wow-sers! … I didn’t know that still came on!
“Reading Rainbow taught kids why to read,” Grant says. “You know, the love of reading — [it] encouraged kids to pick up a book and to read.“
HOTT NEWS!
Looks like all good things … must come to an end!
LeVAR BURTON’s 26-year run with the PBS show that taught children to love reading is coming to an end. Burton is the executive producer and host of the popular Reading Rainbow, known also for his role as Kunte Kinte in Roots and Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Reading Rainbow is coming to an end after failing to generate the funds necessary to keep it in production. Reading Rainbow is the 3rd-longest running children’s show behind Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.
John Grant, of WNED Buffalo, where Reading Rainbow is based, told NPR Friday that the show ran up against different philosophical views relating to children’s literacy. Recent funding has focused on teaching kids how to read — something Rainbow was never meant to do.
“Reading Rainbow taught kids why to read,” Grant says. “You know, the love of reading — [it] encouraged kids to pick up a book and to read.”
Reading Rainbow was known for its book reviews delivered by children, and Burton’s catch phrases such as “I’ll see you next time,” and “But don’t take my word for it.”
Linda Simensky, vice president for children’s programming at PBS called the show’s run “miraculous.” She said its end is bittersweet, but that funding is needed for programs that teach the mechanics of reading.
“We’ve been able to identify the earliest steps that we need to take,” Simensky said. “Now we know what we need to do first. Even just from five years ago, I think we all know so much more about how to use television to teach.”
