The real reason Sesame Street is going to HBO

[Commentary] On-demand streaming services like HBO Now have given TV-lovers the freedom to watch whatever and whenever they want. But in the case of Sesame Street, they're also one of the biggest potential threats to its survival -- which helps explain why the show's maker, Sesame Workshop, is embracing HBO now. A big chunk of Sesame Street's revenues -- 30 percent, to be exact -- comes from the royalties it gets when it airs a show on TV channels like PBS. But the last year has also seen an explosion in the number of online streaming apps available on the market, not only making it easier for consumers to find alternative programming for themselves and their children, but also, according to the New York Times, discouraging viewers from watching Sesame Street on traditional TV.

Sesame Street's move to HBO may give it a longer financial runway. But one group that could suffer will be poorer Americans who've always watched Sesame Street on free, over-the-air television. Although broadcast TV will presumably continue to air old episodes, viewers will have to wait nine months to see the fresh content if they can't afford pricey premium cable packages or a high-speed Internet connection. The result is that Sesame Street -- which has long been an educational staple for all Americans, rich or poor -- may soon become more of a luxury good than it used to be.