PBS KIDS programming tops September ratings with 6 shows

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PBS KIDS programming tops September ratings with 6 shows

Posted on 23 Oct 2012

PBS KIDS educational programming tops September ratings with six highest-ranked kids shows for ages 2-5 with debuting DANIEL TIGERS NEIGHBORHOOD seeing immediate ratings success, joining popular PBS KIDS series CURIOUS GEORGE and others.

For those of you with kids, I bet you're not surprised. I wasn't. What I am is EXTREMELY grateful. We recently made a decision in my family to nix the extra cable costs and time tuned in to not so great stuff...bye bye DVR. We value spending time together outside, reading, playing games and the lot - but we all know that if you try hard enough (ahem - hello....public television) you CAN find the good t.v. for your kids' brains. But here's what happened - I couldn't anymore record Wild Kratts, DesignSquad, Arthur, BizKids, SciGirls and NATURE. Boy did I call and get my DVR back fast. It's SO MUCH EASIER to make good media decisions for your little critters when you make a conscious decision that it's public television or nothing. Now, of course, you can get AETN without cable (woo hoo - it's free!) but I am a serious Mama with serious opinions about what I allow in my children's eyeballs/brain - so I wanted some time and content extra control. Now our choices remain the shows above - and the specials coming up like "The Cat in the Hat Knows a lot about Christmas" - and "San Francisco's Ballet - The Little Mermaid" (had that on old DVR)...and I could go on - we're ALL happy.

30 minutes of extra time last night with my son and Siberian Tigers (catch NATURE every Wednesday peeps!) was a true gift. Quiet wind down time with the beauty of animals and land and the chance to connect with my nature-loving little boy and talk about the values important to ME and US - respecting nature, animals, learning about another part of the world....(besides the wrestling match to wrench the remote out of his hand because he wanted more) life was good.

PBS KIDS preschool programs received the ratings from Nielsen NPower national program ratings, and are the organizations strongest ratings in 10 years. CURIOUS GEORGE was number one for the ninth consecutive month. THOMAS & FRIENDS, THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT!, SUPER WHY!, DANIEL TIGERS NEIGHBORHOOD and DINOSAUR TRAIN rounded out the top six honors of most viewed programming.

In addition to on-air content, PBS KIDS continues to play a leadership role in the development of educational digital content for kids. TIME Magazine recently named PBSKIDS.org one of the 50 Best Websites 2012. And with 22 mobile apps currently available, PBS KIDS consistently earns accolades for its quality digital resources. Most recently, the free PBS KIDS Video App was included on Babble.coms list of 50 Best Apps for Parents 2012, and TIME.com included the SUPER WHY! app in its Top 25 iPad Apps for Kids roundup in September.

As high ratings, online and mobile content usage demonstrate, PBS KIDS is increasingly serving children wherever they live, learn and play on TV, online, through mobile devices and in the classroom.

So - all this to say - educational programs that AETN airs aren't just for fun to keep the kids busy. There is tried and true, well thought-out, educational material and impact behind them.

If you haven't already, visit aetn.org/kids - there are sections for kids, parents, teachers and links to all the good PBS KIDS stuff. Sign up for our free AETN KIDS GO! Club so you receive monthly updates packed with family adventures, reading lists, projects, contest information, upcoming events, special shows and more.

TUNE IN: Children's programs weekdays 6 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. on AETN and weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays on AETN Plus.

*PBS KIDS was number one among moms ages 18-49 with children under the age of 3 in September 2012. CURIOUS GEORGE, SUPER WHY!, DINOSAUR TRAIN and THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT! took the top slots; THOMAS & FRIENDS ranked sixth.

Ratings source: Program Ratings are Live+7 AA 8/27/2012 9/30/2012; Nielsen NPower