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PBS Kids

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PBS Kids (often styled all-caps as "PBS KIDS") is the umbrella brand for children's programming aired by the Public Broadcasting Service in the United States. As with all PBS programming, PBS Kids programming is non-commercial.

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The PBS Kids Girl, "Dot," and Boy, "Dash," logo.
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First official kids ident from PBS, featuring the P pals.

News

From 1999 to 2004, a PBS Kids promotion featured the Des'ree song "You Gotta Be". It currently features "Only You", by the New Rhythm and Blues Quartet. A new promotion features the song, "True Colors", by Cyndi Lauper.

The PBS KIDS Channel was a separate television network founded on September 6, 1999 and was targeted at children aged 3-17 years. The PBS Kids Channel had been running for six years and was largely paid for by DirecTV, which decided not to renew its licensing deal. The channel ceased operation on October 1, 2005, in favor of a new joint commercial venture, PBS Kids Sprout, which is a partnership owned by Comcast (40%), Henson International Television (usually referred to as HIT Entertainment) (30%), PBS (15%), and Sesame Workshop (formerly, CTW) (15%). [citation needed] Some stations (such as WNET and TPT) still program a PBS Kids channel themselves.

PBS KIDS Sprout logo

Programing Blocks

In October 2004, PBS Kids launched a new lineup of programming called PBS Kids GO!. This lineup features PBS Kids programming targeted at somewhat older kids and preteens that used to air under the general PBS Kids umbrella, such as Arthur and Cyberchase. New programs have been added to the line-up. Such as Maya and Miguel, Postcards From Buster (has aired on PBS Kids GO! until May 21, 2007 when it was replaced by Fetch! With Ruff Ruffman) Fetch! With Ruff Ruffman and WordGirl. Other shows include Dragonfly TV and Zoom.

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The PBS Kids GO! Logo

In September 2006, PBS Kids launched a two-hour preschool block hosted by Miss Lori and Hooper. It airs weekday mornings from 8am to 10am on most PBS member stations. The block consists of four shows. These shows are Curious George, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Dragon Tales, and Super WHY!. Also It's a Big Big World was in the block but it got replaced by Super Why!.

In September 2000, PBS Kids launched a three-hour block PBS Kids Bookworm Bunch. The block's shows were Corduroy, George Shrinks, Elliot Moose, Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse, Seven Little Monsters, and Timothy Goes to School. Then Corduroy and Elliot Moose were cancelled. In September 2004, the block got discountued for shows airing October, then Seven Little Monsters got discontinued after in the half-hour time period as the Berenstain Bears. George Shrinks is airing.

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PBS Kids girl, "Dot"[1]
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PBS Kids boy, "Dash"[2]

Programming

Main article: List of programs broadcast by Public Broadcasting Service

Special programming

  • Vote-A-Rama - In September 2002, PBS Kids introduced Vote-A-Rama. Children could vote online for their favorite episode of a particular show out of four, or their favorite episode of different shows on a particular theme.
  • PBS Kids Pet-Tacular - In September 2003, when PBS Kids introduced Clifford's Puppy Days, this program was released. It contains two episodes of Arthur, and two-new episodes of Clifford's Puppy Days. This program is represented by three Zoom Members, Aline, Mike, and Shing Ying.
  • PBS Kids Share a Story Talent Show - In May 2004 and September 2004, this program aired. It was about telling, singing, acting out, or drawing a story, such as Clifford the Big Red Dog, Arthur, Cyberchase, Dragon Tales and much more. Visit http://www.pbskids.org/talentshow/ for this program's website.
  • Big Big Friend Day - In November 25, 2005, PBS Kids was introduced It's a Big Big World which features two episodes of Dragon Tales and Clifford. Visit http://www.pbskids.org/bigbigfriendday/ for this program's website.
  • Share the Earth Day - In April 21, 2006, PBS Kids was having a party in honor of Earth Day, featuring some episodes of Dragon Tales, Clifford The Big Red Dog, and It's a Big Big World. It was hosted by Ashley and Gordy. Visit http://www.pbskids.org/earthday/ for this program's website. On Friday April 20, 2007, PBS Kids was having another Earth Day party with Miss Lori and Hooper.
  • Friend Day - In November 24, 2006, PBS Kids had a program about friends and how to keep in touch with them, even when they are far away. It was very similar to a normal setup for the regular Miss Lori and Hooper block. This was the first special on PBS Kids to be hosted by Miss Lori and Hooper. Visit http://www.pbskids.org/friendday/ for this program's website.
  • George to George - In February 19, 2007, there was a George to George special on PBS Kids with Curious George.
  • Fetch -o- Thon - In May 21, 2007 - May 25, 2007, PBS KIDS GO! held a marathon of FETCH! 4 episodes a day, showing the first season, which consists of 20 episodes. Preview clips from season 2 have aired during the marathon.

