In a move that means more TV exposure, HBO will be the exclusive first-run subscription TV partner for the next five seasons of iconic preschool series Sesame Street and new series from Sesame Workshop. PBS will also continue to air Sesame Street, but in a 30-minute rather than full-hour version, with new episodes available to public TV after an exclusive window on HBO services.
The deal was motivated by changing TV consumption habits among children, with even very young children accustomed to accessing media through multiple services and devices.
Sesame Street generated almost $1 billion in worldwide licensed merchandise sales in 2013 according to The Licensing Letter’s annual issue on properties that generate more than $100 million in retail sales (Nov. 3, 2014).