Season two of Alma’s Way starts on PBS Kids September 18, and the season premiere has a special guest in the voice cast. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor plays herself. 

The show is about six-year-old Alma, a Puerto Rican girl in the Bronx. It is created by Sonia Manzano, who played Maria on Sesame Street, and is a Fred Rogers Productions show. Manzano grew up in the Bronx, and so did Justice Sotomayor. 

Speaking with B+C, Manzano said she has known Justice Sotomayor for years through a networking group of Hispanic professional women. Through that group, they worked on the Bronx Children’s Museum project together, as it advanced from a bus rolling around the Bronx to a bricks-and-mortar building. 

“She writes children’s books, and she’s interested in children, so why not ask her to be in the opening show of Alma’s Way to kick off Hispanic Heritage Month?” said Manzano, who voices Granny Isa on the program. 

In the first half of the episode, “Justice Sonia and Judge Alma,” Alma tries to help a couple friends determine a fair solution to their disagreement. In the second half, “Justice Sonia and Umpire Alma,” Alma is the umpire at a kickball game, and has a tough call to make. 

Asked what Sotomayor brings to the episode, besides a bunch of prestige, Manzano said she shows Alma another way of thinking through issues. “The show is about critical thinking, and if there’s one thing a judge needs to do and must do well, it’s think critically and separate one idea from another,” she said. “She’s kind of the epitome of that.”

Sotomayor came to New York to record her parts, same as the rest of the voice cast. Manzano described it as “easy peasy,” though voice director Holly Gregory had some challenging moments. “She said, do you know how hard it was for me to ask the Supreme Court justice to try a line another way?” she said. 

Manzano described Justice Sotomayor as “very generous and gregarious,” at times driving her security detail nuts by freely interacting with kids at events. 

Manzano grew up in the South Bronx, and said domestic violence was a major factor in her household. She recalls her neighborhood fondly–no guns, minimal drugs, a neighborhood where people looked out for one another. “People were poor, but it was certainly not as frightening as situations you read about now,” she said. 

She found “solace and refuge” from the violence in her home, she said, in television. Leave It to Beaver. Father Knows Best. Gunsmoke. American Bandstand. 

She went to the High School of the Performing Arts in Manhattan, then college at Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh. Then she landed on Sesame in 1971, and stayed until 2015, a stunning 44-year run. 

Manzano does not watch Sesame Street these days, because there are no children in her home, and she no longer knows the cast members personally. 

Manzano is psyched to have a new season of Alma’s Way starting up. Besides the episode with Justice Sotomayor, she’s excited to share an episode set in the New York City transit system featuring busking musicians. One of them loses an amplifier, and “there’s a wild goose chase” in the subways, Manzano said. 

She’s pleased with how season one was received. “Somebody my age will say, Oh, I live in Michigan but I’m from the Bronx, and I’m of your generation,” Manzano said. “And I can show my grandkid a little bit about what it was like, a little bit about the culture.”

The “Summer of Adventure” has begun on PBS Kids, with three movies spun off from established TV series set to debut. First to premiere is Alma Goes to Puerto Rico, an hour-long movie spun off from Alma’s Way that debuts June 5. Then it’s Wise Raven & Old Crow, a one-hour Molly of Denali movie that premieres July 10, before Space Camp, a feature-length film from Ready Jet Go!, rolls July 20. 

Kids of course have different routines in the summer, and PBS Kids is looking to give young viewers, and their parents, something special to watch. “It’s a time where families are looking for events to do with their kids,” Sara DeWitt, senior VP and general manager, PBS Kids, told B+C. “And kids might have longer stretches to sit and watch.”

Sticking with the adventure theme, Alma, a young girl based in the Bronx, ventures to Puerto Rico with her family to celebrate her great-grandmother’s 100th birthday. For Wise Raven, Molly and her family take a river trip to a traditional Gwich-in village to honor their late grandmother. Space Camp, timed to the anniversary of the moon landing 54 years before, sees the characters start in a summertime camp where they learn about space. 

Last year’s summertime movies on PBS Kids were Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood: Daniel Visits a New Neighbor, and a pair of Curious George movies. 

The shows that get summer movies are typically well-established with viewers and “have really great, deeper stories that the writers are ready to tell,” DeWitt said. “Something you can’t always do in 11 minutes.”

Alma’s Way, created by Sonia Manzano, who played Maria on Sesame Street, has had two seasons. Molly of Denali, about a Native-American girl in Alaska, has had three. Ready Jet Go!, which touches on astronomy and earth science, debuted in 2016. 

For Alma, the Bronx girl encounters things she’s unfamiliar with in Puerto Rico, including the fact that she’s not fluent in Spanish, and her great-grandmother, also named Alma, does not speak English. Alma must figure out solutions to a new set of challenges. “It’s a great opportunity to take the curriculum to another level,” DeWitt said. 

