Entertainment: ‘Sesame Street’ is coming to Netflix with new streaming deal

Why it is the topic trending:

• "Sesame Street" is an iconic and beloved educational program with a long history, making any significant changes newsworthy.

• The move to Netflix signals a major shift in how the show will be distributed and accessed by audiences.

• The article discusses the financial challenges faced by Sesame Workshop, making their new streaming deal a significant development in their sustainability.

• The return of new episodes airing simultaneously on PBS and Netflix for the first time in a decade is a notable change for viewers.

• The deal highlights the ongoing competition and evolution within the children's media landscape and the increasing dominance of streaming platforms.

Overview: "Sesame Street," facing financial difficulties, has secured a new streaming partnership with Netflix for its 56th season, which will premiere on the platform in three batches along with 90 hours of past episodes. Despite this move, the show will continue to air on its original home, PBS, with new episodes being available simultaneously on both platforms for the first time in ten years. This deal follows the end of a crucial partnership with Max and aims to ensure the show's financial stability and expand its reach in a changing media environment.

Detailed findings:

• "Sesame Street" will premiere its 56th season on Netflix, with 90 hours of previous episodes also available.

• The new season will be released in three batches, with the premiere date not yet announced by Netflix.

• The show will continue to air on PBS stations, its original home.

• New episodes will air simultaneously on Netflix and PBS, ending a months-long delay for public television viewers.

• This move comes after Max ended a 10-year partnership with Sesame Workshop, creating a financial crisis for the nonprofit.

• Experts anticipate that the Netflix deal will likely bring in less revenue than the Max partnership but has the potential for a wider viewership due to Netflix's extensive subscriber base.

• PBS and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting will now contribute financially to air the show, which was not the case during the HBO/Max deal.

• The show's planned format of two 11-minute narrative stories has shifted to one 11-minute story, followed by "Tales from 123" and some past favorite segments like "Elmo's World."

Key success factors of product (trend):

• Iconic Status and Enduring Appeal: "Sesame Street" has maintained a special place in American culture for over five decades, beloved by multiple generations.

• Educational Value: The show's primary mission is to help children grow smarter, stronger, and kinder, which resonates with parents and educators.

• Adaptability to Changing Media Landscapes: The move to Netflix demonstrates its ability to evolve and find new ways to reach its audience.

• Public-Private Partnership: The collaboration between Netflix, PBS, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting aims to ensure both reach and financial sustainability.

• Nostalgia for Adults: Many adults who grew up with "Sesame Street" may tune in with their children, contributing to its viewership.

Key takeaway: The move of "Sesame Street" to Netflix, while maintaining its presence on PBS, reflects the ongoing evolution of media consumption, the financial pressures faced by even iconic educational programs, and the increasing role of streaming platforms in distributing children's content to a broad audience.

Main trend: The Shift of Legacy Educational Children's Programming Towards Streaming Platforms.

Description of the trend: "Streaming Schoolhouse: The Evolution of Children's Educational Media." This trend describes the increasing movement of established and legacy educational children's programming from traditional broadcast television to global streaming platforms like Netflix. This shift is often driven by a combination of factors, including the financial challenges faced by traditional media outlets and non-profit organizations, the evolving viewing habits of families who are increasingly "cord-cutters," and the expansive reach and subscriber bases offered by streaming services, which can potentially broaden the audience for these valuable educational programs. "Sesame Street"'s move to Netflix, while maintaining a presence on PBS, exemplifies this trend of adapting to the contemporary media landscape to ensure both accessibility and financial stability.

What is consumer motivation:

• Convenience and Accessibility: Families are increasingly accustomed to accessing content on demand through streaming services.

• Familiar Platform: Many households already subscribe to Netflix for a wide range of content, making it a convenient place to find "Sesame Street."

• Potential for Wider Reach: Netflix's global platform can introduce "Sesame Street" to new audiences worldwide.

• Continued Free Access: The simultaneous airing on PBS ensures that the show remains freely available to families who rely on public television.

• Nostalgia and Introducing to New Generations: Parents who grew up with "Sesame Street" may be motivated to share it with their children through Netflix.

