This is Obscene

While watching Alias last night, I caught a promo for an upcoming edition of ABC's newsprogram 20/20. In it, they show some pimply-faced teen with a baby and five couples. Barbara Walters says that the young woman will choose live on the show which couple will adopt her baby!

Going to the webpage, the text is much less breathless. It says:

An extraordinary look at adoption in America. Barbara Walters takes us through a young mother's journey as she chooses who, among five anxious couples, will become parents to her child.

But that's not how it's being promoted on the network! The ads on television make it look very much like a reality show competition for the child.

This is just obscene. Hyping adoption like it was a challenge and a game show? Bad enough the show where women are given free all-over makeovers and then put into a "beauty pageant." At least to this point, everyone's been an adult who freely chooses to appear on the show. Fear Factor for all its danger-hype is still safe; it has to be or lawyers would be all over them. But I really think (and feel) that ABC is crossing a moral and ethical line with this show -- either in the actuality or in the promotion of it.