Date: Sun, 08 Jan 2006 08:36:19 -0500
To: puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] it's a big, big world or whatever


In my opinion, the dumbing down of Sesame Street was all due to 
marketing.  Suddenly in the stores the merchandise was skewing to 
younger and younger kids.  Parents buy the toy for 1 year old child, 
big sibbling sees child playing with it and thinks it's a baby 
toy...and when you're 5 or 6, you wouldn't be caught dead with a baby 
toy.  Now this translates back to the tv program.  If the baby is 
playing with a baby toy that's of a character in the show, then the 
show must be for babies.  You can see why the older kids stopped watching.

Susan




At 11:37 PM 1/7/2006, you wrote:
>I've worked on the production side of a number of network TV shows
>both puppet and animation.  From my perspective, producers (and more
>importantly networks) want to use what they know works.  On "Between
>the Lions" we tried to use a number of puppetry styles; shadow, rod
>puppets, marionettes, sicilian marionettes, object theater, etc.
>Unfortunately, research showed that kids preferred animation over any
>of the puppets.  Research seems to show that kids feel puppets are
>for babies.  Hence why Sesame skews to a younger demographic these
>days than when it first aired and why networks buy puppet shows for
>preschoolers and animation for older kids.  Since they are looking at
>puppets for preschoolers, they want designs that are soft, colorful
>and inviting, not only to attract the kids attention, but also to
>entice the kids to bug their parents to buy the plush and other
>merchandise (which is a large consideration during the design phase
>of any network show).
>
>So basically networks want to use what will sell more product and get
>them a higher rating, so as Liz said they use what has a track record
>rather than take a chance on something unknown.  Which is the same as
>the rest of the entertainment industry hence all the remakes,
>sequels, knock-offs, etc you see on TV and film.
>
>Jared
>
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