Latest news with #PBSKids
Washington Post
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
With PBS funding cut, the next generation will be raised by ‘Skibidi Toilet'
Gen X and millennial parents grew up on the gentle rhythms of 'Sesame Street' and 'Between the Lions.' But sweeping cuts to public broadcasting could leave their children facing a starkly different entertainment landscape. A Republican-backed package that slashes billions from the federal budget including funding for NPR and PBS passed through the Senate this week, putting a slate of beloved PBS Kids shows in jeopardy, the network says. Democratic politicians took to social media to condemn the cuts, some citing the role PBS programming has historically played for kids and families. Some Republicans, meanwhile, alleged that PBS censors conservative views while promoting progressive politics.
Chicago Tribune
19-06-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Amazon devices for kids to bookmark for Prime Day
Road trip season is upon us, and trust us, there's no better excuse to allow some quality screen time. Letting the kids play age-appropriate games, watch their favorite shows or even read makes the drive that much easier because no one wants to hear squabbling siblings for hours on end. Even better, these devices are designed with tons of parental control features so you can relax knowing they're experiencing quality content. Prime Day is a great chance to snag a deal on an Amazon device for kids. They can usually be found at a good discount, so consider upgrading from your ancient device to something new, fast and perfect for kids this July. After all, if this isn't one of the best things to add to your parenting arsenal, we aren't sure what is. Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet This is the newest Amazon device for kids on the market! Designed with kids ages 6 to 12 in mind, it features a 10-inch screen, offers up to 13 hours of battery life, built-in safeguards to protect children's privacy and includes a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+. Amazon Fire Max 11 tablet and Stylus Pen bundle If you've got a teen along for the ride, this device and pen set is ideal. They can explore their creative side, work on schoolwork, video chat with friends, or dive into hours of entertainment that includes music, browsing, watching videos and more. It still comes with the parental controls that other Amazon kids' devices offer, plus 14 hours of battery life. Amazon Fire 7 Kids tablet This lightweight and affordable tablet is the top-selling 7-inch device on Amazon and is perfect for kids ages 3 to 7. It comes with a kid-proof case, a six-month subscription to Amazon Kids+, which includes ad-free books, games, and videos from family-favorite platforms like PBS Kids, Disney and more. It holds up to 10 hours of charge time, which is ideal for a long-haul car journey. All-new Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids (16 GB) If you've got a bookworm at home who doesn't want to drag their volumes along for the ride, the all-new Kindle designed just for kids is the perfect fit. It features a 7-inch display, no distracting ads and comes with six months of Amazon Kids+, which grants unlimited access to thousands of books ideal for kids ages 3 to 12. It's waterproof, and you can add books from your account to their device, as well as adjust age filters, set downtime and more. Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids tablet Another great choice for kids ages 3 to 7, this 8-inch tablet offers all the perks of other devices designed with little ones in mind, including easy-to-use parental controls, a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+ and a two-year worry-free guarantee. BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Fast Company
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Fast Company
The ‘Daniel Tiger' effect: How quality kids' TV impacts teen mental health—and why cuts to PBS could be disastrous
Parents used to be freaked out when kids were reading romance novels or Horatio Alger books. It seems quaint now, when so many parents (and teens!) are concerned about the effects of social media and screen time. But it speaks to a universal truth: The stories we learn have the power to shape our lives. Stories are among the oldest forms of teaching. They don't just shape our thinking, they actually affect us at a neural level. This is especially true for kids: The entertainment that children consume during their most formative years plays an important role in shaping who they become and how they relate to the world around them. Now, however, some of the most reliable sources for high-quality children's media are on the chopping block with the administration's threat to cut federal funding of PBS, accounting for 15% of its funding, which will only limit access to valuable programming that can impact future generations. In fact, the U.S. Department of Education recently notified the Corporation for Public Broadcasting about the immediate termination of its Ready to Learn grant, taking away the remaining $23 million of a grant that was set to end on September 30. PBS has received this grant every five years for the past 30 years, and it accounts for one-third of PBS Kids' annual budget. There have been many studies on the immediate effects of media on children, from specific learning goals to impacts on self-esteem. But one thing that hadn't been measured extensively was how much those learnings persist over time. That's why my colleagues and I at the Center for Scholars & Storytellers at the University of California, Los Angeles, studied the long-term impact of Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, a modern-day Mister Rogers-inspired program. The show, which we weren't involved with, was developed in close collaboration with child-development experts to purposefully and thoughtfully model social skills and emotional regulation tools for young kids. The final deadline for Fast Company's Brands That Matter Awards is this Friday, May 30, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today.
ABC News
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Daniel Tiger's Neighbourhood: Something New About Trolley
Daniel Tiger's Neighbourhood: Something New About Trolley SPECIAL Animation/Cartoons Movies & Specials Social & Emotional Literacy Watch Duration: 22 minutes 2 seconds 22 m Article share options Share this on Facebook Twitter Send this by Email Copy link WhatsApp Messenger There's something new about Trolley, and Daniel is so excited to find out what it is! As he waits, he learns new things about his friends.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
PBS Faces Crisis After Government Pulls Plug on Kids TV Grant
PBS has furloughed 25% of its PBS Kids staff after the U.S. Department of Education abruptly ended a key grant program that's funded educational children's television for over 30 years. Current reported that the move was announced by PBS President Paula Kerger during her keynote speech at the 2025 PBS Annual Meeting in Atlanta, just days after the Department pulled the plug on the Ready To Learn grant program for 2020–2025. That decision halted federal funding to PBS and 44 local public media stations mid-cycle. 'We've been forced to furlough really talented members of our staff at PBS as we figure out how to continue to advance the PBS Kids service,' Kerger said. 'We are going to keep fighting.' The Ready To Learn initiative has historically supported the creation of educational programming aimed at underserved children and families. Its unexpected termination now threatens the production of beloved PBS Kids shows and the jobs behind them—including freelance writers and producers whose contracts rely on episodic production orders. A PBS spokesperson confirmed the scale of the layoffs, citing the funding loss as a critical blow to the network's ability to deliver high-quality, accessible content. 'This decision removes a critical resource that for over 30 years has enabled us to create high-quality, educational PBS Kids content while opening up worlds of possibilities for millions of children across the country.' The Writers Guild of America East called the cuts 'an attack on children and families' and urged Congress to fully restore federal funding for public children's programming. "Our children deserve no less," the union said in a statement. Other grantees, including Minnesota-based TPT, have also cut staff as a result. TPT had received $4.6 million in Ready To Learn funds for the current grant cycle to support its animated series Skillsville. While PBS Kids remains a staple in homes across America, its future—at least in its current form—now hangs in the balance.
