Changes Ahead and a Personal Note29 Aug
Hi,
Thanks to all of you for continuing to support our cause and for standing up for this timeless children’s program. Sorry for the lack of updates over the past week. Our campaign is still very much alive, but I’ve been unable to post due to a personal matter.
My mother, who introduced me to Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood at a young age and reinforced the show’s life-shaping messages in so many ways, passed away. I want to thank those of you who heard about her passing and sent your condolences. She was a very kind, special person.
As the new PBS season begins, and the Neighborhood program is bumped to one airing per week in many areas, we’ll be retooling the website to reflect that. I want to assure all of you, however, that we aren’t going anywhere. We will keep talking about the things that make Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood unique, and our campaign will continue to call for the Monday through Friday airing of the program on all PBS stations. There have been some encouraging developments lately — more on that in an upcoming post — and we care too much about this cause to stop now.
Thank you again for your continued support.
- Brian
Hi Brian,
I just happened upon this sad news of PBS’s decision. I was looking up news regarding Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood as I often do from time to time. It has been many years since our local PBS station has aired Mister Rogers on a daily basis. To ensure that my children were able to see his show on a daily basis, my husband and I subscribed to DirecTV so that we could at least have access to the national PBS station via satellite (channel 384). This station (up until today) offered Mister Rogers on a daily basis. I am saddened to report that this is no longer the case. Channel 384 is now only airing the show once per week.
I have two little boys who watch this show faithfully. We even purchased the Mister Rogers’ Play and Plan activity book that contains activities that correspond to each episode. My little boys are 3 1/2 and 2. Mister Rogers has been part of their day each day since they were able to sit up and watch tv.
My heart is broken at the news of decreasing his show to one day per week. I have hung my head and cried today as if I have lost Mister Rogers all over again. It hurt when I heard of his passing a few years ago. And now it is as if we will have to mourn his passing from weekday broadcasts as well. We can’t let this happen. Our world needs Mister Rogers.
In memory of a great man,
Kirsten Straughn
Winter Haven, FL
My two daughters ( 8 & 4 yrs old) and I have watched Mr. Rogers almost daily for as long as they can remember. THANK GOD that they had as much time as they did to absorb his nature and nurture. I think it’s impressive that PBS continued airing this collection of treasures for so long after his death. I feel confident that his many, many fans will be able to bring him back to daily programming. He saved Public Television–now, let’s urge Public TV to save him. Write letters! Make phone calls! Tell people! Call preschools and kindergartens to ask teachers and students to make themselves heard.
We can do it!