'Kid Nation' bow wins slot but disappoints

September 21, 2007 CBS' controversial "Kid Nation" debuted to less than overwhelming ratings Wednesday while airing with fewer commercials than normal. Whether it was the negative publicity surrounding alleged child labor law violations in New Mexico or strong competition from NBC's "Deal or No Deal" and Fox's premiere of "Back to You," "Kid Nation" bowed with 9.4 million viewers and a 3.1 rating/9 share in the adults 18-49 demographic, Nielsen Media Research said Thursday. The youth reality series slugged it out to a draw in its first half-hour with the decidedly grayer "Back to You" (9.4 million, 3.1/9), starring Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton, and was surpassed in viewership in the second half because of a surge by "Deal" (9.7 million, 2.5/8).

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