What is driving trend:

• Financial Pressures on Traditional Media: PBS and Sesame Workshop have faced financial challenges, making partnerships with streaming services necessary for sustainability.

• Changing Viewing Habits: Families are increasingly shifting away from traditional television towards streaming platforms for their entertainment needs.

• Reach and Subscriber Base of Streaming Services: Netflix's large global subscriber base offers the potential for a significantly wider audience for educational content.

• Competition in Children's Entertainment: The fragmented children's media landscape necessitates that established programs find new ways to compete for viewers' attention.

• Desire to Modernize Distribution: Moving to a platform like Netflix can help "Sesame Street" reach a contemporary audience in a format they are familiar with.

What is motivation beyond the trend:

• Preservation of Educational Content: Ensuring the longevity and accessibility of valuable educational programs for children.

• Adapting to Technological Advancements: Embracing new media platforms to reach audiences in the ways they consume content.

• Ensuring Equity of Access: Maintaining a free-to-air option on PBS while also leveraging the reach of streaming services aims to balance accessibility.

Description of consumers article is referring to: This article primarily refers to:

• Families with young children (preschoolers): The primary target audience for "Sesame Street"'s educational content.

• Adults who grew up with "Sesame Street": Many adults have a nostalgic connection to the show and may watch it with their children or be interested in its continued success.

• Subscribers to streaming services like Netflix: Families who already use Netflix will now have access to "Sesame Street."

• Viewers of public television (PBS): The show will continue to be available for free on PBS, catering to families who rely on this platform.

• Shopping preferences:

  • Preference for Convenience: Families increasingly prefer the convenience of accessing content, including educational programming, through streaming platforms they already use and subscribe to.

  • Value for Educational Content within Entertainment Platforms: Parents appreciate having educational shows readily available within their existing entertainment subscriptions, making it easier to integrate learning into their children's screen time.

  • Desire for Flexibility and On-Demand Viewing: The popularity of streaming services highlights a preference for watching content on their own schedule, rather than being tied to broadcast times.

  • Potential Influence on Subscription Decisions: The availability of high-quality, beloved educational content like "Sesame Street" can be a factor for families when deciding which streaming services to subscribe to or retain.

  • Continued Value for Free, Accessible Content: Despite the shift to streaming, the simultaneous availability on PBS underscores the ongoing importance and preference for free, over-the-air educational programming for many families.

  • Trust in Established Brands: Parents are likely to gravitate towards and trust well-known and respected educational brands like "Sesame Street," regardless of the platform.

Conclusions: "Sesame Street"'s move to Netflix represents a strategic adaptation to the evolving media landscape, aiming to ensure the financial sustainability of the program while expanding its reach to a broader audience through a major streaming platform. The simultaneous airing on PBS maintains its commitment to free access for all children.

Implications for brands:

• Consider Hybrid Distribution Models: Content creators may need to explore partnerships with both traditional broadcasters and streaming services to maximize reach and revenue.

• Adapt Content Formats for Streaming: The change in "Sesame Street"'s format suggests the need to tailor content to the viewing habits of streaming audiences.

• Value Nostalgia and Legacy: Established brands with strong histories can leverage their iconic status in new media environments.

• Seek Financial Stability Through Diverse Partnerships: Non-profit organizations producing educational content may need to diversify their funding sources and explore collaborations with commercial entities.

Implication for society:

• Evolving Access to Educational Content: How children access educational programming is changing with the rise of streaming platforms.

• Preservation of Cultural Icons: Finding sustainable models for long-running educational shows is important for their continued cultural impact.

• Public-Private Partnerships in Education: Collaborations between public broadcasters and commercial streaming services can play a role in providing educational content.

Implications for consumers:

• Increased Convenience: Families who subscribe to Netflix will have easier access to "Sesame Street."

• Continued Free Access: The show remains available for free on PBS, ensuring accessibility for all.

• Potential Changes in Content Format: Viewers may experience slight changes in the show's structure and segments.

