Big Bird, Cookie Monster and Oscar the Grouch on the same network that features beheadings and full-frontal nudity nearly every week on “Game of Thrones“?
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In addition to Sesame Street, HBO will also license about 50 past episodes of “Pinky Dinky Doo“, an animated series for preschoolers with a focus on early literacy, and “The Electric Company“, which relaunched in 2009, from Sesame Workshop. “I don’t think they will care about the nine-month window and waiting to see new episodes”.
Puppeteer Caroll Spinney, left, Sesame Street co-founder and TV producer Joan Ganz Cooney, center, and Sesame Street cast members pose under a “123 Sesame Street” sign on November 9, 2009, in New York City. It’s expected to help Sesame Workshop adapt to emerging technologies that have upended the television business in recent years.
Revenue from donations, distribution fees paid by PBS stations and licensing for merchandise sales have all been trending downward.
If such a large number of our elected government officials weren’t massive and useless dickbags with punchable faces we could have been really forward-thinking and progressive and given PBS the funds to create a free, public streaming service that would be a no cost alternative to paid services.
The news comes a day after the public media publication Current announced PBS’s decision to distribute only a half-hour version of the show this fall, dropping the regular hour long format. Rival streaming services like Netlix and Amazon have also invested heavily in kids programming.
However, airing a children’s show on a premium channel immediately called for criticisms. Right now there are 18 new episodes a season; through the new deal, there will be 35 a season.
As reported by nbcnews, HBO executives hailed the show as “the most important preschool education program in the history of television. We are delighted to be a home for this extraordinary show, helping Sesame Street expand and build its franchise”.
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Sesame Street teaches children valuable lessons both in morals and in educational content. They do this through situations shown with animation, real people, short films, and most importantly, Jim Henson’s Muppets.
