MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
We're switching gears now. Now we're going to take a look at a big adjustment coming to an American institution.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "CAN YOU TELL ME HOW TO GET TO SESAME STREET?")
UNIDENTIFIED CHILDREN: (Singing) Sunny days, sweeping the clouds away...
MARTIN: So we are on our way to where the air is sweet.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "CAN YOU TELL ME HOW TO GET TO SESAME STREET?")
UNIDENTIFIED CHILDREN: (Singing) Can you tell me how to get - how to get to Sesame Street?
MARTIN: But the "Sesame Street" of your childhood has changed. Big Bird has a new nest. Elmo has moved into a new brownstone and Oscar the Grouch is hanging out in recycling and compost bins alongside his trashcan. But the biggest change in how you watch "Sesame Street," the latest season of the classic children's show, it's the 46th, premieres today on HBO, the subscription-based network that's home to provocative shows like "Game Of Thrones" and "Girls." New episodes of "Sesame Street" will air on its traditional home, public television, nine months later. Sesame Workshop says the changes were made to ensure the survival of the show in a very different television environment than the one that existed when the show began. Joining us to talk about all of this from our New York Bureau is the show's executive producer, Carol-Lynn Parente, and somebody who almost needs no introduction, Elmo. Welcome to you both. Thank you for coming.
RYAN DILLON: (As Elmo) Hello there.
CAROL-LYNN PARENTE: Hello.
DILLON: (As Elmo) Thank you having us.
MARTIN: Well, thank you for coming. So Carol-Lynn, Elmo, it looks like "Sesame Street's" been completely renovated. Did somebody hit Powerball?
PARENTE: (Laughter).
DILLON: (As Elmo) No, no, please. No, but it's been wonderful. It's really - there's some cool new stuff. You know, Elmo moved into a new apartment at 123 Sesame. Abby Cadabby has a new fairy garden. Oh, and Hooper's Store has some nice new shiny paint and a lovely new sign. It's cool.
MARTIN: So you like your new digs?
DILLON: (As Elmo) Love 'em.
MARTIN: Love 'em. So Elmo...
DILLON: (As Elmo) Yeah, baby.
MARTIN: Can I talk to Ms. Carol-Lynn for a minute about some grown-up stuff?
DILLON: (As Elmo) OK.
MARTIN: OK.
DILLON: (As Elmo) Elmo will have some water.
MARTIN: OK. So Carol-Lynn, what are some of the other big changes to "Sesame Street?" And we'll - just walk us through a few of them.
PARENTE: Well, we certainly have had a complete renovation to our neighborhood. We took down buildings and put up trees. And it's really more changes in season 46 than we've we ever had in one singular season.
MARTIN: And also the show's moved from an hour to half an hour.
PARENTE: It has, and we've been an hour for 45 years. And we found that in testing - one of the most heavily-tested shows in history - and figured out that kids could retain the information on one cohesive theme throughout a half hour more than in an hour. We found an hour was cognitively dense.
MARTIN: Part of what motivates the change is that, you know, adults used to watch the show with kids. But now you find that kids are actually watching by themselves, which is interesting because that's one of - always been one of the issues around children's television period is that people thought oh, you know, we shouldn't be using television as a babysitter, right? But now you're finding that kids really are watching without an adult being present. Do I have that right?
PARENTE: Yeah, that's exactly - that trend has been increasing for years. But the tablets really have been a game-changer in that regard. So kids have access to tablets and mobile phones, and they're making and selecting their content for themselves. And that's a real game changer when it comes to thinking who your audience is and who's making the decision to select you in a very competitive marketplace.
MARTIN: I do have to ask about the move to HBO though because as you probably know better than anybody that when this was announced, it was just kind of a scathing reaction from some quarters. And a lot of that has to do with this whole question of access. I mean, the purpose of the show has been - I mean, from its beginning - was to offer a rich educational experience to kids who might not be able to get that, who couldn't afford the expensive preschools. And so the whole question is, you know, everybody can't afford cable, let alone a premium channel like HBO. And since "Sesame Street's" always been about offering this experience to kids from all backgrounds, how does this square with the mission of the show?
