The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) has announced that it will introduce several new children’s shows to its lineup in the coming fall season. Among these shows are a literacy series for 7- to 10-year-olds, created by the producers of “Sesame Street,” and an arts series hosted by the comedy and magic duo Penn and Teller. However, at the annual meeting of public television station managers in June, the focus seemed to be on PBS’s decision not to renew the popular preschool show, “Barney & Friends,” which features a purple dinosaur.
“Barney & Friends,” which is based on a children’s video series, follows the adventures of a giant stuffed toy come to life, who helps a diverse group of children learn about topics such as nutrition, friendship, and safety. Station managers expressed their disappointment with the cancellation, as the show had garnered a significant following among preschoolers and their parents. In fact, by one ratings measurement, “Barney & Friends” was the second-most-watched children’s program on PBS, tied with the long-running “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” and second only to “Sesame Street.”
However, following the convention, PBS executives stated that they would reconsider their decision to cancel “Barney & Friends.” Initially, the executives had cited budget constraints and revealed that “Barney & Friends” lost out in the competition for funding against two other children’s series, “Lamb Chop’s Play-Along” and “Shining Time Station.” PBS had committed $1.7 million for “Lamb Chop’s Play-Along,” a show featuring puppeteer Shari Lewis, and $2.2 million for “Shining Time Station,” which stars comedian George Carlin.
Mitchell Semel, PBS’s vice president for programming, informed station executives that all three shows had received funding for the 1991-92 season with the hope that one would emerge as the clear favorite. However, all three shows achieved strong ratings. The producers of “Barney & Friends” had requested $2.3 million from PBS, which would cover approximately half of the show’s annual production costs. Larry Rifkin, the executive vice president for programming at Connecticut Public Television, which co-produced the show, mentioned that they were seeking underwriters to continue the series.
In addition to “Lamb Chop’s Play-Along” and “Shining Time Station,” PBS has allocated funds for other popular children’s shows such as “Sesame Street,” “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” and “Reading Rainbow.” “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?,” a geography game show that premiered last fall, received $3.5 million for the next season and has been renewed for 1993. PBS will also debut two new children’s series this fall. “Ghostwriter,” a weekly show from the Children’s Television Workshop, revolves around a ghost that helps six children solve mysteries using words and letters. The show will be supplemented with paperback books, mini-magazines, and a teacher’s guide. “Behind the Scenes,” a 10-episode series designed to foster creative-thinking skills, will be hosted by magicians Penn and Teller and will explore various artistic pursuits such as painting, sculpture, music, and dance.
Furthermore, starting in the winter of next year, PBS plans to launch its own information show for teenagers called “In the Mix.” The show will tackle important issues like AIDS and peer pressure. Looking ahead, PBS aims to develop a new half-hour series for school-age children by the fall of 1996, as well as explore additional programming tailored for teenagers.
