While I get why The Children’s Television Workshop would do this, I don’t like it at all. The non-profit group has just announced a partnership with HBO that will give them the resources to nearly double their programming output on Sesame Street as well as develop at least one spin-off based around the Sesame Street Muppets and another educational show.
PBS is still in the mix, essentially getting the sloppy seconds of the deal. After 9 months of airing through HBO and their exclusive channels, the nearly year old episodes will run on public TV.
As for the episodes that your kids will see this fall? The article says that they’ll be “featuring a selection of episodes from the last several seasons edited in new ways.”
As to what spurred the move, the answer is a combination of money and changing viewing habits. New reports say that nearly 2/3 of children no longer watch Sesame Street when it airs, but through on demand and streaming services.