“Sesame Street” is set to find a new digital home as it embarks on a new partnership.
Streaming giant Netflix has secured an agreement to stream the next three seasons of the beloved children’s series, along with a selection of previous episodes, ensuring the continuation of the iconic show that features characters like Elmo and Cookie Monster.
This strategic agreement was announced on Monday, coinciding with a concurrent arrangement with PBS, the series’ longstanding traditional television partner.
According to a representative from Netflix, the platform will exclusively premiere new episodes of seasons 56 through 58 globally. These episodes will also be accessible on PBS stations in the United States and through PBS Kids’ digital channels, including its YouTube platform.
The agreement grants Netflix access to 90 hours of historical episodes, as well as the opportunity to create video games based on both “Sesame Street” and its spinoff series “Sesame Street: Mecha Builders.”
This collaboration comes on the heels of Warner Bros. Discovery‘s decision not to renew its five-year streaming contract with “Sesame Street” in December, previously available on its platform Max, now rebranding as HBO Max. This left a gap for the children’s show to secure a new distributor. Under their past agreement, new episodes were only available on PBS several months after their initial release on Max, which housed an extensive archive of earlier seasons.
Warner Bros. Discovery has been reducing investments in children’s programming while Netflix expands its offerings in this genre. Earlier this year, the platform added content from notable YouTube children’s creator Ms. Rachel.
Currently, kid and family content constitutes approximately 15% of Netflix’s total viewership, as noted in Monday’s announcement.
Reports indicate that Warner Bros. Discovery previously invested between $30 million to $35 million annually for new episodes of “Sesame Street,” although the financial specifics of the new Netflix deal have not been revealed.
The announcement signals a more stable future for “Sesame Street,” which has reportedly been grappling with financial challenges amid various pressures, including governmental scrutiny. Recently, President Donald Trump issued an executive order aiming to cut public funding for PBS and National Public Radio, citing concerns over bias.
“Public media is essential,” stated Sara DeWitt, PBS KIDS senior vice president and general manager. “Research consistently shows that providing fresh, high-quality content to children nationwide for free fosters their success in school and beyond.”
Sherrie Westin, CEO of Sesame Workshop, emphasized that “This unique public-private partnership ensures that children throughout the U.S. continue to enjoy free access to the ‘Sesame Street’ they love on PBS KIDS,” in a press release.
The upcoming season is expected to be “reimagined,” incorporating new segments and modifications to its format. The episodes will feature a single 11-minute story designed to deliver character-driven humor and emotional depth.
Fans can anticipate the launch of Season 56 in three separate batches starting later this year.
