And my other question is will Sesame Street continue to get public subsidies (meager as they may be) to be on HBO?
And how will HBO execs influence content?
I think there's still some confusion on how the program is supported.
The production company, Sesame Workshop aka Children's Television Workshop, produces lots of shows, not just Sesame Street. (Official name is SW, but I'm using CTW, the former name, since I think it's less confusing in this context) CTW applies for federal grants from CPB to air shows on public broadcasting. CTW submits grant proposals to CPB to ask them to fund special projects, like the launch of a new show, a special documentary, or a special episode or series of episodes within an existing series. They can also do the same with the Dept. of Education. The difference is that CPB only funds programs that are intended to be aired on a public broadcasting channel, whereas DOE's funding goes to a broader range of programming and educational tools.
As I understand it, CPB does not subsidize Sesame Street the show, as in, it's not like CPB is giving CTW $1 mil per year to make it. Instead, it subsidizes special projects within the show. For example, maybe it would subsidize the translation of certain episodes. It has also subsidized the creation of some episodes, like the Hurricane Katrina episodes. CTW can and does apply to CPB for subsidies for the other programming it produces.
As I understand it, DOE grant funding would probably be unaffected. CPB grant funding would probably be. That said, as I said above, it's not surviving on CPB grant funding, except to offset costs of very special episodes. CPB probably would not fund those special episodes unless it was going straight to public broadcasting. Whether that could happen would depend on the terms of its agreement with HBO.
I imagine HBO could dictate content. To the extent that content conflicts with the missions of the public stations receiving at the end of the 9 months, then it might not be aired. I agree this is a problem. I'm not sure how to solve it though.
If you go the the sesame Street workshop page it looks like they get money from several govt sources including DOE, State Dept, and Veterans Affairs. What happens to this aid after the HBO? Moreover what happens to all aid from funding partners including "viewers like you"? Is the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation going to continue being a funding partner now that the show has been essentially paywalled and their core mission upended?
If you go the the sesame Street workshop page it looks like they get money from several govt sources including DOE, State Dept, and Veterans Affairs. What happens to this aid after the HBO? Moreover what happens to all aid from funding partners including "viewers like you"? Is the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation going to continue being a funding partner now that the show has been essentially paywalled and their core mission upended?
As I've said a few times in this thread, CPB is the only organization that is funding things that will only appear or primarily appear for public broadcasting. CBP funds two things. Overhead costs of stations, and special projects, which means funds given must be spent on certain things. Sesame Workshop is not a station, it is only eligible for special project funding for shows that go on public broadcasting.
Other government agencies do not tie funding to public broadcasting distribution. They fund things that align with their mission. Their mission is not public broadcasting. A good educational show will get money regardless of the channel it's on.
Sesame Workshop works like any other nonprofit organization. They apply for grants. Sometimes those are overhead grants, and sometimes they are special project grants. They were never eligible for CPB overhead grants, because that's not in CPB's charter. So nothing changes in that respect. None of the other federal funding they get is tied to public broadcasting, so nothing changes there either.
The only thing this changes is the fact that Sesame Workshop will not be able to get money from CPB to make new episodes of Sesame Street. Which is not something it does regularly anyway.
I hope in all of this they go back to the old formula that was less Abby and Bert/Ernie animation, and more puppets and real people interaction. What made Sesame Street special was that it wasn't a big long, computer animated cartoon.
As for the Gates Foundation, I'm not sure I follow. Their core mission is not to make things to appear on public broadcasting. It's to make educational programming for children.
We don't know what the Gates Foundation grants are. They may be tied to specific programs, like, "here's a million to make a science series for girls." So they wouldn't really care about the core mission, they'd care about the deliverables of their project being met.
I feel like I'm asking a very simple question here and getting a lot of inside baseball. But the simple answer seems to be yes, they will continue to get federal money, is the bottom line? The funding partners remain the same?
The public broadcasting people on my Facebook feed are saying this is good because SS was the most expensive children's show for stations to license and run, and this will free up a lot of money that can be spent on airing and developing other kinds of children's programing. In their view, HBO has no incentive to destroy the program because it is so popular, so it could mean more quality children's shows, not less.