Summer isn’t the only time for PBS Kids movies. Halloween means a few, and after that is the holiday season. “Those are moments where kids are looking for special events,” DeWitt said. 

Also part of PBS Kids’s Summer of Adventure campaign are new episodes of Rosie’s Rules, starting June 26, and Work It Out Wombats!, starting July 24; games from Alma’s Way and Rosie’s Rules; and the podcast “Keyshawn Solves It,” in which an African-American boy solve the mystery of disappearing bikes in his neighborhood before a Juneteenth celebration. That debuted May 29.

DeWitt said the summer movies strategy “works on a lot of levels.”

“It’s a great way for families and kids to find something fun, and an event in the summer,” she said. “And it’s a great opportunity for us to do deeper storytelling.” 

PBS Kids, GBH Kids and PRX have partnered on the podcast “Keyshawn Solves It,” which features a 10-year-old African-American boy on a mission to discover what has happened to the missing bikes in his Minneapolis neighborhood, ahead of his community’s Juneteenth celebration. 

The podcast premiered May 29. Keyshawn receives a set of old keys that he uses to help solve the mystery of disappearing bikes in his neighborhood. With help from his friend Kiki, Keyshawn needs to solve the mystery quickly so the Juneteenth bike parade can go on.  

There are eight episodes. 

GBH Kids produces Arthur and Molly of Denali for PBS Kids. GBH Kids podcasts include ones based on those two series, along with The Creeping Hour and Pinkalicious and Peterrific. 

“GBH Kids is dedicated to telling stories that reflect the diverse experiences and perspectives of our young audiences and their caregivers,” said Dorothea Gillim, executive producer and creative director, GBH Kids. “ ‘Keyshawn Solves It’ uses the power of audio storytelling to engage kids in a compelling mystery, while also celebrating Juneteenth, its origins, and important lessons about courage, responsibility, and resilience.”

Keyshawn Solves It is created by Ed Jenkins. “The podcast story is set during the week leading up to Juneteenth so that the listeners can gain a deeper understanding of this historical day in African-American history,” Jenkins said. “This podcast invites families to reflect on what Juneteenth means to them and their communities through Keyshawn’s story.” 

Geared toward children 5-9, Keyshawn Solves It is produced by GBH Kids and distributed by PRX and PBS Kids with additional funding from Black Public Media. 

Work It Out Wombats!, an animated series about a trio of marsupial siblings, premieres on PBS Kids February 6. The show targets kids ages 3-6. 

Malik, Zadie and Zeke are the siblings. They live in a massive treehouse apartment complex known as the Treeborhood with their grandmother, Super. The show introduces “computational thinking concepts that will help young viewers solve meaningful problems, learn flexible thinking and how to express themselves,” PBS Kids said, while using the processes at the core of computer science. 

“The Wombats are all about exploring the world around them and, much like preschoolers, their curiosity and love of adventure know no bounds,” said Sara DeWitt, senior VP and general manager, PBS Kids. “Computational thinking is a way of approaching problems in strategic ways, helping young children respond and adapt to the world around them. We’re excited for viewers to explore these foundational skills and mindsets while having fun with their new marsupial friends.”

Treeborhood residents include wombats, snakes, moose, kangaroos, iguanas, fish, tarsiers and eagles. The complex has secret passageways, gondolas and rope swings. 

“Malik, Zadie and Zeke are passionate about their goals, but they don’t always know the best way to go about meeting them,” said Marcy Gunther and Marisa Wolsky, executive producers, GBH Kids. “But in every story, we see the Wombats using computational thinking, a powerful toolkit, to work it out.”

Each episode includes two 11-minute stories, accompanied by a 90-second music video. 

The show is produced by GBH Kids and Pipeline Studios. Gunther and Wolsky are executive producers for GBH Kids. Luis Lopez and Juan Lopez are executive producers for Pipeline Studios. ■

Al Roker is behind the PBS Kids show Weather Hunters. The animated show, targeting children ages 5-8, helps them understand weather through adventure and comedy. The main character is 8-year-old Lily Hunter, a weather detective who shares her investigations with her family, including father Al, voiced by Roker.

“The series will help further young viewers’ interest and knowledge of Earth science and meteorology, both key building blocks of climate education,” PBS Kids said.

PBS mentioned the show in its TCA press tour presentation.

Created by Roker, Weather Hunters is produced by Al Roker Entertainment.

“We’re so excited to be working with Al Roker and his team to bring important weather and Earth science lessons to kids through Weather Hunters,” said Sara DeWitt, senior VP and general manager, PBS Kids. “We know that parents and kids are looking for content about weather and climate; this show is fresh, funny and forward-thinking, and will help kids understand how weather affects their lives every day.”

