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Reading RainbowFirst Aired in 1983 Ostensibly, Reading Rainbow was created to motivate children to read. But it was much more. The show was hosted by Levar Burton on location to introduce many fields. Reading Rainbow began as a magazine format in 1983, when magazine shows were at their peak. True to form, this was Reading Rainbow's best period. It was nominated for a prime-time Emmy in 1985, based on its premise to involve students in carefully selected literature, among other things. For 20 years, Great Plains National (GPN) was at the forefront of instructional television. They had several talented personnel who pioneered the ITV field in many ways. Then, in 1982, Twila C. Liggett oversaw the creation of the one series more associated with GPN than any other. Ironically, that series would became the principal force that would end the ITV industry. Reading Rainbow has been a double-edged sword ever since. As the 1980s dwindled down and hopes of a brighter future dimmed proportionately, Reading Rainbow began to waver from its original path. The show's main focus became increasingly more pessimistic starting on Tuesday, September 11, 1990. In the years that followed, Reading Rainbow was increasingly identified with mood swings. The strain really showed in the 1995-96 season, as viewers began to voice the fact that Reading Rainbow was consistent only in its inconsistency. Worse, it held on to outdated material far too long. Among the most vicious complaints against Reading Rainbow was that it destroyed the opportunity for other consistently-good children's television series to enjoy long lives on PBS. The Electric Company, 3-2-1 Contact, Square One TV, Long Ago & Far Away, Storytime, Lamb Chop's Play-Along!, Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?, Pappyland, Shining Time Station, The Kidsongs TV Show, Bill Nye the Science Guy, The Magic School Bus, The Puzzle Place, Ghostwriter, Katie And Orbie, The Adventures of Dudley the Dragon, Wishbone, The Shelley T. Turtle Show, Preschool Power!, Bloopy's Buddies, Kratts' Creatures, Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego?, Theodore Tugboat, The Cartoon Factory, Tots TV, Salty's Lighthouse, Groundling Marsh, The Charlie Horse Music Pizza, Wimzie's House, Hello Mr. Chuck!, Noddy, Wish*a*roo Park, Adventures with Kanga Roddy, Once Upon a Tree, Zoobilee Zoo, Captain Kangaroo, Hello Mrs. Cherrywinkle, Skinnamarink TV, Someday School, The Dooley and Pals Show, Grandfather Reads, Ricky's Room, Mary Lou's Flip Flop Shop, Zoboomafoo, Liberty's Kids, Teletubbies, Adventures from the Book of Virtues, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Brian Jacques' Redwall, Dragon Tales, Mark Kistler's Imagination Station, all six tiers of the PBS Kids Bookworm Bunch and Sagwa, The Chinese Siamese Cat have either been canceled by PBS, lost to other networks, or closed up shop during Reading Rainbow's checkered run. And then there who those who blamed PBS affiliates for not picking up consistently-good series for the wrong reasons. Always their conversations would include words to the effect of, "It's a miracle anything gets on the air unmolested because of Reading Rainbow! And you're saying it's my fault?" The strain proved too much for Lancit Media Productions, which had recorded all shows from 1983 to 1998 for GPN. After twelve series, Lancit Media was in financial chaos. But it was the assumed heir to the Reading Rainbow fortune, The Puzzle Place, that got axed. The economic vampire of GPN's raged on, as RCN paid for its life-support machines. None of this would suit well in the 21st Century. Maverick stations such as WNYE of New York and WNVT/WNVC in Northern Virginia divorced themselves from PBS and Reading Rainbow permanently to voice the opinion that the show had run out of ideas. It was also a call that these stations didn't like the direction PBS was taking. The network would have other major dilemmas as the first decade of Century 21 progressed, blocking one controversial episode of Postcards from Buster and keeping two Dragon Tales hostage while remaining still blind to Reading Rainbow's spectacular self-corruption. Lack of original ideas and the increasingly politicized cilmate dimmed, but did not eliminate, the possibility that Reading Rainbow would continue production. Still, it is apparent that GPN, whether it will ever realize it or not (and chances are it won't) did everything in their power not to improve their show or PBS Kids. Neat little game not discussed anywhere else: Go to the cast list and scroll down the long, long line of guest stars. Not all of them have narrated books for Reading Rainbow (they are identified as "Narrator" in the individual episode credits). But of the narrators listed, can you tell how many of them are dead? You'd be surprised at the percentage. If you see any mistakes on this page or if you have more infomation about this show, please submit a comment |