Really? Yes, according to this article in The Daily Record. O.K., it’s in the U.K. not the U.S. - will we be far behind? The show, advertised on BeOnScreen offers cash to families willing to have the realities of their separation, mediation and divorce televised. While mediators are already stars, is this a good way for you to shine? Is this an intelligent format within which to educate the public about mediation [and, yes, there’s still a lot of educating to be done]? What do you think?
Florida’s Mediator Ethics Advisory Committee [formerly known as the Mediator Qualifications Advisory Panel] was prescient on this issue when it promulgated Opinion 97-008, which in summary states “[p]roducing a TV show with real parties in a live mediation is not a violation so long as the parties are informed of their right to confidentiality and waive it.” [Unfortunately, the link to the opinion does not work; if you’d like a copy of the opinion, please email your request to me and I’ll email the opinion to you.]
To email me, click Perry S. Itkin.