Roker handles weather on NBC’s Today, and is co-anchor on the show’s third hour. He will be inducted into the B+C Hall of Fame later this year.

Each 22-minute episode will explore STEM-based activities and themes, highlighting weather within the broad field of science in terms that kids can understand. "Weather Hunters has been a labor of love and a passion project for more than a decade and I cannot think of a better partner than PBS Kids to make this dream come true," said Roker. “When it comes to Weather Hunters, I predict increasing animation with downpours of family-friendly storytelling and a rising understanding of weather and climate on your local PBS station, pbskids.org, and the PBS Kids Video and Games apps."

Tracie Brennan and Lisa Tucker are executive producers, along with Bill Schultz.

The premiere date has not been shared.

PBS Kids also announced animated series Lyla in the Loop. The show stars Lyla, a 7-year-old Black girl, her close-knit family, blue sidekick creature Stu, and a host of quirky characters living in her community, who spotlight creative problem-solving and critical thinking skills while working collaboratively.

"Lyla in the Loop focuses on the important skills of creative thinking and problem solving through a thoughtful and adventurous approach that meets children in a funny and relatable way,” said DeWitt. “We’re so excited to be partnering with Mighty Picnic and Pipeline Studios to bring this inventive new series to families across the country."

Dave Peth created the show, which is scheduled to premiere early in 2024.

“The message of Lyla in the Loop is that everyone has what it takes to be a creative problem solver,” said Peth. “If you keep asking questions, trying new things, and working together, you’ll find more solutions than you could have imagined – and have a lot of fun along the way.” ■

PBS Kids premieres City Island December 26. The show, a series of animated digital shorts starring a lightbulb named Watt, shares its name with a waterfront neighborhood in the Bronx. The show is, in some ways, "a love letter for this city," said creator Aaron Augenblick of New York, but City Island is its own metropolis. 

The show targets early elementary school-age kids and covers topics such as cooperation, conflict resolution and city planning, intended to help children understand how cities and communities work. Every car, tree and building is its own character. 

Augenblick runs an eponymous studio in Brooklyn. “I have great, great love for New York City,” he told B+C. “As I created the idea for City Island, it bloomed into a love letter for this city.”

The theme song and score for the series are composed by Tunde Adebimpe, who is the lead singer of TV on the Radio, which came out of Brooklyn.

Sara DeWitt, senior VP and general manager, PBS Kids, said the show “tackles civics…in such a vibrant and engaging way.”

Augenblick executive produces with Daniel Powell and Gemma Correll. Augenblick and Powell founded children’s animation studio Future Brain Media in 2021. 

The City Island neighborhood is in the northeast Bronx, located in the Long Island Sound, off of Pelham Bay Park.

Augenblick called City Island “my dream project.” Sesame Street, The Muppets and Peanuts are inspirations. He described the show as New York City “on its very, very best day,” but stressed that City Island’s influences don’t come from New York alone.

“New York is definitely a big inspiration,” Augenblick said, “but the whole country is an inspiration.” ■

PBS Kids will premiere a series of animated digital shorts called City Island on December 26. The series is aimed at early elementary school-age kids and covers topics such as cooperation, conflict resolution and city planning, intended to help children understand how cities and communities work. 

City Island is created by Aaron Augenblick. Set in the thriving metropolis of City Island, not to be confused with the eponymous neighborhood in the Bronx, every car, tree and building is its own character. 

The shorts star Watt, a little lightbulb with big ideas. 

The voice cast includes Kimia Behpoornia and Kimiko Glenn, with a guest appearance from Amy Schumer.

“PBS Kids is committed to meeting kids where they are and making learning accessible in multiple formats,” said Sara DeWitt, senior VP and general manager, PBS Kids. “We’re excited to continue building our short form content library, and to tackle civics with City Island in such a vibrant and engaging way.” 

Augenblick executive produces with Daniel Powell and Gemma Correll. Augenblick and Powell founded children’s animation studio Future Brain Media in 2021. 

“After years of making cartoons, City Island is my dream project,” said Augenblick. “It’s a love letter to all my favorite kids' shows. Best of all, City Island is a world where we can explore dynamic visuals and important themes. Working with PBS Kids has been an extremely rewarding process.” 

The style of City Island is based on the comics of Correll. The theme song and score for the series are composed by Tunde Adebimpe, who is the lead singer of TV on the Radio. ■

Guests in season 53 of Sesame Street include Samuel L. Jackson, Ava Duvernay and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden. The season begins on HBO Max’s Cartoonito Nov. 3, with new episodes dropping on Thursdays. There are 35 episodes. 

The season streams on PBS Kids in fall 2023. 

