The new reality-TV frontier: adultery

The American Family Association and other morality groups could soon have a new, Toronto-based target to rile against.

Producers in Los Angeles are looking to base a reality series on an Internet service based in Toronto which helps people to connect with others looking to cheat on their spouses.

The Ashley Madison Agency -- a name geared to hide the true nature of the agency from anyone looking at your credit-card statement -- was seen as a font of reality-TV fodder by the L.A.-based production company Magical Elves, which has had a hand in other reality shows.

In business since January, 2002, the agency has been speaking to the television producers for more than a year.

As the business has grown and more people have signed up, "We've been successful in rousting and identifying people who actually do want their stories told, will go on camera and -- for whatever their reasons are, people have affairs for different reasons -- talk about it," said Darren Morgenstern, the agency's founder.

Currently, the Ashley Madison Agency has around 280,000 users, with around 30 per cent identifying themselves as single and looking for an affair with a partner who is attached.

"Where else would there be like-minded, willing participants that a show producer can glean subject matter from?" Morgenstern asked.

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