American Idol Tour Fined for Child Labor Violations
While the controversy rages on over possible violations of child labor laws in the hit reality television show “Kid Nation,” the more popular reality show “American Idol” has spawned child labor problems of its own.
The state of New York has fined the tour promoters of the “American Idols Live Tour ‘07″ $5,000 for violations of the state’s Child Performer Labor Law during the tour’s five stops in New York this past summer. According to the state Labor Department, the promoters failed to secure proper permits to feature performers under the age of 18.
Two of the television show and tour’s major draws, Idol winner Jordin Sparks and fan favorite Sanjaya Malakar, were both 17 at the time of the tour.
An unnamed administrative staff member at the Labor Department knew the show well and that the performers were 17, and so she recommended the case to investigators.
The fines are the first under the Child Performer Law, which requires employers who use child performers to register with the state so their practices can be monitored for compliance with child labor regulations.
Of course, $5,000 is a drop in the bucket of a revenue-generating machine like American Idol, so the message sent by the Labor Department may not be received, even though this Idol tour drew only a third of last year’s tour.