Mickey Guyton is a guest in the season premiere and Amber Ruffin appears in the Nov. 3 and March 9 episodes. Zazie Beetz and Dr. Jill Biden turn up Dec. 1. Samuel L. Jackson appears Dec. 15, Brett Goldstein Jan. 12, Ava Duvernay Feb. 16 and Haim May 11. 

Sal Perez is the executive producer. “As with every new season, our goal is to deepen connections with families by creating unique and dynamic ways for them to engage with Sesame Street,” Perez said. “Season 53 continues our tradition of meeting the needs of kids today with authentic, meaningful content while keeping them learning, laughing and singing along. This season, both beloved and new friends will model the power of relationships and show the many ways we are all connected and belong in our families and communities.”

The Nov. 3 premiere has the title ”Community Mural,“ and sees the Muppets and some humans paint a mural dedicated to all the people in their neighborhood. 

“Sesame Street has always given kids a mirror to themselves and a window to each other, and this season strengthens that tradition. We could not be more grateful to be their partner in bringing these new stories to Cartoonito,” Amy Friedman, head of kids & family programming, Warner Bros. Discovery, said. “Perfectly aligned with our Humancentric Learning framework, the new season gives preschoolers a sense of connection across differences — probably the most important skill modern kids need to thrive.” ■

Animated comedy Rosie’s Rules premieres on PBS Kids Oct. 3. The preschool series is centered on 5-year-old Rosie Fuentes, an inquisitive Mexican-American girl just starting to learn about the world beyond the walls of her Texas home. Bilingual in English and Spanish, Rosie’s multicultural identity is a big part of who she is. Mexican, Southwestern and Midwestern art, traditions, food and music figure prominently into the show.

Produced by 9 Story Media Group and its Brown Bag Films, “the show aims to teach children concrete social studies lessons about how a community works, helping them develop their awareness of themselves as individuals and as part of a broader society,” according to PBS Kids.

“Like many young children, Rosie likes to figure things out for herself, and the mission of Rosie’s Rules is to nurture that curiosity and ‘learning-by-doing’ among viewers,” PBS Kids senior VP and general manager Sara DeWitt said. “Many families around the country will recognize themselves in Rosie’s amazing, culturally-diverse extended family and connect the rich Mexican, Southwestern and Midwestern traditions, food, art, language and music featured in the series with the unique customs and culture of their own families.”

Rosie’s father is from Mexico City and her mother is from rural Wisconsin. As Rosie figures life out, she composes her eponymous rules, including don’t try to mail your cat to Mexico and always make your abuela happy.

“We care deeply about all children seeing themselves reflected on screen,” said Angela C. Santomero, chief creative officer for 9 Story Media Group. “It is our mission to bring kids content that inspires them to change the world, and we believe Rosie’s Rules will do just that! The series’ unique social studies curriculum will help children learn about themselves, their families, and communities through enhancing their self-identity and expanding their experiences beyond the walls of their home.”

Jennifer Hamburg created the show. She executive produces with Mariana Diaz-Wionczek, PhD. ■

PBS has tapped a Big Tech exec to help steer content toward streaming and other new media platforms.

Leili Boroumand, formerly senior business development executive with Amazon, will be the public broadcaster’s VP of business development. She is charged with expanding the noncom net’s digital footprint, as well as content from 24/7 channel PBS Kids, across multiple platforms.

PBS said that charter includes getting distribution deals with YouTube TV and DirecTV as well as expanding its app-directed access on Chromecast, Apple TV, Samsung and other platforms. That will involve leveraging iconic content through third-party monetization and sponsorship, according to PBS.

Before joining Amazon, Boroumand headed up third-party distribution at The Washington Post, including its partnerships with Apple News and Facebook.

Her extensive resume also includes stints with other iconic online players including Groupon and AOL. ▪️

PBS Kids has ordered a second season of Alma’s Way. Sonia Manzano, who played Maria on Sesame Street, created the show. It is scheduled for fall 2023 and will have 25 half-hour episodes, including two specials. 

Alma’s Way follows 6-year-old Alma Rivera, a confident Puerto Rican girl who lives in the Bronx with her parents, younger brother Junior and Abuelo, as well as a diverse group of relatives, friends and community members. The series showcases Latino cultures through music, food and language. 

“Families across the country are telling us that Alma’s Way’s curriculum, music and focus on community truly resonates with them, and is making an impact in their children’s lives. We’re excited to bring another season to PBS Kids,” said Sara DeWitt, senior VP and general manager, PBS Kids.

The show is aimed at viewers 4-6. All episodes are available in both English and Spanish. Fred Rogers Productions produces Alma’s Way with Pipeline Studios.  

Manzano voices Granny Isa. She played Maria on Sesame for 44 years. 