Implication for Future:

• We can expect to see more legacy educational children's programs exploring streaming partnerships to adapt to changing media consumption habits.

• The model of simultaneous airing on traditional television and streaming platforms may become more common.

• The financial challenges of producing high-quality educational content will likely continue to drive new distribution strategies.

Consumer Trend:

• Name: Ubiquitous Access to Children's Content

• Detailed Description: Parents and children increasingly expect to access their favorite content, including educational programming, anytime and anywhere through various digital platforms and streaming services.

Consumer Sub Trend:

• Name: Blended Media Consumption

• Detailed Description: Families often utilize a mix of traditional broadcast television (for free content) and subscription-based streaming services to fulfill their entertainment and educational needs.

Big Social Trend:

• Name: The Digital Transformation of Education

• Detailed Description: Education, including early childhood education, is increasingly being delivered and accessed through digital platforms and media.

Worldwide Social Trend:

• Name: Global Demand for Quality Children's Programming

• Detailed Description: There is a consistent global demand for high-quality, educational, and entertaining content for children across various cultures and languages.

Social Drive:

• Name: Nurturing Children's Development

• Detailed Description: Parents and caregivers are driven by the desire to provide enriching and educational content that supports their children's growth and learning.

Learnings for brands to use in 2025:

• Recognize the shift in how families consume media and prioritize digital and streaming distribution strategies.

• Explore partnerships with streaming platforms to reach wider audiences, especially for children's content.

• Understand the importance of maintaining accessibility through free-to-air options where feasible, alongside commercial models.

• Be adaptable in content format to suit the viewing habits of streaming audiences.

• Leverage the nostalgia and established brand recognition of legacy content.

Strategy Recommendations for brands to follow in 2025:

• Explore strategic partnerships with major streaming services for distribution of children's educational content.

• Implement a dual distribution strategy that includes both traditional broadcast and streaming to maximize reach.

• Adapt content formats to align with the binge-watching and on-demand viewing patterns of streaming platforms.

• Capitalize on the existing brand equity of established children's programs to attract viewers on new platforms.

• Seek out public-private partnerships to ensure financial sustainability for educational content creation.

Final sentence (key concept) describing main trend from article and what brands & companies should do in 2025 to benefit from trend and how to do it: "Sesame Street"'s move to Netflix illustrates the "Streaming Schoolhouse" trend, urging educational content creators and distributors in 2025 to strategically embrace partnerships with streaming platforms while maintaining accessibility through traditional channels to reach evolving audiences and ensure long-term sustainability.

Final note:

• Core Trend:

  • Name: Streaming Transition for Children's Education

  • Detailed Description: Established educational children's programs are increasingly moving to streaming platforms for distribution.

• Core Strategy:

  • Name: Hybrid Distribution: Streaming and Traditional TV

  • Detailed Description: Utilizing both streaming services and traditional broadcast television to maximize reach and accessibility.

• Core Industry Trend:

  • Name: The Financial Evolution of Educational Media

  • Detailed Description: Educational content creators are adapting their financial models through partnerships and diverse funding sources in the changing media landscape.

• Core Consumer Motivation:

  • Name: Convenient and Accessible Educational Content

  • Detailed Description: Parents seek easy and on-demand access to high-quality educational programming for their children.

• Final Conclusion: "Sesame Street"'s new streaming deal with Netflix signifies a pivotal moment in the distribution of children's educational content, highlighting the need for adaptability and innovative partnerships to thrive in the modern media environment.

Core Trend Detailed description:

The Shift of Legacy Educational Children's Programming Towards Streaming Platforms describes a significant transition occurring within the children's media landscape, where established and long-running educational programs, traditionally associated with broadcast television, are increasingly finding new homes and distribution channels on global streaming platforms. This move is often motivated by a confluence of factors, including the evolving media consumption habits of families who are increasingly favoring on-demand content over linear television, the financial challenges that can face traditional public broadcasting models and non-profit educational content producers, and the substantial reach and subscriber bases offered by streaming services, which present an opportunity to connect with wider and more diverse audiences in the digital age. "Sesame Street"'s partnership with Netflix, while maintaining its foundational presence on PBS, is a clear illustration of this broader trend, highlighting how even iconic educational institutions are adapting their distribution strategies to thrive in the contemporary media environment.

