Chicago Father, Artist Takes Action15 Aug
Chris Ware is one of the best artists working today — his “Building Stories” is a favorite of mine. And so it was special for me to receive a message from Chris the other day expressing his support for our cause.
Chris, like myself, is the father of a young child whose life is already being touched by Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. And so, when he found out that his PBS station in Chicago, WTTW, was discontinuing weekday airings of the program, Chris took action.
I’ve asked Chris for permission to post his letter to WTTW here, because I feel it’s the best bit of correspondence I’ve read since launching this campaign last month. Chris shares so much of himself in the letter, which makes the station’s completely canned response, and total lack of empathy, all the more laughable. Also, I *love* how they hit you up for a membership.
If you’re in Chris’ neighborhood, please contact WTTW today. You’ll see the appropriate contact information at the end of their response below:
Dear WTTW,
While I guess I’m behind the times a bit, I have just learned of your decision to remove “Mister Roger’s Neighborhood” from your broadcast lineup. Imagine my surprise at my discovering this within hours (quite literally) of purchasing a digital television tuner specifically, and only for, receipt of your continued broadcast of this program.
My three and a half year old daughter is in the early throes of infatuation with the extraordinary person who was Mister Rogers, a man who left a legacy of one of the most carefully collected, collated and constructed works of art created specifically to cradle a child’s fragile, budding sensitivity and ethical consciousness.
Mister Rogers is not flashy, frisky, funky or “fantastic.” Mister Rogers is slow moving, awkward, simple, low-rent, and even a little bit peculiar and disquieting at times. So is life. In fact, it’s about the last place on television where real life may actually still be found.
I would urge you, please, to think of the tireless devotion of this gentle soul and to the time he granted every single child who watched, and watches, his show — regardless of the programs’s seeming “out of step” with our increasingly-histrionic and shrill times (or, maybe also just seeming understandably uninspired and unchanging as a programming decision in yours and PBS’s yearly planning schedules.) Many public television stations, counter to PBS’s decision to pull Mister Rogers as a daily program, are going to keep the show in circulation, but I am sad to see that WTTW is not planning to be one of them.
I am an artist and writer and I genuinely believe I would not be doing what I am today if it wasn’t for Mister Rogers. While other programs try to constantly produce new “content” to feed a capricious consumer appetite, Fred Rogers calmly made concentrated, timeless art for my generation and the ones that have followed — which is what any artist tries to do, regardless of how the fashions of sweaters change.
While I realize that programming decisions are difficult and complicated and that a panoply of issues and concerns must be addressed when deciding what to keep and what to invest in, I would ask you, please, to reconsider your decision — if even to contemplate keeping the program in a time slot where parents such as myself might record it for their child’s viewing at a later time in the day. Perhaps a specific fund drive could be considered to meet the costs of broadcast before a final axe is thrown? I would be more than pleased to make a sizable donation if such a thing would help to start such an initiative at all.
As I’m sure you’ve guessed by now, I grew up with Mister Rogers, and, like a lot of kids in the 1960s and 1970s, he helped fill in for the dad I didn’t have during those turbulent decades. For other kids, who maybe still had both parents, I imagine he might have made up for a dad who was frequently at work, or who simply wasn’t available, either physically or emotionally. Most importantly, however, now that I’m a father myself, the guidance that Mister Rogers has shown both in temperament and in goodness I realize has been absolutely priceless to my own sense of parenting.
Beyond me, though, there’s a good chance that someone working at WTTW grew up with Mister Rogers — or maybe it was even you, reading this. What’s most important, however, is that television grew up with Mister Rogers.
My many thanks for your consideration, and my regards and best wishes,
Chris Ware.
________
Dear Chris Ware,
Thank you for the question/concern about Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. The daily, national satellite feed of the series ends this month and the program is leaving the WTTW broadcast schedule. We are appreciative of the support this series has had over the years. Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood will continue to have a presence on the internet. His production company, Family Communications, is working with PBS to develop new content. In new and different ways the values of Fred Rogers will continue to be an important part of public broadcasting.
Entertaining and informative television depends on your generosity and we appreciate your support. If you are not already, become a WTTW11 member today by calling (773) 509-1111, ext. 6 or visiting www.wttw.com.
If you have any additional questions, concerns or comments, please respond to this email or call our Member & Viewer Service Department at (773) 509-1111, ext. 6, and a representative will be happy to assist you. Our normal business hours are Monday through Friday, 9am-5pm.
Thank you,
Member and Viewer Service Department
WTTW 11
5400 N St Louis Ave
Chicago IL 60625-4698
ask@wttw.com
(773) 509-1111, option 6
- Brian
Wow, this is such a powerful email to respond to PBS with. I thought this would be a good thread to add the following quote, which should hopefully make PBS think when reading it, along with Chris’s great email!
“We were saying when we started that we were interested in the cognitive development of children, primarily. Letters, numbers, preparing them for school. I think Fred would have said is that he is interested in the affective development of children. The psychological and emotional development of children. So we saw us as operating in more in two different spheres. So I think the two shows in some ways are closer, but still extremely complimentary. And children deserve those two shows.”
Joan Ganz Cooney - Founder of Children’s Television Workshop
(Sesame Street)
I’m surprised that PBS would relegate Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood to a minor show after the work he did for them before congress.
I am so shocked that WTTW would even think of cutting Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. I am very sad that the station bought into the flash and glitz that are so ubiquitous and so very unnecessary, especially for our little ones.
When I was very little, I loved Mr. Rogers. He was the only grown up I “knew” who didn’t yell, cuss, or hit me. He showed me how to deal with life, and was a God-send.
I’m going to go send my own letter to WTTW, and hope that they choose to do the right thing.
To my dismay, I found out only this morning that my all time favorite children’s program has been axed because of short-sightedness on the part of the programers. I have to wonder if they really are concerned with the health, wealthfare, and education of children today. Clearly they do not have a complete understanding of what a developing child needs in order to grow into a well rounded adult. Glitz, glamour, and fast-paced programs are aiding in the creation of children with VERY, VERY SHORT ATTENTION SPANS. Try working with them some time. Perhaps you’ll see thngs from a different perspective.
Children’s minds are like sponges but even a sponge becomes overloaded and the excess flows out. Children show this in many ways; crabbiness, anger, bossiness, yelling, withdrawing and many other ways. These children can be seen anywhere you go; stores, churches, schools, etc. It has been proven many times that television has a direct impact on a child’s behavior, so why take the only show that takes the time to quiet a child’s heart off the aire. There is only one reason, the almighty dollar. I am appalled that public television has decided to be like all the others instead of a beacon of hope for children’s futures.
I will definitely be contacting the necessary people to express the need to continue showing this most valuable, timeless program.
I am so sorry to be late to the party - so to speak - but I have only just found out that WTTW has cancelled Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. I did send a communication to both WTTW and PBS stating my dismay over their actions. It is very sad that corporate leaders do not take into consideration what may be best for our children even if it is not the best for their bottom line. If Fred Rogers were still with us today, I strongly believe that he would still have his show in production. Yet, the old shows are still incredibly relevant especially to those children who do not have a warm and embracing home. Mr. Rogers provided the ability for children to see that there are so many good things in life and simple things to stir their imaginations. Mr. Ware stated it all so eloquently in his letter. Even though the Fall TV season has begun, please consider a programming change to include Mr. Rogers - for the children and the adults who love them. Thank you.