Sesame Street: A Transnational History

Sesame Street: A Transnational History explores how the American television show became a global brand, despite initial financial struggles. The book reveals a cultural clash between Sesame Street's assumptions about childhood and education and foreign television producers' ideals, leading to skepticism and hostility. It highlights the program's eventual success through a rethinking of its aims and business model, creating the business and corporate brand that paved the way for the Sesame Street we know today.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 14 June 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

Sesame Street: A Transnational History, penned by author Helle Strandgaard Jensen, delves into the captivating journey of how this American television show transcended borders and became a global phenomenon. Jensen argues that, due to initial financial constraints, Sesame Street evolved into a commodity that its producers actively marketed worldwide. This comprehensive book employs archival research from seven countries, providing a profound analysis of how local reception and rejection of the show influenced its global sales strategies and American ideals upon which it was constructed. Contrary to the producers' assertions of Sesame Street's universal appeal, the show was significantly shaped by a rigid set of assumptions about childhood, education, and commercial entertainment. This created challenges in sales, as Sesame Street encountered skepticism and outright hostility from foreign television producers who did not share these ideals. By drawing upon insights from new histories of childhood, education, and transnational media, the book unveils a cultural clash of international proportions rooted in divergent approaches to children's television. In doing so, it serves as a reflective backdrop to the ongoing debates surrounding children's media. By contrasting the positive receptions and renunciations of Sesame Street, Jensen demonstrates that it was only after a substantial reevaluation of Sesame Street's aims and business model that this program secured a place on numerous broadcasting schedules by the mid-1970s. This transformative process, accompanied by ongoing negotiations with potential international buyers, not only created but also shaped the business and corporate brand that paved the way for the beloved Sesame Street we know today.

Dimension: 235 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197554166