Netflix ‘saves’ Sesame Street after US President Donald Trump cuts PBS funding

Netflix and Sesame Street have struck a deal that will see the popular children's TV show appear on the streaming platform. This agreement comes after US President Donald Trump pulled funding for the free-to-air channel Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). Netflix stated the iconic program is a "beloved cornerstone of children's media, enchanting young minds and nurturing a love of learning." Under the new arrangement, Netflix will offer its 300 million subscribers a new season of the show and 90 hours of previous episodes. New episodes will also continue to be available on PBS and the PBS Kids app on the same day they release on Netflix.Sesame Street had been facing an uncertain future after entertainment giant Warner Bros Discovery, which owns the HBO platform, did not renew its deal with the half-century-old program. Earlier this month, Trump issued an executive order to block federal funding to PBS and the National Public Radio (NPR) network, citing biased coverage. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which backed the broadcasters, later terminated a federal initiative that funded children's shows, including Sesame Street.In the late 1960s, Sesame Street was conceived by Lloyd Morrisett and Joan Ganz Cooney, who enlisted Harvard developmental psychologists and Muppets creator Jim Henson to craft an urban‑styled television series grounded in childhood learning research.Since its premiere on November 10, 1969, the show’s memorable theme song and characters—Big Bird, Elmo, and Cookie Monster among them—have become cultural touchstones.Beyond entertainment, Sesame Street has influenced public policy and health education: Elmo testified before Congress on music education in 2002; during America’s 2006 childhood obesity crisis, segments on balanced diets featured Cookie Monster redefining cookies as a “sometimes food,” and First Lady Michelle Obama filmed a healthy‑eating spot.Meanwhile, Netflix has expanded its investment in children’s programming—which now represents 15 percent of its viewership—by greenlighting new Peppa Pig episodes and launching an interactive mobile game with puzzles and coloring activities.