| PBS KIDS Sprout | |
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| Type | Cable television channel and VOD service |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Availability | National |
| Owner | Comcast Sesame Workshop HIT Entertainment PBS |
| Key people | Sandy Wax (president) |
| Launch date | 2005 |
| Past names | (none) |
| Website | www.sproutonline.org |
PBS KIDS Sprout (sometimes referred to as PBS Sprout, KIDS Sprout, or just Sprout) is a US digital cable television channel, video-on-demand (VOD) service, and website providing PBS KIDS shows and original programming for preschoolers and their families. Sprout launched initially as a VOD service on April 4, 2005, and later as a cable and satellite channel on September 26, 2005. Sprout is co-owned by Comcast, Sesame Workshop, HIT Entertainment and PBS.
Contents |
Programming
Current Programming
- Angelina Ballerina
- Barney & Friends
- The Berenstain Bears
- Bob the Builder
- Boohbah
- Bounce
- Caillou
- Dragon Tales
- Fireman Sam
- Good Night Show (Sprout Original Series)
- Hoobs
- Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks
- Jay Jay the Jet Plane
- Kipper
- Let's Go Show (Sprout Original Series)
- Mr Mailman (Sprout Original)
- Musical Mornings with Coo (Sprout Original)
- Noddy
- Pingu
- Play With Me Sesame
- Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat
- Sesame Street
- Sprout Diner (Sprout Original)
- Sunny Side Up Show (Sprout Original)
- Teletubbies
- Thomas & Friends
- Zoboomafoo
Past Programming
- Big Sister, Little Brother
- Birthday Show (moved to Sunny Side Up Show)
- James the Cat
Personalities
Musical Mornings with Coo
- Coo is an animated bird who lives in a cuckoo clock and is the host of Musical Mornings with Coo, which premiered September 26, 2007. She introduces programs and segments with songs about morning, waking up, and beginning-of-the-day routines.
The Sunny Side Up Show
- Kelly is the main host of The Sunny Side Up Show, which premiered on September 26, 2007. Along with co-hosts Chica and Kevin, who hosts The Birthday Show segment, she introduces programs and leads themed activities.
- Chica is a chicken puppet who co-hosts The Sunny Side Up Show with Kelly and Kevin. She lives in a building called The Sunshine Barn, and has a voice which resembles a kazoo. Her character was introduced on September 26, 2007, with the premiere of The Sunny Side Up Show.
- Kevin was the original host of The Birthday Show. This segment, which originally aired several times daily, featured birthday cards sent in by parents for their children. Kevin would read these birthday cards as a list of "Sproutlet" birthdays scrolled along the bottom of the screen. The Birthday Show began in a short format, but was expanded to a fifteen-minute segment where, along with birthday cards and the crawl of viewer birthdays, Kevin would feature footage of an individual "Sproutlet's" birthday celebration. Often, the activities shown in these segments had some tie-in to Sprout shows--for example, children playing Zoboomafoo Bingo (where animal pictures were used instead of numbers) or creating an "Angelina Ballerina" party favor. On September 26, 2007, The Birthday Show was absorbed into The Sunny Side Up Show with Kevin joining Chica and Kelly to display birthday cards and offer birthday wishes.
- Mr. Mailman is a cartoon character who delivers cards and mail. Originally a part of The Birthday Show, the character was then featured in The Many Adventures of Mr. Mailman. He still performs his original role, delivering birthday cards on The Sunny Side Up Show.
The Let's Go Show
- Banjo is a small pink puppy who co-hosts The Let's Go Show with Miles.
- Miles is the host of the The Let's Go Show.
The Good Night Show
Current Hosts
- Nina, portrayed by Michele Lepe, is the current host of The Good Night Show. She also makes occasional appearances on The Sunny Side Up Show .
- Star, a star-shaped puppet, is the co-host of The Good Night Show. Star serves as the child character of the show, asking questions about the evening's theme, or encouraging viewers to follow him as he performs nighttime routines such as brushing his teeth or reading a bedtime story.
- Lucy is a firefly puppet used to introduce shows on The Good Night Show She is also featured in games, such as "Lucy Light the Way"; in this game, viewers are shown parts of a picture (as though they were illuminated by a firefly's light) and viewers then guess what the picture represents.
- Hush is a real-life goldfish who was used to introduce episodes on The Good Night Show. He currently still appears at the end of every show, as Nina closes the show by "saying good night to Hush" and reciting a poem in which viewers are encouraged to "make a wish".
Previous Hosts
- Melanie was the original host of The Good Night Show when it premiered in 2005. She was portrayed by Melanie Martinez. She left the show abruptly in 2006, reportedly due to concerns over inappropriate content in a film she had appeared in while in college.
- Leo, played by Noel MacNeal, was the interim host of The Good Night Show after Melanie's dismissal. He filled in as guest host of The Good Night Show until Nina became the new host of The Good Night Show in late 2006.
External links
- Official site
- Comcast, PBS Plan New Service (Frank Ahrens, Washington Post, April 5, 2005)
- Saluting Sprout's Launch: PBS Sprouts a Kids Triumph (Debra Kaufman, TelevisionWeek, December 5, 2005)
- Kids Sprout Takes Root as Leader in Genre (Allison J. Waldman, "TelevisionWeek", Nov 27, 2006)