Ready To Learn

In 2006, PBS launched a series of short commercials for the Ready To Learn Service, that mixed characters from above mentioned PBS KIDS shows. The first four were television parodies:

  • One clip features the surprising re-appearance of long absent Guy Smiley (Sesame Street) as host of Jeopardy! take-off Double Get Wordy. Contestants are Cookie Monster and cartoon characters T-Bone (Clifford the Big Red Dog) and Thora (Arthur).
  • Another features Ernie in an American Idol spoof called Star Finder. Judges are Theo (Between the Lions), Emily Elizabeth (Clifford the Big Red Dog) and Oscar the Grouch.
  • Yet another features Ernie in a CSI spoof, investigating alongside Ord (Dragon Tales), Bert (Sesame Street), and an unnamed girl. Bert and the residents of the house, a mother with her son, eventually show up as well. The theme from Peter Gunn is used as background score.
  • Another one features the two Between the Lions characters Leona and Theo. The segment takes place outside the normal realm of the show, and instead takes place in a family living room, spoofing the sitcom genre, complete with laugh track.

NOTES: Each of these commercials ends with a brief set of credits, making reference to characters from PBS shows. The "Double Get Wordy" game show commercial credits include Grover as Camera operator, Prairie Dawn for Art Direction, Elmo Monster as Leona's Body Double and Big Bird credited as a Gaffer. A block of smaller credits followed, referring to the puppets as "Felt Americans".

The second set of clips were based on famous movies, and began airing in 2007. These include parodies of:

  • Mission Impossible: Agent Cookie has ten seconds (counted by Between the Lions character Arty Smartypants) to write his name before his message (from Arty, televised from a cookie) self-destructs. (This clip features a rare use of a full-body puppet version of Cookie Monster.)
  • Superman: Cleo Lion (wife of Theo) convinces Grover to let the world know who he really is by learning how to write the emblem of Super Grover.
  • West Side Story: Theo and Ernie sing an upbeat song based on "The Jet Song" about how rhyming can help one learn to read, backed by groups of kids. Oscar makes a cameo when a basketball thrown by Ernie hits his can.
  • Casablanca: Grover and Cleo reminisce about playing the "rhyming game", with Grover (at the piano) getting carried away with the rhymes.

Channel identifications

PBS Kids channel identifications are shown always at the end of each show. Each has a certain tune in the background that ends in children singing "PBS Kids!". There are 3 main sets:

  • The 1st set has a green background.
    • The 1st ident of this set has a boy named "Dash",[2] which begins with a closeup of his blinking eye. The shot is zoomed out to see Dash say "Doink!", and he thinks about "PBS" in a thought bubble. In the background, dark pink stripes are shaking slightly.
    • The 2nd ident of this set is of a girl named "Dot",[1] who runs from the distance towards the screen and into it. "Doink" is also heard, and the thought bubble with "PBS" appears as well. Stripes are moving left to right in the background. They are different colors and sizes.
  • The 2nd set has a background that changes colors. Within these 2 idents, a smaller version of the opposite ident is in the upper right hand corner.
    • The 1st ident of the set is Dash, the boy, who is at first a caveman, then a scuba diver, and then a robot. He grabs the letters "PBS", and the circular PBS Kids logo is shown. There is no "doink" or similar sound in this ident. Blue bubbles are shaking in this background.
    • The 2nd one is Dot, the girl, who is at first a cat, than an octopus, and finally an astronaut. Something that suspiciously sounds like "doy!" is heard instead of "doink!", and the circular PBS Kids logo is shown. There are stars in this background.
  • The 3rd and final set, introduced in 2004, also has 2 idents.
    • The 1st ident has Dash skating on ice. The screen shakes and zooms out, to discover that he is inside a snow globe. The snowglobe is held by Dot, who giggles. "Doink" is heard as the circular PBS Kids logo appears. There is another version of this ident which is slightly different. This background shows snowflakes.
    • The 2nd ident has Dash peering into his fishbowl. The camera zooms in, and Dash is now a fish. Dot is also a fish, though a bigger one, who gobbles Dash up. Once again, "Doink" is heard and Dot is in the circular logo. This background contains bubbles.