“Alma’s Way suggests to children that the process of thinking is exhilarating, joyous and fun,” said Manzano, an executive producer. “I’m delighted that my relationship with PBS Kids and Fred Rogers Productions will continue as we bring another season of Alma’s Way to life.” 

Season two will introduce viewers to new characters and offer stories that show a side of season one characters they may not have experienced, including Uncle Nestor, brother Junior and Granny Isa. Season two will also take viewers to more New York City cultural landmarks. 

Alma’s Way premiered in October 2021. ■

PBS Kids will launch a new logo July 19, the first logo redo in two decades. The upcoming logo “builds on an expanded graphics package that began rolling out last year, which features a bright updated color palette and an array of people and environments,” according to PBS Kids, which added that the new logo is suited for the digitally-focused kids and families of today.

The existing logo has a green background and a boy’s face. The new one has a blue background and green and white letters, and no kid’s face.

The boy in the logo is known as Dash. 

Complementing the logo redesign, PBS Kids recently worked on an expansion to its brand package, the network said, that is reflective of the kids and families they serve. 

“We’re thrilled to unveil our new logo and branding updates, which are meant to bolster the PBS Kids mission by continuing to reflect and reach our audience in a multiplatform environment,” said Sara DeWitt, senior VP & general manager, PBS Kids. “Our new logo is fun, welcoming and bright, and resonates with kids and parents as a new look for the PBS Kids brand that they love and trust.”

PBS Kids worked with Lippincott, a global creative consultancy, on the logo. ■

Senior content producer Michael Malone chats with Ellen Doherty, the executive producer of Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, about the series' new season, which kicks off on PBS Kids with movie Daniel Visits a New Neighborhood.

More Series Business: Bill Hader on 'Barry' Season Three, and How His Time on 'SNL' Influences His Work | 'We're Here' Creators Johnnie Ingram and Stephen Warren on Doing Drag Shows in Small-Town America | Danny McBride, Creator and Star of 'The Righteous Gemstones' on HBO | 'Outlander' Executive Producers Maril Davis and Matthew Roberts Share About Season Six | Jason Katims, Showrunner of 'As We See It' on Amazon Prime ■

LAS VEGAS — Streaming is important but complicated for PBS, according to Ira Rubenstein, chief digital and marketing officer for the public broadcasting network.

“For the last eight years I’ve been at PBS, I’ve been very focused on broadening the distribution of our local stations to digital, and you have to do that at scale,” said Rubinstein, speaking at a session at NAB Show’s Capitalize Experimental Zone theater on Sunday.

“It’s just not practical for every one of our 300 stations to figure out on their own livestreaming to Roku and other devices,” he said. “We’ve been working in partnership with people like YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream and hopefully some others. We’re bringing our content to those live platforms.”

It’s not always easy to get distributors to participate, according to Rubenstein. While they want the content, the structure of PBS complicates things.

“It's challenging because we’re not commercial,” he said. “We don't have ads, and all those entities make money by selling ads. And to make it even more fun for them, there are markets in America where there's more than one PBS station,” Rubenstein said, including Washington, D.C., with three PBS outlets.

An outfit like YouTube TV might be happy to take a national feed, but PBS doesn’t have one. 

“Every station’s different, and oh, by the way, there’s going to be three individual feeds coming out of D.C. and you’re going to have to figure that out, please,” he said.

Rubenstein said its partners have so far done a good job adding PBS programming, and there might soon be some others.

Local stations are an important source of programming for PBS. Getting national content has “gotten more complicated with the streamers,” Rubenstein said.

Local stations produce PBS shows such as Frontline, Nova and Antiques Roadshow. 

“We recently announced a fund for emerging and diverse filmmakers,” he added. “We're investing and trying to bring more voices to the platform.”

But the best place for people with programming ideas to go is to a local PBS station, Rubenstein said.

“There are a lot of local stations that do a lot of local production,” he said. “Here in Vegas is one example, L.A., Boston, Minnesota, any major city.” 

He noted that even a smaller-market station like WCTE Cookeville, Tennessee, produces Bluegrass Underground from the caverns there. The Cookeville station only has eight to 12 employees, so “every station is creating content.”

Kids’ programming is another PBS strength, on both linear TV and online.

“More kids watch PBS, our stations or apps, than any other kids’ channel out there,” Rubenstein said.

He said the PBS Kids app does about 400 million streams a month. 

“No one has any idea how large it is,” he said. In addition to the PBS Kids video app, the network recently launched a PBS Kids Games app, which is now just as large as the video app.

“If any of you have children, you know how important video games are and as you would expect from PBS, our games are education-based,” Rubenstein said. “They’re often tied to the curriculum that was being exposed in the shows. So if it was a show about social-emotional learning or had some math functionality, that would be in the corresponding game.”

