‘Reading Rainbow’ had a good, long run
Image from media.npr.org.
When I first heard that “Reading Rainbow” would stop airing today, my first thought was “That show is still on the air?” My second thought was that, given that it is, or was, still on the air, I can’t remember a time before “Reading Rainbow.”
Turns out, that’s because the show started airing the year after I was born. Perhaps if LeVar Burton had continued to produce “Reading Rainbow” until I had children I’d rediscover the inspirational show that taught children to love reading. But, alas, future children will have to develop fond memories of different shows.
Award-winning ‘Reading Rainbow’
“Reading Rainbow” got plenty of appreciation. It won 26 Emmy Awards, the same number of years it was on the air. But PBS has run out of guaranteed loans, so “Reading Rainbow” will be no more.
After 26 years, “Reading Rainbow” was the third-longest-running children’s television show, after “Sesame Street” and “Mister Rogers.” Can you imagine “Sesame Street” being canceled? It’s a crazy thought.
Comments from the peanut gallery
Here are a few quotations floating around in the blogosphere about “Reading Rainbow.”
From the Zeray Gazette: Linda Simensky, vice president for children’s programming at PBS, says that when Reading Rainbow was developed in the early 1980s, it was an era when the question was: “How do we get kids to read books?” Since then, she explains, research has shown that teaching the mechanics of reading should be the network’s priority.
From Read Street: After 26 years, LeVar Burton’s no longer going to dress up like a Medieval knight, introduce elementary schoolers to sushi or give kids their first 15 seconds of fame proclaiming their love of books.
From NPR: “The series resonates with so many people,” says John Grant, who is in charge of content at WNED Buffalo, Reading Rainbow’s home station. The show’s run is ending, Grant explains, because no one — not the station, not PBS, not the Corporation for Public Broadcasting — will put up the several hundred thousand dollars needed to renew the show’s broadcast rights.
More about LeVar Burton
One very vivid “Reading “Rainbow” related memory I have is the first time I watched “Star Trek” with my dad. I think was about 7. The instant Geordi La Forge’s face appeared on screen, gold visor and all, I instantly shouted “That’s the guy from Reading Rainbow!”
LeVar Burton began hosting and producing “Reading Rainbow” in 1983, when he was 26 years old. His official stint on “Star Trek” lasted from 1987-1994, but he appeared in movies and a few scattered episodes after that. So he was a busy man then, but nowadays he mostly does voice work, bit parts and “Reading Rainbow.”
LeVar Burton, 52, was born in Germany because his father, a photographer for the U.S. Army, was stationed there. He grew up in California. I wonder what he will do now? If you want to keep up with LeVar Burton, follow him on Twitter.
“Reading Rainbow” song video
Oh, come on, you didn’t really think I’d leaving you hanging, did you?