In the Miss Lori and Hooper block, there are many different idents after each program. They do not include the PBS Kids boy or girl as of September 1999, except for the last few seconds when Dash is shown in the PBS Kids logo. Some include still pictures of real children, but do occasionally move a little bit. These idents usually have a general theme, such as model buildings, a girl taking pictures, a robot, scoops on an ice cream cone, a house, dinosaurs, outer space, a treehouse, penguins, boats, kids on a school bus, a beach, bees, a picnic, a computer, some trees, a mouse going to a mousepad or instruments playing music. In these idents, there is no voiceover of "PBS Kids!"

TV schedule idents

PBS Kids states what's coming up next after most programs, in special idents. They usually all have a short description of the program read by Dash, Dot, or respective announcers. Some stations put their logo in them.

Generally, the pinball table ident is directed to older children viewers, the jack-in-the-box for younger viewers, and the car race is for in between ages. Some stations don't show these idents. Also, on the Thomas & Friends Jack-in-the-Box ident, there is not a description for some reason.

In the Bookworm Bunch schedule block, either Dash or Dot presses a button. The machine hand grabs a book and drops in the TV machine, and content from the upcoming show appears. Then it opens the book to see the green circle with the show title and the main character. Corduroy (Corduroy), Timothy Goes to School (Timothy), Marvin, the Tap-dancing Horse (Marvin), Elliot Moose (Elliot Moose), Seven Little Monsters (Five), and George Shrinks (George)

There's also a version with a "NEXT" text screen on the conveyor belt which drops into the pipe to the TV machine.

Station idents

Many stations use station idents. Most announce their channel number, call letters, and city. Some stations use these to list shows that are coming up next or checking the program schedules. Some stations also put their logo anywhere around the background.

  • One includes Dash and Dot walking together down the sidewalk. Almost every three seconds they change form. First, they are normal. Then, dog and cat, fly and ladybug, corn and tomato, and snowmen. After that, they become green and pink balloons, skeletons, tuba and violin, daisies, and astronauts. Then the pattern continues until they turn into vegetables again.
  • Another shows different forms of transportation. First is a man flying a plane. Then, a man is steering a green ship. Then, a car goes by with a girl and a boy that looks very similar to Dash. A train with a conductor goes past, followed by Dot riding an energetic horse. Lastly, Dash and Dot are on a fire truck. This pattern continues over again.
  • One is about Dot and her pet cat. It is a pink background. It starts with Dot thinking of her cat napping, then herself hugging it. Then Dash appears in a bubble. He has his thumbs on his cheeks with all other fingers sticking straight out. Then, he changes into a flower. After that, the cat gives Dot a flower bouquet in a bubble, and dance together. Then, Dot says, "Doink!" and so does the cat in her thought bubble. Finally, the cat stretches in a bubble. This continues until right before Dash comes out.
  • In one, Dot is walking or jogging in different types of weather. Whatever she thinks about comes true. First, she is in a spring shower, then summer, then a winter snow storm, then she is in a nighttime setting, followed by autumn. It continues until winter begins.
  • In another one, Dash is touching a square button in a wall in the center of the screen. Dot is on the other side touching it also. When they press the button they change into something different, similar to the first ident described here, though you can only see their shadows. They continue pushing the button going back and forth, faster and faster, until they end up pressing it at the same time. Then Dash transforms into a bouncing ball, and Dot becomes a bee going in a circular motion. Many PBS stations put their logo here.
  • Another one features a road with many people crossing it. Thought bubbles pop up everywhere, then the screen is clear from people, only to be filled with bubbles. One man in a car stops and makes a new bubble. Many stations put their logo here.

Other Station Idents

Other idents include:

  • An alien (Dot is haunted by one who turns out to be Dash.)
  • Bugs (Dash and Dot look for some.)
  • Purple dots (Dot paints them)
  • Merry-go-round (Dash and Dot ride one.)
  • Musical notes (Are in the air while dash conducts an orchestra.)
  • Carnival (Dot wins a bear there.)
  • Dash carrying newspapers (In a big city.)
  • Dash and Dot playing leap frog (In a field.)
  • Dash and Dot taking pictures (Of family.)
  • Roller coaster (Dash and Dot ride one.)
  • People walking around (Dash riding a trolly.)
  • Train (Toy train for Dot)
  • Pieces of candy (Dash buys them for Dot)
  • Science lab (Dash doing an experiment there.)
  • Lion (Dot trains it and Dash feeds it.)
  • Dash and Dot's faces in circular bubbles which open their mouths.

