"Time For Big Bird To Die?"

[Drtooth]

but the main point of the article is that Sesame Street can't really do it's job effectively anymore due to a lack of funding. you'll recall that the initial idea of Sesame Street was basically to 'advertise' numbers and letters to children. Well, that has kind of gone by the way side and instead you are treated to advertisements for McDonalds and sugary cereals. And yes, both are advertised before and after Sesame airs.

This is of course due to Congress, and lack of funding from PBS. I don't think SS should have to be demonized because Paris Hilton needs another Tax cut.

The author sites an enjoyment of Blues Clues, Go Diego, go and Dora the explorer but also sites that these are billion dollar franchises which again are surrounded by advertisements. Next time you're out at a toy store, take a look at the packagain for an SS item. You'll see a little ballon at the top featuring Elmo whre it says that the money you spend on said product goes right back into the production of SS. You're probably not going ot find that on Dora or Diego or Blue.

Which is blatant hypocracy on so many levels. Elmo is annoying? How about a little girl shreiking in English and spanish like an obnoxious tourist in a foreign land. She speaks really slow and loud, and even if I hated Elmo (or the Muppets for that matter, perish the thought) I'd rather have Elmo sing Elmo's song throught eternity than watch one episode of Dora. It's so bloody annoying. And I agree. With SW, they at least use the profits to fund stuff other than a beachhouse in Malibu.

I do agree that SS doesn't have the same clout as 37 years ago, but think about it. SS was new. Nothing had ever been like that before. Sure, we had Capt. Kangaroo and Ding Dong school, but SS was a new animal. Now it's just taken for granted. Everyone tries hard to be like them, and fails miserably. Even in the 70's with the horrendous "New Zoo Revue."

 

[CensoredAlso]

I've seen The New Zoo Review, very bizarre! Though the episode I saw had a very good message.

 

[Drtooth]

Yeah! I know that message NZR was giving...

If you see a high quality show the likes no one has ever seen, ripoff the format and do it on the cheap to make a fast buck.

That's why Big Bird and Grover have balloons in the Macy Parade and NZR is seen only on home shopping channels at 5 AM to fill the FCC educational program requirement.

 

[Vic Romano]

I'm sorry, I could have sworn there was a war going on in Iraq. Don't people have better things to do with their time? I mean, if you're going to write so passionately about making decisions, shouldn't it be something a little more substantial? This guy's a tool.

 

[ISNorden]

I dislike the ads cutting into Sesame Street's air time as much as any adult viewer does, and I too find it hypocritical that McDonald's (even with the nutritious choices on their menu--how many people order those?) has become one of the show's biggest corporate sponsors. But I haven't seen any cereals, sugary or otherwise, mentioned in those ads. The only names I've heard there are Beaches resorts, Earth's Best organic baby foods, the everydaykidz.com asthma-info site, McDonald's restaurant, New Balance shoes, and (originally) Pampers diapers. Of the sponsors listed, only two of those sponsors relate specifically to food; of those two, only McDonald's is guilty of pushing junk food.

 

[CensoredAlso]

I too find it hypocritical that McDonald's (even with the nutritious choices on their menu--how many people order those?) has become one of the show's biggest corporate sponsors.

I do agree it's unfortunate. It's a fact in the business world that sometimes companies need to take on sponsors no matter how controversial they are. At least SS does make the effort to preach healthy eating on their own show. And McDonald's isn't bad as a sometime thing, as long as it's not everyday.