I only know Mr Rogers from the little american TV I watch (I'm from germany) and I'm feeling very happy for the generation(s) that were fortunate to see this program.
Until now I didn't see a single episode, but hearing him speak about it made me at least a little bit curious to what this program is all about. The article of course did the prework for it.
I was a child in the 80s in the US and there were some wonderful programs aimed at children that made a huge impact on my generation if nothing else: 3-2-1 Contact, Reading Rainbow, Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, Sesame Street all left indelible and positive marks on my person and have made be a better person.
As a young child in the 70s I apparently learned how to read from Sesame Street and Electric Company. My parents were students in university and too busy to teach me, but by the time I was 4 in kindergarten I was reading to my classmates.
I never watched sesame street even thought it aired here. I watched Löwenzahn and a bit "Die Sendung mit der Maus" when I was young and I couldn't imagine who I would be today if I didn't watched this when I was young.
It's a bit sad (at least for me) to admit, but I think some programs helped shaped me into the person I'm today, for better or worse.
Today the TV hopefully hasn't got the impact on me that it used to have and I only watch selected programs and not the mainstream TV (I mean the broadcasted channels), but I guess series and movies are still a big part of my life that have a bigger impact on me than I would like to admit.
Anyway what I really wanted yo say is that I'm happy for content that tries to deliver good values and information without trying to manipulate.
I thought oft it as sad, because my opinion on TV is as low as it can get and never realized the true influence this medium had on me.
It's also sad because this influence was positive and I (at least I think that I) see the decay of modern entertainment.
And if you received TV Ontario there was also Readalong, Read All About It, Write On, The Edison Twins, Eureka!, and probably others I've missed. All highly focused on educational content.
I can identify with being interested in each of those programs. However, any lessons must be in my subconscious as I can't relate any values, lessons or knowledge back to a memory of any of those shows even though they were aimed at education. I just know that I liked them at the time.
Until now I didn't see a single episode, but hearing him speak about it made me at least a little bit curious to what this program is all about. The article of course did the prework for it.