Reality TV kids: A legal gray zone

The Times filed public-record requests in 10 states with the agencies that regulate the employment of minors, seeking information about the child labor permit status of 16 reality television shows. Of those, 11 had not applied for such permits. No state could say definitively whether they should have. The networks say they require their production companies to follow all applicable laws.

TLC

Show: “19 Kids and Counting,” produced by Figure 8 Films in Arkansas

Permit: No

Show: “Toddlers & Tiaras,” produced by Authentic Entertainment Inc. in Arkansas*

Permit: No

Show: “Kate Plus 8” (formerly known as “Jon & Kate Plus 8”), produced by Figure 8 Films in Pennsylvania

Permit: Not initially, but obtained permits this spring.

Show: “Table for 12,” produced by Figure 8 Films in New Jersey

Permit: No

Show: “Carpio Family Project” (formerly known as “Multitude of Multiples”), produced by Figure 8 Films in New York

Permit: Not for pilot, but obtained one May 21

Show: “Little People, Big World,” produced by Gay Rosenthal Productions in Oregon

Permit: No

Show: “Quintuplet Surprise,” produced by Megalomedia in Texas

Permit: Yes, according to production company. State could not verify.

Bravo

Show: “9 by Design,” produced by Left/Right Inc. in New York

Permit: Yes

Show: “The Real Housewives of Orange County,” produced by Evolution Media in California

Permit: No

Show: “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” produced by True Entertainment in Georgia

Permit: No

Show: “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” produced by Sirens Media in New Jersey

Permit: No

Show: “The Real Housewives of New York,” produced by Ricochet Television Inc. in New York

Permit: No

Show: “The Real Housewives of D.C.,” produced by Half Yard Productions in Virginia*

Permit: No

WE TV

Show: “Raising Sextuplets,” produced by Eric Schiff Productions Inc. in Florida

Permit: No

Show: “Little Miss Perfect,” produced by NorthSouth Productions in Florida*

Permit: No

Oxygen

Show: “Tori & Dean,” produced by World of Wonder Productions in California

Permit: Yes

*This show is filmed in multiple jurisdictions

Source: State documents, researched by Matea Gold