I feel like I'm asking a very simple question here and getting a lot of inside baseball. But the simple answer seems to be yes, they will continue to get federal money, is the bottom line? The funding partners remain the same?
Funding partners might change a little. I'm sure someone is going to be pissed off. But the core way they are funded won't change.
I mean, I'm sure they thought this through. They need more than HBO money to survive.
I feel like I'm asking a very simple question here and getting a lot of inside baseball. But the simple answer seems to be yes, they will continue to get federal money, is the bottom line? The funding partners remain the same?
Yes, they will continue to be a non-profit organization who is free to apply for federal money.
And I just read that as part of the deal, Sesame Street will no longer stream on Netflix or Amazon and they are closing down their own paid streaming service.
Boo, that stinks. My kids watch sesame on Amazon or not at all. We don't have a local antenna or cable to watch it on PBS.
And I just read that as part of the deal, Sesame Street will no longer stream on Netflix or Amazon and they are closing down their own paid streaming service.
This is one of the things that bothers me. I think it was in the OP that it's a $15 TV subscription [HBO]...maybe I'm doing it wrong, but cable TV with whatever package to get HBO is more than $15. It costs enough that I've never had HBO, and haven't had cable in the last five years. We're not home during the day, so our $7.99 Netflix is how we watch SS.
My family is the target demographic for SS and yet I feel guilty for not finding a way to donate money to PBS.
You can get HBOgo which is similar to Netflix for $15 outside of a cable package. I think that is what the article is referring to.
This is one of the things that bothers me. I think it was in the OP that it's a $15 TV subscription [HBO]...maybe I'm doing it wrong, but cable TV with whatever package to get HBO is more than $15. It costs enough that I've never had HBO, and haven't had cable in the last five years. We're not home during the day, so our $7.99 Netflix is how we watch SS.
My family is the target demographic for SS and yet I feel guilty for not finding a way to donate money to PBS.
You can get HBOgo which is similar to Netflix for $15 outside of a cable package. I think that is what the article is referring to.
Yep we have locals only + HBO. I didn't even know you could do that now, but we got a one-year deal when we canceled the other channels. I can watch John Oliver, but I can't watch Sharknado.
This is one of the things that bothers me. I think it was in the OP that it's a $15 TV subscription [HBO]...maybe I'm doing it wrong, but cable TV with whatever package to get HBO is more than $15. It costs enough that I've never had HBO, and haven't had cable in the last five years. We're not home during the day, so our $7.99 Netflix is how we watch SS.
My family is the target demographic for SS and yet I feel guilty for not finding a way to donate money to PBS.
You can get HBOgo which is similar to Netflix for $15 outside of a cable package. I think that is what the article is referring to.
That's still limiting. I mean, beyond owning a TV you also need to own something to stream Netflix/HBO Go on and Internet at home. That's a lot more expensive than free airwaves, a TV and bunny ears.
And I just read that as part of the deal, Sesame Street will no longer stream on Netflix or Amazon and they are closing down their own paid streaming service.
This is one of the things that bothers me. I think it was in the OP that it's a $15 TV subscription [HBO]...maybe I'm doing it wrong, but cable TV with whatever package to get HBO is more than $15. It costs enough that I've never had HBO, and haven't had cable in the last five years. We're not home during the day, so our $7.99 Netflix is how we watch SS.
My family is the target demographic for SS and yet I feel guilty for not finding a way to donate money to PBS.
We don't have cable. We have HBO Now, which is like Netflix, but for HBO. I can't remember if it's $10/month or $15/month. You can cancel and start it back up whenever you want.
You can get HBOgo which is similar to Netflix for $15 outside of a cable package. I think that is what the article is referring to.
That's still limiting. I mean, beyond owning a TV you also need to own something to stream Netflix/HBO Go on and Internet at home. That's a lot more expensive than free airwaves, a TV and bunny ears.
Are there still parts of the country where TV antennas are actually functional? My city did away with them years ago. Everyone is tied into some sort of cable, even if they don't have cable. You cannot pick up anything with a TV antenna in Fort Worth, TX, because there's nothing to pickup. They aren't broadcasting anything that way.
