Netflix saves Sesame Street from the Trump monster
Beloved 55-year-old institution Sesame Street has been rescued from looming funding cuts to US public broadcasting, signing a global deal with Netflix to protect the future of the show.
Under the deal, new Sesame Street episodes will premier globally on Netflix, including in Australia, with 90 hours of archival episodes also available for streaming. In the US, the show will air on PBS, in an afternoon timeslot.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration announced it would cut funding to public broadcaster PBS, which has aired Sesame Street in the US for over 50 years.
Donald Trump signed an executive order instructing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to cease giving federal money to the network, saying public-funded media receives “millions from taxpayers to spread radical, woke propaganda disguised as news”.
Oscar looks thrilled by the deal…
In addition, Warner Bros Discovery recently decided not to renew its licensing deal for new episodes, leaving the show without a commercial partner.
“This unique public-private partnership will enable us to bring our research-based curriculum to young children around the world with Netflix’s global reach, while ensuring children in communities across the U.S. continue to have free access on public television to the ‘Sesame Street’ they love,” Sesame Workshop, the non-profit behind the show, said in a media release.
“I strongly believe that our educational programming for children is one of the most important aspects of our service to the American people, and ‘Sesame Street’ has been an integral part of that critical work for more than half a century,” Paula Kerger, president and CEO of PBS, said.
“We’re proud to continue our partnership in the pursuit of having a profound impact on the lives of children for years to come.”
Sesame Street airs in more than 150 countries, and has won over 200 Emmys.
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Nathan Jolly is the Features Editor at Mumbrella. He joined the team in July, 2023.
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