Sesame Street is officially moving to a new neighborhood after it was announced that new seasons and its library are heading to Netflix. Additionally, those episodes will be released on the same day on PBS and PBS Kids stations and digital platforms.
Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit behind the groundbreaking series, confirmed that after more than 50 years of appearing first on public television, Sesame Street is entering a new era. Starting with Season 56, all new seasons will premiere on Netflix, where audiences worldwide will also find classic episodes and new spinoffs, including animated series and original programming.
“This unique public-private partnership will enable us to bring our research-based curriculum to young children around the world with Netflix’s global reach, while ensuring children in communities across the U.S. continue to have free access on public television to the Sesame Street they love,” Sesame Workshop said in a statement.
With the move to Netflix, viewers will still be able to watch recurring segments like Elmo’s World and Cookie Monster’s Foodie Truck and episodes will center on one 11-minute story.
For families without streaming subscriptions, Sesame Workshop emphasized that their partnership with PBS remains strong. Select Sesame Street content will continue airing on PBS stations through a renewed multi-year agreement. With this agreement, PBS Kids and public media new Sesame Street games added to the PBS Kids Games app and website, expanded collection of library episodes on PBS Kids digital platforms, same day airing of episodes available on Netflix, full episodes and clips on the PBS Kids YouTube Channel, and other Seasame Street related assets across PBS stations.
“I strongly believe that our educational programming for children is one of the most important aspects of our service to the American people, and Sesame Street has been an integral part of that critical work for more than half a century,” said Paula Kerger, President and CEO, PBS. “We’re proud to continue our partnership in the pursuit of having a profound impact on the lives of children for years to come.”
The new deal comes after it was reported that Warner Bros. Discovery wasn’t renewing its agreement with Sesame Street. For those who have ditched cable and rely on streaming, the move is a win by simplifying life for multi-generational households. Grandparents, caregivers, and parents who have cut the cord will not need a cable package or even PBS access to keep up with the latest from Elmo, Big Bird, and Cookie Monster since Netflix subscribers will soon have exclusive, first-day access to all new Sesame Street seasons and spinoffs.
Now with Netflix at the helm, the platform is the go-to destination for safe, educational, and engaging content for preschoolers. Although Sesame Workshop laid off employees earlier this year, the new deal will allow viewers to see reimagined stories, fresh educational formats, and expanded programming that reflects the world children live in today. In a strategic step toward long-term sustainability for a mission-driven organization that always puts kids first. Sesame Street continues its over 50-year mission of helping children grow smarter, stronger, and kinder with quality content that is just a click away.