TV Worth Blogging
by David Thiel, Program Director for WILL-TV
An insider's view of public television programming and the issues that help determine what and how you watch
Showcasing PBS - Wednesday Morning
Wednesday morning at PBS Showcase was all about kids. New kids' series and new hosts for our morning preschool block made for a great deal of fun!
As you can see, characters from most PBS Kids' shows participated en masse, and at the center of this photo are the two new human hosts--"Mr. Steve" and "Miss Rosa"--who will be joining "Miss Lori" and Hooper in songs and activities surrounding some of our most popular preschool shows, weekdays from 7:00 - 9:00 am. "Mr. Steve" brought his guitar and provided musical introductions for several of the guest speakers; he was a big hit with the assembled crowd of PBS station personnel.
We also got our first look at two new series that will be joining our morning lineup this September: Martha Speaks and Sid the Science Kid. Martha is a traditionally animated series from the folks who brought us Arthur, and it's based on the classic children's book about a dog named Martha who eats a bowl of alphabet soup and gains the power of speech. Naturally, it's about the power of words, and Martha herself is empowered to take on a number of jobs, such as becoming a radio talk show host. We were treated to several clips from the show, and all suggested that it will bring a lot of breezy humor that should delight children and their adults.
Sid the Science Kid is from Jim Henson Associates, and while it has a computer animation look, it's actually created through an innovative "digital puppetry" process which allows Henson puppeteers to animate the characters in real-time. Sid is an inquisitive child who asks a lot of questions: for example, why do bananas turn brown? Through his investigations, children 3 to 6 years old will be introduced to a variety of science concepts.
I'm very much looking forward to adding both series to the WILL-TV lineup, beginning this September!
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