Sesame Street Moves To HBO

By Dr. Marciene Mattleman

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- More than a thousand studies in the United States have examined Sesame Street, to assess its impact on everything from school readiness to self-esteem to social development and compassion.  Teachers who work with children who watch Sesame Street report that they are better prepared for school and their parents are more engaged in school activities.

Many teachers, parents and children are upset that the show is being cut back because students are increasingly moving away from television to tablets and other digital devices. Additionally, all new episodes will be aired exclusively on HBO, a premium cable channel, for nine months.

But remember that while the benefits of Sesame Street are well-known and substantiated, pediatricians still believe that children under two should not watch television. Read more by Mark Walsh in Education Week.