PBS Kids lineup changes coming Feb 11

Thu, February 5, 2009
Posted in Schedule Updates

Beginning Wednesday, February 11, the weekday and weekend PBS Kids lineups on KAKM Channel 7 will change. Most of the changes are schedule-oriented — a show that was on at noon is now on at 1:30, for example. But there are a few new shows your kids may enjoy, while three programs are going away entirely, at least for now.

You can download a printable daytime programming grid (PDF) for a complete weekly view. We’re expecting this new PBS Kids schedule to hold steady until the traditional PBS Kids shuffle in August or September.

New and Returning Shows

The Electric Company: Fridays at 4:00 p.m., repeating Sundays at 9:30 a.m. (This revival of the popular 70’s program started in early January, but since it’s a weekly program, you may not have noticed it.)
Mama Mirabelle’s Home Movies: Saturdays at 7:30 a.m.
Angelina Ballerina: Saturdays at 8:00 a.m.
Franny’s Feet: Saturdays at 8:30 a.m.
Jay Jay the Jet Plane: Sundays at 5:30 a.m.
Animalia: Sundays at 10:30 a.m.
DragonflyTV: Sundays at 12:00 p.m.

Shows with Some Airings Eliminated

Curious George: no longer aired on Saturdays, but still airs Weekdays and Sunday
Sid the Science Kid: no longer aired on Saturdays, but still airs Weekdays and Sunday
Super Why!: no longer aired on Saturdays, but still airs Weekdays and Sunday
Clifford the Big Red Dog: no longer aired on Saturdays, but still airs Weekdays and Sunday
Sesame Street: no longer aired on Sundays, but still airs Weekdays and Saturday
Barney & Friends: no longer aired on Sundays, but still airs Weekdays
Between the Lions: no longer aired on Sundays, but still airs Weekdays

Shows Being Canceled (for now)

Zoboomafoo: had run Sundays at 1:30 p.m.
Berenstain Bears: had run Sundays at 1:00 p.m.
Postcards from Buster: had run Sundays at 11:30 a.m.

Why the changes?

Two reasons. First, our ability to control the programming schedule on KAKM is somewhat limited ever since a staffing cut in late 2006. We heavily rely upon an automated programming service provided by PBS, which keeps our costs down but also means program schedules are often beyond our control. Second, PBS is making several satellite distribution changes this month and those changes have shuffled some programming lineups, especially in the PBS Kids collection.

We know changes in the PBS Kids lineup are more difficult for parents to manage than moving, say, Antiques Roadshow around. We apologize for the scheduling conflicts and hope at least some families will find the changes helpful in their daily routines.

And we hope you’ll agree that with almost any schedule, the children’s programming available via KAKM Public TV is a safe, trusted place where your kids can spend time with entertaining and educational material, free from excessive commercial messaging.

Comments

2 Responses to “PBS Kids lineup changes coming Feb 11”

Deborah Retherford on February 9, 2009 at 12:48 pm

I know these PBS Kids changes are largely out of your control, but it would be nice if changes came in the Fall – when most families schedules change anyway because of the school year.
John Proffitt on February 10, 2009 at 2:02 am

Agreed, Deborah. In fact, changes *do* normally happen in the fall, and we expect they’ll come along in August/September once again. Our understanding is that this is an unusual schedule change, created in part by significant satellite delivery changes within PBS. We apologize for the confusion.

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