Other PBS Kids idents

Some stations show idents in which each person says their favorite colors or they are thinking about in a thought bubble. The kids or a person shouts out "PBS Kids!" in the playground or the background. They are as follows:

  • Announcer: Hey, (person), what's your favorite color?
  • Kids' Answer: (color; objects that are in that color appear)
  • Announcer: What do you think about?
  • Kids' Answer: (TV show or activity)

Also, the zapping TV Screen can show various commercials, and then they zap to the PBS Kids logo.

Some stations put their logo anywhere around the background

TV Show idents

In this one, a dog is seen. He is thinking of a fire hydrant. The hydrant thinks of a robot. The robot thinks of Dash turning his key. Dash thinks of Elmo. Then finally, Elmo thinks about PBS in the PBS Kids logo. A purple spiral design fills the screen.

In this, Dash and Dot are walking in a yellow setting. They go by flowers, cars, and houses and the last one of each of those is purple. Dash says, "WHOA!" and then the kids see Barney in the PBS Kids logo. In the background, you see purple dots coming out from behind the logo at a steady rhythm.

This ident starts with an orange background with a small face. He begins to whistle and the screen out outward to see a neighborhood. You notice that everything has glasses on. Then, there are girls jumping rope, and a mother rocking her baby in a stroller. The PBS Kids logo appears with Arthur in it. This is the same ident as Dot in the logo.

This starts with a bug that sees a yellow hill with a worm on it. In reality, it is Laa-Laa's loop on her head. He pulls at it and he flings himself to Dipsy's head and spins around, then goes to Tinky-Winky's. He ends up on Po's head and tries to go through her circle but can't. Then four logos appear, each with a Teletubby inside. The background has large pink stripes shaking a bit.

This one begins with a giraffe going to a tree branch. He tries to grab some leaves but flings himself to the ground (which is shown about three seconds later). The leaves end up in an elephant's trunk, then a wild cat jumps in and grabs them. He continues running until Zoboo's arm appears and grabs the leaves. Then Zoboo is in the logo with three tall quadrilaterals behind him. They are: Yellow, Pink and Gold. There is a black outline around them. It is shaking.

This one is a little different from the others. It has Dash's profile while walking. He thinks about a lion, an alien spaceship and finally, PBS. Dash is inside the logo next to the show's logo, surrounded by other PBS Kids in different colored bubbles.

Dash AS Use The Flyboat to Zoooooooom Away in Space on the Moon When The Wonder Pets! Comes In. The PBS Kids logos appears with Linny Tuck & Ming-Ming With Sky Blue backround.

Dash grab the mail to Dot. Then Blue Came to See Dash & Dot. Blue Licks Dash & Dot. Blue Jumps the PBS Kids Logo. The PBS Kids logos appears with Blue With TV backround.

Other idents

New idents were made for newer programs, but they are less complicated than the previous ones.

This one shows the dragons' tails playing instruments (Ord: Drum kit, Cassie: Triangle (instrument), Zak and Wheezie: Bongo drum). Ord appears in the logo, with sound waves in the background.

This one shows an artist painting a simple picture (only filling the page with one color). He tries yellow, blue and finally, red. Clifford is behind the picture and goes in the logo. Splashes of primary colors are in the background.

This one shows Dash holding a kite, Dot riding on a bicycle and the sun in the sky. The sun zooms in when the kite passes. Caillou is inside the logo with a sunshining background.

This one shows Dash and Dot looking for books. They are seeking each other, removing books. Theo looks up and found, then he is in the logo with a rectangular background circling.

This one shows Dot walking in a green background and Dash walking in a pink background. Then Dash climbs a staircase. Dash trips when he reaches the top of the stairs but gets up and pulls out a pair of binoculars and looks through them. He looks through it and sees an image of Curious George who then cheers and claps. The background shows three kinds of circles coming from the logo: light blue ones, pink ones and light blue ones with The Man With the Yellow Hat's hat in them.

These idents can be used for many programs:

  • In the first one, Dash is making incredible hand shadows. He then makes the PBS Kids logo, with orange ovals moving around in the background. Cyberchase (Hacker is in the logo), It's a Big Big World (Snook), Jakers (Piggley), and Boohbah (Zumbah) use this ident. Liberty's Kids (Sarah, James & Henri) also used this when the program aired.
  • In the second one, you see a crab who is on the beach, then floats down. Octopi, jellyfish, and other fish are swimming around. Still following the crab, she reaches her home and air bubbles float up. They make the PBS Kids logo appear. In the background, you'll see the bubbles coming out from behind the logo. Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (Fred Rogers is in the logo), Jay Jay the Jet Plane (Jay Jay), Sagwa (Sagwa), and Berenstain Bears (Mama Bear) use this ident. Anne of Green Gables (Anne) also used this ident when the program aired.
  • In the third one, this shows a pig, bird, cricket, fish and dinosaur in a book shape. The dinosaur book opens up to show the PBS Kids logo. In the background, you'll see orange alphabet letters coming out from behind the logo. Reading Rainbow (Levar Burton is in the logo), Word World (Frog), and Clifford's Puppy Days (little Clifford) use this ident. Adventures from the Book of Virtues (Annie) also used this ident when the program aired.

