ANOTHER SESAME STREET POST
I was reading a couple of days ago about how the feds are looking to cut funding for public broadcasting. This editorialist was pissed because this may very well mean the end of Sesame Street and she went into how that very show has immeasurable importance in the lives of us all, whether we be adult or child.
Well, I have to say that on some level I agree with her. Sesame Street does have some real value and it is definitely iconic, but it's icon stature is more in the sphere of pop culture more than I would say in it's actual educational value. I'm not saying that it doesn't have any value as a tool to help in learning, but I have to wonder about what the exact measurement of that value is. I mean, has the show ever really taught somebody to read? I don't know, maybe it has, but I would sorta doubt it.
I do believe the show does inspire learning in young kids and that is a good thing without a doubt, but let's face it, there are a lot of dumbasses out there in the world today and Sasame Street ain't gonna save 'em, or us from them as the case may be.
The real question that has come to my mind about all of this controversy (and I think we've seen all of this before in regards to public broadcasting?) is even if the government would stop funding PBS would Sasame Street fall? I mean couldn't the show make it on it's own. I mean the merchandising alone has had to have brought in a ot of cash. Remember when the "Tickle Me Elmo" doll was causing riots in the toy stores? Are there really no business' that would buy advertising time during Sasame Street? I would think that all of the corporations would be linning up. I'm almost certain that the show could hold it's own. So why all of the bitching?
I'm not sure why it's a good idea for the government to be funding broadcasting anyway. I mean once in a while you may see something interesting on PBS, but let's face it, how much of it does anybody really watch. I am of course not counting all of the lame ass college professors that seem to live for the network, they ain't worth much any way.
Hell, they don't even show Monty Python anymore and that was really the best reason to ever watch it.
Maybe if they started showing more stuff that I would be interested in, maybe I'd feel differently but as of the moment I couldn't care less if PBS folds. (Which it won't.) And I like Sasame Street. Really.
Well, I have to say that on some level I agree with her. Sesame Street does have some real value and it is definitely iconic, but it's icon stature is more in the sphere of pop culture more than I would say in it's actual educational value. I'm not saying that it doesn't have any value as a tool to help in learning, but I have to wonder about what the exact measurement of that value is. I mean, has the show ever really taught somebody to read? I don't know, maybe it has, but I would sorta doubt it.
I do believe the show does inspire learning in young kids and that is a good thing without a doubt, but let's face it, there are a lot of dumbasses out there in the world today and Sasame Street ain't gonna save 'em, or us from them as the case may be.
The real question that has come to my mind about all of this controversy (and I think we've seen all of this before in regards to public broadcasting?) is even if the government would stop funding PBS would Sasame Street fall? I mean couldn't the show make it on it's own. I mean the merchandising alone has had to have brought in a ot of cash. Remember when the "Tickle Me Elmo" doll was causing riots in the toy stores? Are there really no business' that would buy advertising time during Sasame Street? I would think that all of the corporations would be linning up. I'm almost certain that the show could hold it's own. So why all of the bitching?
I'm not sure why it's a good idea for the government to be funding broadcasting anyway. I mean once in a while you may see something interesting on PBS, but let's face it, how much of it does anybody really watch. I am of course not counting all of the lame ass college professors that seem to live for the network, they ain't worth much any way.
Hell, they don't even show Monty Python anymore and that was really the best reason to ever watch it.
Maybe if they started showing more stuff that I would be interested in, maybe I'd feel differently but as of the moment I couldn't care less if PBS folds. (Which it won't.) And I like Sasame Street. Really.
posted by Shep at 10:27 AM
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