Nancy Hughes
PBS branches out into new demos, new platforms and new revenue streams to stay strong in 2002 and beyond
NEWSTimes change, and so do television networks. Therefore what strikes one as extraordinary about PBS’s thirty-odd years of programming history is not how much has changed, but rather how much of its fundamental mission, born in the era of the Civil Rights Movement (when attention was on education as a means to help children escape poverty) and The Great Society (with its emphasis on federal leadership in the funding of education), has not.
PBS’s preschool crown jewel diversifies to stay hip with today’s tots
NEWSFinding–and holding onto–today’s preschool audience is tough, but netting those viewers with educon is even tougher. Yet curriculum-based Sesame Street has topped the preschool heap for more than three decades (staunchly remaining one of the top 10 series with kids ages two to five), providing a permanent programming address for PBS Kids.
Economies of scale and kid author access make Nelvana a natural PBS block partner
NEWSAt a time when other networks are renting out their Saturday morning blocks, PBS’s weekend kids block continues to thrive.
The evolution of digital channels
NEWSWhile there might not be universal agreement about whether digital will truly be the second television coming or simply a more efficient delivery system, both passionate proponents and those less bullish about the new technology seem to agree on one thing: The children shall lead.
Girls make the leap to top spot on production slates
NEWSFive years ago, the number of tween girl toons could be counted on one hand, leaving girls ages eight to 14 to make do with whatever their kid brother was watching. ‘It’s always been the adage that you don’t create a show directed at girls because boys control the remote,’ says Bill Schultz, the Emmy-winning producer of The Simpsons.
In search of comic relief
NEWSWhile comic book companies have emerged as multimedia entertainment powerhouses, comics themselves have been relegated to incubator status as the industry struggles to up kid awareness. KidScreen does reconnaissance on some efforts to deliver marketing kapow that connects kids with comics….
Nets court next-gen kids with Internet hybrids
NEWSThese days, ‘convergence’ is being used to describe just about everything from human interaction with common household appliances (I think I communicate pretty well with my fridge already, thanks) to the intersection of TV broadcasting and the Internet. Broadcasters and cablers,…
Convergence and the future:
NEWSAny discussion about the future of the Internet is fraught with theories, visions and much economic speculation. As one pundit put it, you may as well ask which way the universe is headed. And while there are few absolutes in speaking…
E3: Old console, new demo-gamecos go for the six and under set
NEWSForget the dragons and `droids-it was a real-life battle at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo between suits and Doc Martins as business folk jostled aggressively with hard-core gamers for a spot at one of the PlayStation 2 consoles, following its North…
Easymoney.com?
NEWSAccording to a 1999 Jupiter Communications study, U.S. kids and teens are the fastest-growing demographic on the Web, with numbers expected to increase to 21.9 million users ages two to 11 by the year 2002. Factor in the strong influence kids…
The definitive kids ent resource.Photos
Kidscreen Summit 2010 -