PARENTE: Well, I think the sensationalized headlines only told part of the story. And when people read the articles to find out that the truth of the matter is HBO's been an amazing partner for us because they really understood our mission to have "Sesame Street" in the hands of those kids who need it most for free. And they really embraced our partnership with PBS. There's no time when "Sesame Street" won't be on the air. It really is the best arrangement for us. It's like, you know, having your cake and eating it, too, because we get the financial problems solved with HBO and the access for all on PBS.
MARTIN: It doesn't like giving the kids without means the hand-me-downs, nine months later after the other kids have gotten them first? That doesn't feel like that to you?
PARENTE: It doesn't because I think if you look at what kids - kids turn on their content to have a play date with Elmo. And they'll always be able to do that any day of the week. And so kids just don't pay attention to seasons of television the way adults do.
MARTIN: Carol-Lynn, finally, I'm sure you're kind of familiar with the wistfulness that has accompanied some of these changes. I mean, many of the people - adult watchers - will remember the parodies.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "SESAME STREET")
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: (As character) In the alphabet system, there are 26 letters. The detectives who investigate these ABCs are members of an elite squad called the Special Letters Unit. These are their stories.
(SOUNDBITE OF "LAW AND ORDER" TRANSITION MUSIC)
MARTIN: Apparently, a lot of the parodies - the - kind of the pop-culture references that many people - adults - enjoyed are being deemphasized in exchange for content that is, I guess - what would you say? - more child-focused. But I don't know, how do you respond to that as a person who's been with the program through most of your career, right?
PARENTE: Yeah, 27 years.
MARTIN: Yeah. How does that sit with you?
PARENTE: Most of the parodies that we do, if you ask people who've seen them, they've not seen them on the show. They've seen them on YouTube or some other digital platform. And so those platforms still exist. And in fact, they give us easier turnaround time to be more timely with parodies, which was always a challenge when producing them for the show because you had to really select things that would be still relevant nine or 10 months later. So those avenues are still open for us. You want to always be producing the right content on the right platform for the audience that's there. And the fact of the matter is most of our parodies are viewed in digital spaces.
MARTIN: So - understand if I bring Elmo back into the conversation? Elmo, are you there?
DILLON: (As Elmo) Yes, hello.
MARTIN: Hello, so we hear that this season you and your friends are going to talk a lot about kindness.
DILLON: (As Elmo) Yes, it's very important...
MARTIN: It is.
DILLON: (As Elmo): ...To be kind.
MARTIN: Well, you are very kind.
DILLON: (As Elmo) Thank you.
MARTIN: You've always been very kind.
DILLON: (As Elmo) We're even teaching Oscar how to be kind. It's challenging.
MARTIN: (Laughter).
DILLON: (As Elmo) But we're getting there. And, you know, Elmo just think it makes the world a better place.
MARTIN: What are some of the other things you're going to be teaching kids about?
DILLON: (As Elmo) Well, we're teaching everybody how to be stronger and smarter and kinder. Those are the three big things that we're teaching.
MARTIN: Is Elmo lifting weights? How is Elmo getting stronger?
DILLON: (As Elmo) You better believe it. Elmo's lifting weights. Elmo's on the treadmill. Elmo's working out.
MARTIN: (Laughter) Elmo's working out.
DILLON: (As Elmo) Yes.
MARTIN: Well, it was nice talk to you, Elmo. Thank you.
DILLON: (As Elmo) Thank you. And Elmo - Elmo wants to say hello to everybody at NPR. Elmo loves NPR. Elmo listens with his mommy and daddy.
MARTIN: (Laughter) Well, we hope Elmo will grow up and make a contribution (laughter)...
DILLON: (As Elmo) Oh, OK.
MARTIN: To support his local member station.
DILLON: (As Elmo) Sure, whatever that means.
(LAUGHTER)
MARTIN: And that was Elmo, of course. And he was accompanied by "Sesame Street's" executive producer Carol-Lynn Parente, and they joined us from our bureau in New York. The 46th season of "Sesame Street" is out on HBO starting today. Thank you both so much for speaking with us.
DILLON: (As Elmo) Thank you.
PARENTE: Thank you.
DILLON: (As Elmo) Have a wonderful day, everybody.