Kevin and Jodi Kreider, the younger brother and sister-in-law of Jon & Kate Plus 8 star Kate Gosselin, spoke out about the troubled state of Gosselin’s marriage on The Early Show Wednesday.

Tabloid reports of mutual cheating by both Jon and Kate have left the parents of 8 standing on shaky ground. Both deny having affairs.

All the controversy surrounding the show helped Jon & Kate Plus 8 draw record ratings during its fifth season premiere on Monday night. Approximately 9.8 million viewers tuned in to watch the drama unfold — “good numbers for network TV, pure gold on cable,” observes CBS News correspondent Michelle Gielan. “To put that in perspective, the show set a ratings record just two years ago with just under 3 millions viewers.”

The eight children of Jon and Kate Gosselin are being exploited and viewed as commodities, all in the name of ratings, according to their Aunt Jodi and Uncle Kevin.

The Kreiders are speaking out now because they are lobbying for laws protecting children who appear in reality shows such as TLC’s Jon & Kate Plus 8.