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''Reading Rainbow'' is an acclaimed American Children's Television Series aired by PBS since 1983 . It is produced by On Screen Entertainment for executive producers WNED and Great Plains National. Critics, educators and industry execs all across the U.S. have named the series one of the best and longest running series of any kind in the history of Broadcasting . Today, ''Reading Rainbow'' appears in Syndication on many PBS stations across the United States , including KCET in Los Angeles , WNET in New York City , WQLN in Erie, Pennsylvania , WMFE in Orlando , Florida , WGTE in Toledo , Ohio , KCTS in Seattle , Washington , WETA in Washington, DC , and WGBH in Boston , Massachusetts . Original production was thought to have ended in 2005 , with the show continuing to air in Rerun s, but host LeVar Burton said on February 7 , 2006 , that five new episodes of the show will be shot in 2006 , despite the continuing financial troubles of PBS. {Link without Title} On March 7 , 2006 , Reading Rainbow received a Baltimore, Maryland connection when Baltimore-based Educate Inc. announced that they will become a co-producer for Reading Rainbow. The University Of Nebraska Regents recently sold its long-time production interest to WNED and WNED and Educate Inc. signed a co-production agreement. WNED's CEO confirmed that the agreement will allow the securing of needed funding to continue production of Reading Rainbow. (Source: Western New York Public Broadcasting Association and Educate, Inc. Announce New Reading Rainbow Partnership - Agreement Ensures the Future of Critically-acclaimed PBS KIDS Series , Educate ventures into television with children's show - LeVar Burton, star of the PBS educational series "Reading Rainbow," now has a Baltimore connection. PLOT FOR THE SHOW The show is designed to encourage reading amongst youth. Using no puppets or gimmicks, this sincere, evenly paced show remains popular among children and educators both. It is hosted by actor and executive producer ''. Each episode centers on a theme from a book or other children's literature. The theme is explored through a number of segments or stories where the viewer is immersed in the topic. One of the successes of the series is the fascinating way it presents a broad range of topics. Sea turtles, the Middle Ages, and adoption are all covered tastefully and powerfully. The series has kept itself current. In recent years it has tackled emotional issues that other children's programs have historically avoided. Topics like the September 11 Attacks , childbirth and prison are explored in depth and often from a child's point of view. A regular feature is a children's book narrated by a noted actor. Hundreds of actors have read on Reading Rainbow including Hulk Hogan , Flava Flav , Will Smith , and Bill Cosby . The final segment of each show, called "You don't have to take my word for it" (from Levar Burton's introductory phrase), has children giving capsule reviews of books. Since the books have all been selected for quality, the reviews are always positive. Librarians, teachers and parents rely on the Reading Rainbow book list as the trusted source for great children's books. Each episode is opened with an animation of children reading books to be instantly transformed into astronauts, knights and other people from across space and time as the theme song (originally recorded by R&B legend Chaka Khan ) plays. ''Reading Rainbow'' is one of the most adult watched children's shows ever produced. It has won the Emmy for Outstanding Children's Series for 7 out of the last 10 years. The series was nominated for 6 more Daytime Emmy Awards in 2005 . On May 20 , 2005 , the series was honored with another Emmy for Outstanding Children's Series. It also won 3 more Emmys for Writing, Photography and Editing - for a total of four Emmys. It was the most honored children's series of 2005 and one of the most acclaimed shows in all of television. TRIVIA & FUNDING
Corporate funding for ''Reading Rainbow'' is provided by the following: : National Science Foundation ( 1987 - 2002 ) : The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations (circa 1993 - 2002 ) : The Corporation For Public Broadcasting ( 1983 - 2005 ) :the annual financial support of Viewers Like You ( 1989 - 1999 ) : Barnes And Noble ( 2000 - 2002 ) : The Children's Place ( 2004 - 2005 ) :Ready To Learn grants ( 2004 - 2005 ) : U.S. Department Of Education ( 2004 - 2005 ) :contributions to your PBS station from Viewers Like You ( 1999 - 2005 ) : B. Dalton Bookseller ( 1985 ) : Dayton-Hudson Corporation ( 1987 ) : Kellogg's ( 1983 - 1998 ) : Ovation Films (circa 1987 - 1998 ) : Pew Charitable Trust ( 1993 - 1998 ) : RCN Telecom Services ( 1989 - 1998 ) EXTERNAL LINKS |