That's still limiting. I mean, beyond owning a TV you also need to own something to stream Netflix/HBO Go on and Internet at home. That's a lot more expensive than free airwaves, a TV and bunny ears.
Are there still parts of the country where TV antennas are actually functional? My city did away with them years ago. Everyone is tied into some sort of cable, even if they don't have cable. You cannot pick up anything with a TV antenna in Fort Worth, TX, because there's nothing to pickup. They aren't broadcasting anything that way.Â
Yes but they are digital now and many many many people use them in lieu of cable because it captures digital networks for free and you don't need a subscription. They run maybe $40 and when the digital switch happened (2009 maybe?) the fed govt was heavily subsidizing them. Rabbit ears are no longer function as FCC regs required networks to go digital.
Oh and I really hope people aren't seriously suggesting that poor people stream HBOGO for $15 a month. The digital divide is real. Many people don't have access to Internet nor do they have things with which to stream. This is a smart board and I know you know this.
That's still limiting. I mean, beyond owning a TV you also need to own something to stream Netflix/HBO Go on and Internet at home. That's a lot more expensive than free airwaves, a TV and bunny ears.
Are there still parts of the country where TV antennas are actually functional? My city did away with them years ago. Everyone is tied into some sort of cable, even if they don't have cable. You cannot pick up anything with a TV antenna in Fort Worth, TX, because there's nothing to pickup. They aren't broadcasting anything that way.Â
There are definitely options for those who can't afford or choose not to have a cable package. I believe there are digital "bunny ears" that require just a low one time cost as opposed to the monthly bill for cable.
Oh and I really hope people aren't seriously suggesting that poor people stream HBOGO for $15 a month. The digital divide is real. Many people don't have access to Internet nor do they have things with which to stream. This is a smart board and I know you know this.
Full disclosure: I haven't seen the show in years, because my kids are still too young for it. The episodes may be stale after 9 months.
The same is true of Netfix or Amazon, though. How many poor people have that but not HBO? I think it will primarily affect people in the middle class, who may budget for only one service, or people who just don't want to pay more for another service (which is reasonable, IMO). I think it remains to be seen how much this will affect things for poor mids, depending on how often the show is aired and how well the episodes hold up.
i don't like that it's creating a split between affluent and poor kids, especially since the show was originally aimed at educating everyone, but I wonder if this is really so bad. If they morph the content so that it's an ad for HBO, or rerun just a couple of episodes over and over, that's bad, but if there's just a delay but they ultimately see the same shows they do now, I think it might be worth it to keep the show going.
Are there still parts of the country where TV antennas are actually functional? My city did away with them years ago. Everyone is tied into some sort of cable, even if they don't have cable. You cannot pick up anything with a TV antenna in Fort Worth, TX, because there's nothing to pickup. They aren't broadcasting anything that way.Â
Yes but they are digital now and many many many people use them in lieu of cable because it captures digital networks for free and you don't need a subscription. They run maybe $40 and when the digital switch happened (2009 maybe?) the fed govt was heavily subsidizing them. Rabbit ears are no longer function as FCC regs required networks to go digital.
We bought ours on sale for $15 a year or so ago. It looks similar to a cable box, but picks up only our local affiliates (abc, nbc, cbs, pbs...and another I can't remember). It's nice to watch the evening news and Jeopardy, which we miss out on with only our Hulu and Netflix. There are many websites where you can enter your zip and find out what channels you can get with a digital antennae.
I don't understand. Of course if you don't have Internet or a computer you won't also have Netflix and Amazon?
And I think everyone realizes that if this keeps SS alive then there is value there. The complaint is was this truly the only option because damn does it sting given what SS's goals were.
Yes but they are digital now and many many many people use them in lieu of cable because it captures digital networks for free and you don't need a subscription. They run maybe $40 and when the digital switch happened (2009 maybe?) the fed govt was heavily subsidizing them. Rabbit ears are no longer function as FCC regs required networks to go digital.
We bought ours on sale for $15 a year or so ago. It looks similar to a cable box, but picks up only our local affiliates (abc, nbc, cbs, pbs...and another I can't remember). It's nice to watch the evening news and Jeopardy, which we miss out on with only our Hulu and Netflix. There are many websites where you can enter your zip and find out what channels you can get with a digital antennae.
