Somebody Listens to Parents!

SOMEBODY LISTENS TO PARENTS!
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Kevin Downey]
When PBS surveyed parents of preschoolers to find out what bugs them about children's television, it wasn't the commercials for fatty foods. No. 1 on their list was something a little more touchy-feely. “We kept hearing from parents that positive, real-adult role models are missing from kids TV today,” explains Lesli Rotenberg, senior VP of PBS Kids Next Generation Media, a PBS initiative that, over five years, will explore how to expand its content to new-media outlets. PBS listened and broke new ground on its preschool block in September, presenting “Miss Lori,” a live host who is there to guide kids through the schedule. That's such a new idea it's positively old. In the early days of television, it was common for stations to have hosts who hawked toys and other goodies in between the cartoons. “So much of kids TV is cartoons,” Rotenberg says. “Parents are missing adults that kids can learn from and who can model good behavior that will help kids know what will help them become good citizens in their community. Parents are concerned with how they can help their children succeed in school and succeed in life,” she adds. “They want to be an educational partner, but they want resources.”
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6388368.html?display=Special+Report