The games app is built on a sophisticated learning platform, so some of the more recent games can adapt to the child's performance and help the child learn more, he said. 

A lot of children are on YouTube, he noted, and PBS has put its content where the kids can find it with no ads.

Rubinstein said PBS’s education vitality was put to the test during the pandemic.

“Children went home, and it was remote learning, and especially in rural communities, children don’t have broadband, they don’t have the latest computer or the latest tablet,” he said.

Many PBS stations used their multicast capabilities to spin up specific learning channels. Rubenstein said the PBS stations in Los Angeles and Las Vegas worked directly with the school districts to sync up.

Education efforts were coordinated by PBS Learning Media, a joint venture of PBS and WGBH Boston. PBS Learning Media takes all of the network’s shows and cuts them into a curriculum that a homeschool mom or dad or a teacher can assign to kids.

The video is actually edited to support the curriculum, Rubenstein said. If the kids are learning about the Civil War, instead of having to watch all 12 hours of Ken Burns’s documentary, they can get the clip about Gettysburg if they’re studying that. 

“Ken and his team have worked with Learning Media,” Rubenstein said. “One of the things I know Ken loves about working with public media is that his material is in every classroom in America.”

Learning Media has about 1.7 million teachers who have requested material.

“We find a lot of teachers will use clips from our website,” he said. “We leave it all up, of course, and you can see which clips are still in curriculums from five years ago.” ▪️

© 2022 NAB 

Donkey Hodie will see a second season on PBS Kids. Fred Rogers Productions produces the children’s show, which features puppets. Season two, with 25 episodes, including two specials, is slated for spring 2023. 

PBS describes Donkey Hodie as “a social-emotional learning series for kids ages 3-5 that empowers viewers to dream big and overcome obstacles through practicing skills including resilience, persistence, and problem solving.”

Fred Rogers starred in Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. Spiffy Pictures produces the show as well. 

“Since its premiere last year, Donkey Hodie has brought engaging stories full of fun, humor and important life lessons to kids across the country, helping them to see a world of possibilities,” said Sara DeWitt, senior VP and general manager, Children’s Media and Education, PBS. “We couldn’t be happier to bring a second season of adventures from Donkey and her friends to PBS Kids.”

Donkey Hodie is set in Someplace Else, where Donkey, Purple Panda, Duck Duck and Bob Dog work toward their goals and dreams. 

“Woven into every light-hearted Donkey Hodie story is the central theme of resilience, which is an essential skill for children—and it’s one that can be learned,” said Ellen Doherty, chief creative officer for Fred Rogers Productions, who developed the show and is an executive producer. “Donkey and her pals model positivity and persistence through stories focusing on being flexible and adapting to change, cooperating with your friends, managing big feelings, and more. Giving young children examples of how to overcome obstacles is especially important now given the unique challenges of the last two years.” 

Donkey Hodie is created by Adam Rudman and David Rudman, co-founders of Spiffy Pictures, and developed by Ellen Doherty. The three executive produce. 

Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing publishes the Donkey Hodie books. ■

PBS Kids hosts an Arthur marathon to mark the children’s program’s 25th anniversary. Starting February 16 at 9 a.m. ET, PBS Kids and the PBS Kids YouTube Channel will feature more than 250 episodes and movie specials. The event ends February 21 at 5 p.m. ET. 

Four new episodes air on PBS stations and stream on PBS Kids February 21, concluding the show’s 25th and final television season. In the new episodes, Arthur and his friends solve a mystery, see a silent movie, find out what it’s like to be a reporter, learn how to help a grieving friend, go on a family vacation, and get a hint of their futures from a mysterious fortune-telling game.

The series is based on the book franchise by Marc Brown, with an aardvark in the lead role. PBS calls Arthur the longest-running kids animated series on television. 

“For more than 25 years, Arthur and his friends have kept viewers learning and growing through their true-to-life experiences,” said Sara DeWitt, senior VP and general manager, PBS Kids. “We can’t wait to debut these episodes and introduce new Arthur content that will give fans more ways to engage with their favorite aardvark.” 

New Arthur content will come out this year in the form of a podcast, video shorts and digital games. 

“It’s been a privilege to work with an extraordinary and talented team to bring Arthur to public television audiences for more than two decades, “said Carol Greenwald, senior executive producer, GBH Kids. “We’re excited about Arthur’s next chapter–sharing the stories and experiences of Arthur and his Elwood City community to the media platforms where the next generation of kids and families will connect with them for years to come.”

Brown’s Arthur Adventure book series has sold more than 65 million copies in the U.S.