Key Characteristics of the Trend (summary, detailed description):

• Summary: Established educational children's shows moving to streaming platforms while often maintaining a presence on traditional television.

• Detailed Description: The key characteristics of this trend involve the migration of traditionally broadcast educational children's programs to digital streaming services. This shift isn't always an exclusive move, as many programs, like "Sesame Street," are adopting a hybrid model by continuing to air on their original public television homes while simultaneously becoming available on platforms like Netflix. This dual approach aims to balance maintaining accessibility for all viewers with leveraging the expansive reach and different consumption patterns of streaming audiences.

Market and Cultural Signals Supporting the Trend (summary, detailed description):

• Summary: Financial pressures on educational content producers, the decline in traditional TV viewership among families, and the massive subscriber bases of streaming services.

• Detailed Description:

  • Financial Challenges: The article explicitly states that "Sesame Street" was facing a financial crisis after the end of its partnership with Max, highlighting the economic pressures that non-profit educational content creators often face. This financial need is a significant driver for seeking partnerships with well-funded streaming platforms.

  • Changing Viewing Habits: The shrinking audience for traditional television, as noted in the article, indicates a broader shift in how families consume media. Streaming services have become a primary source of entertainment, including children's programming, signaling that educational content needs to be where the audience is.

  • Reach of Streaming Platforms: Netflix's vast global subscriber base, exceeding 300 million, represents a substantial opportunity for "Sesame Street" to reach a far wider audience than it might through traditional broadcast alone. This reach is a major draw for content producers looking to maximize their impact.

How the Trend Is Changing Consumer Behavior (summary):

• Summary: Families are increasingly expecting educational content to be available on their preferred streaming platforms, alongside entertainment.

• Detailed Description: This trend reflects and further reinforces the changing expectations of families regarding how they access media for their children. Just as they turn to streaming services for movies and entertainment, there's a growing expectation that educational programming will also be readily available on these platforms, offering convenience and on-demand viewing options that fit into their modern lifestyles.

Implications Across the Ecosystem (For Brands and CPGs, For Retailers, For Consumers, summary)):

• Summary for Brands and CPGs: Opportunities for educational content producers to reach broader audiences and secure financial stability through streaming deals. Retailers may see shifts in merchandising and partnerships related to streaming-centric content. Consumers gain more convenient access to educational programming.

• Detailed Description for Brands and CPGs: For educational content producers like Sesame Workshop, this trend presents significant opportunities to expand their reach beyond traditional broadcasting limitations and to establish more financially sustainable models through partnerships with streaming giants. This could also influence merchandising and cross-promotional opportunities.

• Detailed Description for Retailers: Retailers, particularly those focusing on children's products and media, may see shifts in where consumers are discovering and engaging with educational content, potentially leading to new partnership opportunities with streaming platforms or a need to adapt their marketing strategies to align with digital consumption habits.

• Detailed Description for Consumers: For families, this trend translates to more convenient and accessible access to high-quality educational programming like "Sesame Street," often through platforms they already subscribe to, fitting into their existing media consumption patterns.

Strategic Forecast:

The trend of legacy educational children's programming shifting towards streaming platforms is highly likely to continue and even accelerate. As cord-cutting becomes more prevalent and streaming services solidify their dominance in the media landscape, educational content creators will increasingly look to these platforms as key distribution channels for reaching their target audiences and ensuring the longevity of their programs. Hybrid models, combining streaming with a continued presence on public television, will likely become a common strategy to balance reach, accessibility, and financial sustainability.

Final Thought:

"Sesame Street"'s move to Netflix, while preserving its public television roots, powerfully illustrates the unavoidable shift in how educational content is reaching modern audiences, highlighting the crucial role of streaming platforms in the future of children's media and the adaptability required for even the most beloved legacy programs to thrive in a rapidly evolving media ecosystem.

Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/tv/2025/05/19/sesame-street-netflix-deal-pbs/