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Letter from CWLA President/CEO Shay Bilchik to Fox Entertainment Chair Peter Chernin Opposing Realty Show "Who's Your Daddy?"
December 22, 2004
Mr. Peter Chernin, Chairman
Fox Entertainment Group
1211 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10036-8799
Dear Mr. Chernin,
In your latest stunt to increase ratings and remain competitive with other reality TV moguls, the Fox Network makes a mockery of an intensely emotional and private moment: the reunification of an adopted child with his or her birth parent.
Fox's new television show, "Who's Your Daddy," not only stands on the shoulders of adoptees and birth parents for its own benefit, it puts search for sale with a reward of $100,000 to an adoptee who can correctly identify his or her birth parent. This tarnishes the reunions that are featured and tacitly implies that no amount of money is too much to charge or too much to pay for information that all adoptees should rightfully have: information about their original birth identity.
The Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) and our allies in the adoption community advocate for the rights of the adoptive triad: the adoptee, the birth parent, and the adoptive parent. We encourage understanding and support for the right of adoptees and birth parents by educating the general public about adoption issues. However, the information provided to the public should promote a positive view of reunification-the tasteless, voyeuristic opportunity for millions of viewers to intrude on a private reunion interferes with and distorts the goals of the adoption community.
Respect and dignity are missing from this TV show. Fox should retract "Who's Your Daddy" and issue a statement that they believe all adoptees have a right to their identity.
Sincerely,
Shay Bilchik
President & CEO
Child Welfare League of America
cc: Mitsy Wilson, Senior VP Diversity Development
Angela Shapiro, President, Fox Television Studios
Justin Pierce, Senior VP Corporate Communications
Scott Hallock, Producer, Hallock Healey Entertainment
Kevin Healy, Producer, Hallock Healey Entertainment
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