Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
- 'Sesame Street' moves to Netflix, launching its 56th season globally this year.
- Warner Bros. Discovery ended its contract, shifting the show from HBO Max.
- PBS will still air it, despite federal funding cuts, ensuring free access.
NEW YORK — We can definitely tell you how to get to "Sesame Street."
It was announced Monday that the popular long-running children's program has found a new home at Netflix.
"For more than a half a century, 'Sesame Street' has been a beloved cornerstone of children's media, enchanting young minds and nurturing a love of learning," a press release states. "Now Elmo, Cookie Monster, Abby Cadabby, and all their friends are coming to Netflix later this year, with Sesame Street's all-new, reimagined 56th season — plus 90 hours of previous episodes — available to audiences worldwide."
The news comes after Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN's parent company, opted not to renew its contract to stream the series on Max, or HBO Max.
"The new season will feature fresh format changes and the return of fan-favorite segments like Elmo's World and Cookie Monster's Foodie Truck," the streamer announced. "Additionally, episodes will now center on one 11-minute story, allowing for even more character-driven humor and heart."
The series will still be available on PBS. President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order to end federal funding for PBS and NPR.
"I strongly believe that our educational programming for children is one of the most important aspects of our service to the American people, and 'Sesame Street' has been an integral part of that critical work for more than half a century," Paula Kerger, the PBS president and chief executive, said in a statement.
Sherrie Rollins Westin, the president and chief executive of Sesame Workshop — the organization behind the show — emphasized that the deal combines Sesame's research-based curriculum and Netflix's global reach, "ensuring children in communities across the U.S. continue to have free access on public television to the 'Sesame Street' they love."
Netflix, meanwhile, touted the acquisition as a major win. The company announced the deal on X with a video of Cookie Monster devouring the Netflix logo, accompanied by "N IS FOR NETFLIX!"
The new deal provides the beloved children's TV show with a much-needed lifeline after months of turmoil following HBO's and Max's decision to opt out of renewing a contract with "Sesame Street." Since the December announcement, Sesame Workshop's coffers have been stretched thin, leading it to lay off staffers in March as it approached production of Season 56.