“It’s amazing that what began as a simple bedtime story for my son eventually evolved into over a hundred books and a collaboration with GBH and PBS KIDS that would last 25 years,” said Brown. “Now more than ever the last line of my first book Arthur’s Nose rings true–‘There is a lot more to Arthur than his nose.’” ■ 

Alma’s Way, an animated series centered around 6-year-old Alma Rivera, a proud Puerto Rican girl growing up in the Bronx, premieres on PBS Kids Oct. 4. The show is created by Sonia Manzano, who played “Maria” on Sesame Street. 

Alma’s Way is inspired by Manzano’s childhood, and she said every character is based on a real relative. It targets children ages four to six. Fred Rogers Productions produces the show. 

Speaking at a TCA event in late summer, Manzano said PBS Kids content head Linda Simensky approached her about creating a show that takes place in a Latin home. “I of course made that more specific and made it a Puerto Rican family in the Bronx, because that's where I was from,” said Manzano. “The topic of the show was left up to me, and I decided to make it a show about thinking. I was struck by the fact that I had met a lot of kids who were very young and were already turned off to school and learning because they thought of schools as places where they just had to take in a lot of information and memorize and learn things at the same level as their peers and at the same moment as their peers.”  

Alma’s family includes her Mami and Papi, younger brother Junior, her Abuelo and their dog Chacho. Each episode showcases different aspects of Latino cultures through language, food, music and customs. Manzano described the show as walking “that bicultural tightrope that is America, that is the Bronx.”  

Puerto Rican, Cuban and Colombian music spices things up. Lin-Manuel Miranda does the theme song. 

Summer Rose Castillo voices Alma. “I'm a lot like Alma because she's a little girl and she's from the Bronx. She's Puerto Rican, and I'm Puerto Rican,” said Castillo. “And she loves to explore her world, and I do too. I love to go hiking with my family, and I also like to figure stuff out as well.”

Manzano joined Sesame Street in 1971 and stepped down in 2015. She said Sesame Street was an influence on the new show. “I learned from Sesame Street that humor takes you a long way and that sincerity takes you a long way,” she said, “and kids really want to live in the real world.” 

Sara DeWitt has been named senior VP and general manager of PBS children's media and education across all platforms, reporting directly to PBS president Paula Kerger.

DeWitt had been VP of PBS Kids Digital as part of a 20-year career in public media, including overseeing its PBS Kids streaming service, as well as pbskids.org, games and apps.

Before that, she was a preschool teacher and researched media habits of children in rural areas.

“I look forward to working in partnership with our producers and stations to showcase stories and digital experiences that meet families where they are and reflect the lives of children in our audience,” DeWitt said of her new post.

PBS points out that DeWitt also brings to her post experience as a speaker on digital privacy, games and learning, including a TED Talk on screen time myths.

Donkey Hodie, a children’s show inspired by Fred Rogers, starts on PBS Kids May 3. Donkey Hodie is the granddaughter of the Donkey Hodie character from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. The original puppet appeared in 59 episodes of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. 

Donkey Hodie “furthers the children’s TV pioneer’s mission of helping young viewers navigate the challenges of childhood,” said PBS Kids. 

As her name suggests, the main character is a donkey. Purple Panda, Duck Duck and Bob Dog round out the cast. The original Donkey Hodie now appears as Grampy Hodie. 

The series features original music along with reimagined versions of Rogers’ songs.

“We’re thrilled to bring Donkey Hodie’s engaging, character-driven stories full of adventure, imagination and music to PBS Kids,” said Linda Simensky, head of PBS Kids content. “As kids laugh and sing along with Donkey Hodie and her friends, they will learn important life lessons about teamwork, empathy and resilience to help them see a world full of possibilities.”

Adam Rudman and David Rudman, co-founders of Spiffy Pictures, created the show. They executive produce with Ellen Doherty, chief creative officer, Fred Rogers Productions. 

“We are excited to introduce young viewers to Donkey Hodie and the world of Someplace Else,” said the Rudmans, whose credits include Nature Cat, Jack’s Big Music Show and Bunnytown. “We hope Donkey’s inherent positivity combined with the fun and inviting nature of the puppets will charm kids everywhere.”

Donkey Hodie is set in a place called Someplace Else, created by Rogers on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. It targets children ages three to five. 

“Perseverance is a skill that’s of extra importance for children right now,” said Doherty. “We hope Donkey and her pals will inspire kids to keep trying even when tasks get hard and to face challenges with an ‘I can do this’ attitude. The show will also help parents guide their children in becoming strong critical thinkers and problem solvers.”

 HBO, led by its drama series Watchmen, drew the most TCA Awards wins, the Television Critics Association announced Monday.

The TCA Awards, which are usually announced during a July live ceremony but this year was not held in person due to the COVID-19 pandemic, honored HBO with six awards, topping all other cable, broadcast and streaming networks. Pop TV was the only other network to earn multiple awards, drawing two awards for its comedy series Schitt’s Creek.