Yes they are common with cord cutters. We always think about getting one.
My family is the target demographic for SS and yet I feel guilty for not finding a way to donate money to PBS.
If you can afford to donate, you should, even if it's just a little bit. Federal grants are based in part on a matching scheme, so your $25 will result in more than $25 going to the station.
Post by anastasia517 on Aug 15, 2015 10:53:05 GMT -5
My mind immediately went to illegal streaming, because that's what all the broke students & recent grads I know do. This is especially true of HBO shows and other special channels that people need to pay for.
My mind immediately went to illegal streaming, because that's what all the broke students & recent grads I know do. This is especially true of HBO shows and other special channels that people need to pay for.
#MillennialMindset
but that again assumes the privilege of a monthly internet subscription. When we were at our poorest we had to have that since H needed it for school but many people Donny have internet at home.
You can get HBOgo which is similar to Netflix for $15 outside of a cable package. I think that is what the article is referring to.
That's still limiting. I mean, beyond owning a TV you also need to own something to stream Netflix/HBO Go on and Internet at home. That's a lot more expensive than free airwaves, a TV and bunny ears.
Oh I know. I think I even mentioned that in my earlier post - it's not just the $15 or even the tools to do that - it includes technological know how. I just meant that's what the OP was referring to in the article. I also forgot it's called HBONow or whatever too, which toledo posted.
My mind immediately went to illegal streaming, because that's what all the broke students & recent grads I know do. This is especially true of HBO shows and other special channels that people need to pay for.
#MillennialMindset
but that again assumes the privilege of a monthly internet subscription. When we were at our poorest we had to have that since H needed it for school but many people Donny have internet at home.
Also true. Like you, DH and I have always had to have one even though we're poor since I have done courses online. However the cost can certainly be hard to swallow when you have very little. I know people rationalize it in various ways (ex. it's cheaper to pay for a month of Internet and be entertained for a month vs. going to one movie as a family) but if you don't have that money, there's nothing you can do.
Hopefully PBS will be able to replace SS with equal quality programming. But even then, kids not having Sesame Street like everybody else for the past 45 years is sad. Hopefully HBO would allow new episodes relating to major events air simultaneously.
Oh and I really hope people aren't seriously suggesting that poor people stream HBOGO for $15 a month. The digital divide is real. Many people don't have access to Internet nor do they have things with which to stream. This is a smart board and I know you know this.
I absolutely wasn't. I even pointed that out in my initial post on page 1. I was just responding to the post questioning the $15 figure and that poster mentioned having Netflix and streaming which meant that in their situation there is actually an option for $15 without cable since they would have the set up for Netflix and that that was where the $15 figure came from in the article. I assumed if they had Netflix they had everything else necessary for the similar service from HBO. But of course not everyone does, or can afford the set up or even has the technological skills to do it.
I mean we bought my parents Apple TV and explaining to them how to use it almost caused my head to explode. I am definitely not shrugging my shoulders and saying its $15, who cares. I'm just saying that's where the $15 figure came from in the article and it does exist outside a traditional - and more expensive - cable package. We've also never had premium stations outside of our cable package because we are cheap, but now that things are moving more a la carte, it is more accessible than it used to be. <--- general statement not related to SS.
Oh and I really hope people aren't seriously suggesting that poor people stream HBOGO for $15 a month. The digital divide is real. Many people don't have access to Internet nor do they have things with which to stream. This is a smart board and I know you know this.
No, I'm not suggesting that. I thought a PP was asking for herself.
I was also listening to a report on NPR that said that SS heavily relied on income from its DVD sales to pay for the cost of new programs, but that such income disappeared once Netflix streaming was introduced. So while the Netflix streaming going away is also sad, it sounds like it is in part responsible for SS's demise.
I don't know. I'm torn. I'm just not convinced that a 9 month delay will mean that some children are really learning more than others who have HBO, especially when most of what has been airing on PBS for years has been reruns.
PBS has a lot of other great, edu shows that aren't SS.
Super Why, word world, word girl, dinosaur train, curious George, etc. SS maybe a gold standard & I do think it's unfortunate that it's moving to HBO, but it's not like there will now be no free educational programming on.