'Sesame Street' Relocates to HBO

Sesame Workshop's flagship kids' series "Sesame Street" is heading to HBO in a new partnership that will also see the development of a spin-off series.

April 6, 2018

Partners also planning spin-off series and other new content.

The next five seasons of Sesame Workshop's flagship kids' series "Sesame Street" will air on HBO in a new partnership that will also see the development of a spin-off series and other new, original content.

New episodes will begin airing on HBO this fall, with HBO serving as the exclusive, first-run subscription television distribution partner for both "Sesame Street" and the new series in English and Spanish.

The partnership with HBO will allow Sesame Workshop, for the first time ever, to make the show available free of charge to PBS and its member stations after a nine-month window. All new Sesame series will

also be made available to PBS and its member stations. Back episodes of "Sesame Street" will continue to be made available, uninterrupted, as part of the PBS Kids service on PBS member stations.

“Our new partnership with HBO represents a true winning public-private partnership model,” says Jeffrey D. Dunn, chief executive officer, Sesame Workshop. “It provides Sesame Workshop with the critical funding it needs to be able to continue production of 'Sesame Street' and secure its non-profit mission of helping kids grow smarter, stronger and kinder; it gives HBO exclusive pay cable and SVOD access to the nation’s most important and historic educational programming; and it allows 'Sesame Street' to continue to air on PBS and reach all children, as it has for the past 45 years.”

In addition to new shows, HBO has also licensed more than 150 library episodes of "Sesame Street" and approximately 50 past episodes of "Pinky Dinky Doo," an animated series for preschoolers that focuses on early literacy, and "The Electric Company," which Sesame Workshop rebooted in 2009.

“We are absolutely thrilled to help secure the future of 'Sesame Street' and Sesame Workshop’s mission for the nation’s kids and families,” says Richard Plepler, chairman and chief executive officer, HBO, and Michael Lombardo, president, HBO Programming. “Home Box Office is committed to bringing the most groundbreaking and creative shows to its audience. 'Sesame Street' is the most important preschool education program in the history of television. We are delighted to be a home for this extraordinary show, helping 'Sesame Street' expand and build its franchise.”