Netflix picks up "Sesame Street" after PBS funding cut
"Sesame Street" will arrive on Netflix after U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew funds from the American channel Public Broadcasting Service. Details have been provided.
"Sesame Street" will debut on Netflix as a result of Donald Trump's decision to withdraw funds from the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). The platform intends to continue the more than half-century history of the production, which was brought into question.
According to Netflix, "Sesame Street" is one of the flagship children's programs worldwide. A new season will be produced, and viewers will also be able to watch 90 hours of existing episodes. The Muppets will remain on PBS until Netflix begins airing the show.
The decision to move the popular show was made after Warner Bros Discovery (the owner of the HBO platform) refused to sign a new cooperation agreement for production. The reason was most likely financial. Donald Trump issued an order that blocked some funds for PBS (previously allocated for this purpose).
Media reports indicate that the politician's move was not accidental. BBC reports that he accused PBS (and National Public Radio — NPR) of "engaging in biased news representation". The authorities of the Public Broadcasting Service considered the president's decree "blatantly unlawful".
The history of "Sesame Street"
"Sesame Street" is one of the most recognized educational programs for children. It was created with the idea of teaching young children through play and interaction with characters on the screen, the Muppets.
The idea emerged in 1965 when Lloyd Morrisett, one of the creators, noticed how much television captivated his three-year-old daughter. They decided to use this potential to teach children basic skills such as letters and numbers.
The first episode aired four years later and was a hit. In 1996, 95 percent of American preschoolers were watching the format. By 2009, "Sesame Street" had been watched by children in 140 countries, and local versions of the program were created in several of them.
The production has won numerous prestigious awards, including Emmy and Grammy awards. To this day, it remains one of the longest-running television programs, with more than 4,300 episodes.
