zoom the images or choose a questionable angle. In fact, those scenes are rare, because we would normally insert our advertising there. I guess we have used more time considering those scenes than shooting actual footage".
"What else do you do for the participants".
"Above all we give them a real chance to be free. In fact there is not one but several ways to attain it. First, of course, is to get to the "Free Zone" as in the standard program; second, if either the public with a majority vote of two thirds, the Children and Youth Correctional Office (CYCO) or the Union Constabulary and Police Forces consider they should be given a second chance they would be. Besides the initial rations they get are the same our military gets, only with some candy and they have one hour to speak with their personal counsellor on holoexperience once per day. A right adults cannot even dream on".
"On average, who's more generous giving second chances?"
"Surprise, surprise, the police officers. Members of both the Union Police and the Union Constabulary have got more kids out of the programs than anybody else. They have provided money, homes... even some adoptions have happened. Remember, it is not the big guys behind a desk who make the decision but the whole forces by popular vote. They make me proud to be a citizen".
"Oh, yes..."
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