Press Releases & News Briefs

PBS KIDS SPROUT CELEBRATES MOM AND DAD ON THEIR SPECIAL DAYS

Programming Blocks Feature Themed Sprout Shows and Preschoolers’ Homemade Mother’s and Father’s Day Cards

Philadelphia, PA - May 10, 2006 - PBS KIDS Sprout, the first and only 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, celebrates Moms and Dads this spring with special Mother's and Father's Day programming events. 

"Hooray For Mother's Day!," a six-hour block of mom-themed Sprout shows airing on Sunday, May 14 from noon to 6 p.m., will feature homemade cards for Mom sent in by preschoolers, while messages from kids about why their moms are special will scroll onscreen throughout the programming event in a live dedication crawl.  "Papa Bear's Day," a three-hour Berenstain Bears™ marathon, with first-time guest voiceovers by Papa Bear, will air on Sunday, June 18 from noon to 3:00 p.m. ET.  It also will feature a dedication crawl and homemade cards for Dad provided by preschoolers.

Both events will be hosted by Kevin, who also leads one of Sprout's most popular original programs, Birthdays.  Children and families from all over the country send in their homemade birthday cards to Kevin who reads selected wishes on-air.  Over 2,000 cards are received monthly. 

Special "Hooray For Mother's Day!" episodes of Sesame Street®, Barney & Friends™, Dragon Tales™, Jay Jay the Jet Plane™, Berenstain Bears™, Sagwa: The Chinese Siamese Cat™ and more will highlight moms and families.  The Sagwa episode features the kittens preparing a special Moon Cake message for Mama Miao, realizing the best way to show their mother how they feel about her is to spend some time together; Dragon Tales follows Ord on an adventure with his friends to find some "giggle flowers," his mom's favorite; and Jay Jay the Jet Plane features a tale about Brenda's mother coming to the Tarrytown Airport for Mother's Day.

The "Papa Bear's Day" Berenstain Bears marathon features special episodes that follow Papa Bear and the cubs on a Bear Scout spelunking expedition, training for the Annual Bear Country Run, a vacation at the family beach house and quiet time at home reminiscing with family members about the past. 

About Sprout
PBS KIDS Sprout, the first and only 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, was created as a partnership between Comcast Corporation, the country's leading provider of cable, entertainment and communications products and services; HIT Entertainment, a leading provider of quality entertainment for young children; PBS (Public Broadcasting Service), the most trusted distributor of award winning children's programming; and Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street.

Since debuting its video on demand (VOD) service in April 2005, PBS KIDS Sprout has become the #1 Kids On Demand service, generating over 80 million orders since launch.  The 24-hour digital channel, which launched in September 2005 along with the interactive website (www.sproutletsgrow.com), is available on digital cable and satellite to almost 20 million committed subscribers.  The network's program lineup of gold-standard, curriculum-based children's shows includes:  Sesame Street®, Bob the Builder™, Barney & Friends™, Thomas & Friends™, Angelina Ballerina™, Sagwa: The Chinese Siamese Cat™,  Caillou®, The Berenstain Bears™, Jay Jay the Jet Plane™, Teletubbies™, Dragon Tales™, Pingu™, Noddy™ and more.

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CONTACT:
Jenni Glenn
PBS KIDS Sprout
215-667-2703
jenni_glenn@sproutletsgrow.com