This ident shows the worm looking and writing the TV series logo and zooms in from the circle and shown the main characters of the Bookworm Bunch.

When the Bookworm Bunch aired, idents were shown.

  • Timothy Goes to School

This show did not have one because it was the beginning of the program.

  • Marvin the Tap Dancing Horse

This one shows a seal, a canon, and a clown, in a circus theme. The clown squirts his squirt flower and the PBS Kids logo appears with Marvin in it.

  • Seven Little Monsters

Dash and Dot are in a green hallway with seven doors. They open each door which has a number on it. Each monster has a door. For example, One has a door with sports equipment inside of it. Five's door then opens last with a doughnut rolling out. The PBS Kids logo appears with Five inside.

  • George Shrinks

You see a toy plane flying in a yard. It flies in a window and George comes out. He goes inside the logo.

Website idents

  • From May to August 2006, the website layout used Flash. If the mouse is put over either Dash or Dot, the "Doink" sound is heard. If it's put on a show's title, the logo pops up with a main character on it. There are different backgrounds which include the beach, sea, airplanes, superheroes, snow, park, dogs, cats, fishtank, space and spring which both Dash and Dot do an every day activty for the background. There are 4 buttons which include stories, games, coloring, and music. If there are specials they add another button which include holidays, Halloween, Valentine's day, talent show and pets. There are also three bubbles, two Dash and Dot were thinking about while doing the activty and one somewhere in a place at the website.
  • Starting in September 2006, the website layout features a wheel spinning. If the mouse is put on the main character, you'll hear the shows' title. If it's put on the left arrow, the wheel will spin in counterclockwise, and if it is put on the right arrow, the wheel will spin in clockwise. If something special happens like George to George, Friend Day, Halloweeen, Valentine's Day or Earth Day they add a bubble which is small. There are different backgrounds which include ghosts, holidays, hearts, stars, sea and outside. There are three buttons which include games, music and coloring but no stories, holidays, Halloween, Valentine's day, pets or the talent show. If the mouse is put on the Miss Lori and Hooper, Dash appears to raise up his hand. If it is put on the PBS Kids logo, once again "Doink" sound is heard. There is a button which there that says All Shows can see Noddy, Jay Jay, George, Sagwa and Zobbo which Dash said "PBS KIDS". There are also three bubbles haning up with sticks. In August 2007 instead of Miss Lori and Hooper on the button, it is only Hooper on the button but Dash is with Dot rasing their hand when the mouse goes near it. The button that said All Shows, Dash said "All Shows" instead of "PBS KIDS".

Square Background Idents

These Idents include characters in the logo with a square background. It was first seen late 2006:

  • In the flower background, there are bees and flowers. The shows are Clifford the Big Red Dog (Clifford) and Super WHY! (Princess).
  • In another background there are birds and clouds in the sky. The shows include Big Comfy Couch (Molly), Dragon Tales (Cassie), Word World (Frog) Maya and Miguel (Miguel) Wonder Pets! (Tuck) Dom Show (Dom) Blue's Clues (Blue) and Miffy and Friends (Miffy).
  • The next includes a radio with music but is only seen for Sesame Street (Bert).
  • Next the background is space but is only seen for Super WHY! (Whyatt).
  • Last is the underwater background which is only seen in It's a Big Big World (Snook).

Mottos

  • PBS Kids/This Program was made possible by your support of your local PBS Station. (2000-2005)
  • Use your imagination, PBS Kids and You!
  • Imagine the possibilities, PBS Kids and You!
  • Be more PBS Kids, be more (insert PBS Station)

Title name puns

  • Pet-Tacular is a portmanteau between a pet and spectacular.
  • Between the Lions: the title itself is a twofold pun. First on the phrase "between the lines", and second is that many classic library buildings have two lions separated by the main entrance. Thus in order to enter the library, you must go "between the lions".)

References

  1. ^ a b Dot's name: Primal Screen - Go to The Work, then Network Branding, then PBS Kids on the list at the left. The (rather brief) information on the Weather loop shows that the girl's name is Dot.
  2. ^ a b Dash's name: About Miss Lori and Hooper - look at the bottom of the page
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