Mister Rogers' Neighborhood

Fred Rogers’ show Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood aired from 1968 through 2001. It first aired on NET (National Educational Television) from 1968 to 1970, followed by PBS from 1971 to 2001.

Through the medium of television, Fred Rogers taught an educational lesson in each episode, while simultaneously instilling confidence in each child. Rogers believed the space between the television and the viewer is “holy ground.” Due to this, and his belief that most television shows focused on obtaining viewers more so than their message, he was extra careful in topics he covered. Rogers addressed real-life topics and translated them into a safe space for children to understand and learn. Unlike other shows, Rogers utilized silence and a slow pace. Through these tactics, he created a connection with each child and communicated that each child is unique and accepted.

The federal government funded Rogers’ show so it was “regulated.” The 1960s became the first time the FCC recognized children as “a special audience.” Yet at the same time, in 1969, President Nixon wanted to cut the funding for public television programs. Rogers’ show would fall under this category, and his budget would be cut in half. In his testimony to Senator John Pastore, he emphasized how he helps children, stating “I give an expression of care every day to each child.” At the end of his testimony, Pastore gave him 20 million dollars towards the funding.

In today’s society, Mr. Rogers’ show would have to be available to stream on major platforms such as Netflix or Hulu and additionally would need a mobile app. I believe Mister Rogers would not have the same impact on children today, because of the deliberate use of silence and pacing. A child with access to seemingly endless options of programming would become unengaged. Because these platforms create an echo chamber of content one enjoys, it would be difficult for Mister Rogers to compete.

I believe the message and lessons Mister Rogers communicated throughout his show are valuable and need to be shared in a different format for the current and future generations of children.