HBO’s Watchmen won four awards, including an Individual Achievement In Drama honor for series star Regina King as well as an Outstanding Movie, Miniseries, Or Special; Outstanding New Program, and the Program Of The Year award, said TCA. 

CBS’ iconic series Star Trek earned the organization’s Heritage Award, while longtime Jeopardy! Host Alex Trebek was honored with the Career Achievement award. 

“Entertainment and culture are intertwined and in this challenging year, never has that intersection been more crucial as both a mirror to examine tough reflections and a rabbit hole to escape the noise and scares outside our homes. The 2019-2020 television season was both a challenge and a balm,” said Sarah Rodman, TCA President and executive editor at Entertainment Weekly in a statement. “This year offered up many high-quality options appealing to a wide swath of audiences with eclectic subjects ranging from sports and superheroes, to side-splitting sitcoms, darkly fascinating dramas, insightful documentaries, kid-friendly series, and more. We are excited to see what the future of television has in store, and we look forward to celebrating in-person next year as we come together to honor this medium that means so much to all of us.”

The full list of TCA Awards winners appears below: 

Individual Achievement In Drama: Regina King (WATCHMEN, HBO)

Individual Achievement In Comedy: Catherine O’Hara (SCHITT’S CREEK, Pop TV)

Outstanding Achievement In News and Information: THE LAST DANCE (ESPN)

Outstanding Achievement In Reality Programming: CHEER (Netflix)

Outstanding Achievement In Youth Programming: MOLLY OF DENALI (PBS Kids)

Outstanding Achievement In Sketch/Variety Shows: A BLACK LADY SKETCH SHOW (HBO)

Outstanding New Program: WATCHMEN (HBO)

Outstanding Achievement In Movie, Miniseries, Or Special: WATCHMEN (HBO)

Outstanding Achievement In Drama: SUCCESSION (HBO)

Outstanding Achievement In Comedy: SCHITT’S CREEK (Pop TV)

Program of the Year: WATCHMEN (HBO)

Career Achievement Honoree:Alex Trebek

 Heritage Award: STAR TREK (CBS)

Season five of animated show Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood starts on PBS Kids Aug. 17. The season begins with an episode that touches on the pandemic. Daniel realizes he can’t hang out with all of his pals at the Neighborhood Carnival, leading to hard feelings and tough questions. Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood: Won’t You Sing Along with Me? is a musical episode that “helps address some of the challenges and disappointments ‘little tigers’ and their families may be experiencing due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said PBS Kids.  

“As COVID-19 continues to pose challenges to families across the country, PBS Kids is uniquely positioned to meet the needs of children, parents, and caregivers,” said Lesli Rotenberg, chief programming executive and general manager, children’s media and education, PBS. “Learning lies at the heart of our mission, and we’ve been proud to be able to step in and offer at-home learning solutions, content and resources, like this timely special that reach kids where they are with age-appropriate lessons – especially in areas where families may have limited or no access to broadband internet.”

Five new episodes premiere that week. There are 20 episodes in the new season. 

Fred Rogers Productions produces the program. “Season five of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood will showcase even more relatable storylines and fresh musical strategies to help keep preschoolers learning, growing, and navigating the world around them,” said Paul Siefken, president and CEO of Fred Rogers Productions. “In addition to the upcoming special, the season will include episodes about sudden changes at school, separation from family members, staying safe, hospital stays, respecting one’s personal space, disappointment, generosity, and grown-ups taking care of you.”

The executive producers are Angela C. Santomero, chief creative officer at 9 Story Media Group; Ellen Doherty, chief creative officer of Fred Rogers Productions; and Vince Commisso, president & CEO, 9 Story Media Group. 

PBS Kids said it has launched an app for the Xbox One console that features on-demand access to full-length shows and clips from shows such as Wild Kratts, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Dinosaur Train and Web-original series Oh Noah! and Fizzy’s Lunch Lab.

The Xbox One app, developed by PBS Kids and Digiflare, features an “Inline Video Player”  that will continuously auto-play video content within any menu screen.  Digiflare noted that the new app is powered by its Videa system, which also powers PBS Kids for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8.

PBS has also developed versions of the app for the Roku platform, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, the Google Chromecast adapter, and for devices that run the new Android TV operating system.

“PBS KIDS is committed to offering inspiring, engaging media content to all children on as many platforms as possible, and we know that families are accessing their favorite PBS KIDS programs on air and through a variety of digital experiences,” said Sara DeWitt, vice president,  PBS Kids Digital, in a statement. “PBS KIDS delivers an average of 392 million streams per month across digital platforms*; extending our presence to Xbox One will help us continue to reach increasingly more families with programming that sparks children’s curiosity and helps them reach their potential.”