St. Louis, MO—April 28, 2021—A new PBS KIDS® series premieres on Nine PBS Monday, May 3, at 9 am, and the 24/7 kids' channel, Nine PBS KIDS, at 3 pm.
The series, Donkey Hodie, is inspired by the quirky, funny side of children’s TV pioneer Fred Rogers and his mission to help young viewers navigate the frustrations and challenges of childhood. It is set in the land of Someplace Else, which was created by Rogers on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.
In every episode, Donkey Hodie, a sweet, yellow donkey with a magenta mohawk, along with her pals, Purple Panda, Duck Duck, and Bob Dog, empower preschoolers to dream big and overcome obstacles in their own lives, to work hard and persevere in the face of failure, to be resourceful and discover they can solve problems on their own—and to laugh themselves silly along the way.
New, original music will be featured in Donkey Hodie—along with reimagined versions of Fred Rogers’ original songs—to reinforce and underscore each story’s positive message.
The imaginative puppet series follows the adventures of Donkey Hodie, the granddaughter of the original Donkey Hodie character (now known as “Grampy Hodie”), a puppet from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, who appeared in 59 episodes of the beloved classic children’s show from 1968–1993. The new multiplatform show is filmed at WTTW, the flagship PBS station in Chicago.
“Life lessons like following your dreams and persevering have always been core to PBS KIDS’ DNA,” says Linda Simensky, head of PBS KIDS content. “With a little help from Donkey Hodie and her friends, today’s kids will learn how to come up with creative solutions to the everyday problems they encounter and keep trying until they achieve their goals.”
Along with the television series, Donkey Hodie will offer digital content for kids, parents, and teachers, launching in tandem with the series. Donkey Hodie games will be available on pbskids.org and on the free PBS KIDS Games App, along with clips and full episodes streaming across PBS KIDS’ video platforms, including the free PBS KIDS Video App. Parent resources, including tips and hands-on activities to extend the learning at home, will be available on the PBS KIDS for Parents site, and PBS LearningMedia will offer classroom-ready materials for teachers, including video excerpts, games, teaching tips, and printable activities.
About Nine PBS
As an essential community institution, Nine PBS exists to enable access to information, knowledge, and learning opportunities for all. We tell stories that move us. We meet people where they are the most comfortable consuming content. Nine PBS’s platforms include four distinct broadcast channels (Nine PBS, Nine PBS KIDS®, Nine PBS World, and Nine PBS Create), ninepbs.org, ninepbs.org/ninepbskids, social media, the free PBS Video App, streaming services, live and virtual events, and the Public Media Commons. Since 1954, Nine PBS has accepted the community’s invitation into their homes, schools, and businesses.
About PBS KIDS
PBS KIDS, the number one educational media brand for kids, offers children ages 2-8 the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television, digital media, and community-based programs. PBS KIDS and local stations across the country support the entire ecosystem in which children learn, including their teachers, parents, and community. Provided by stations, the free PBS KIDS 24/7 channel and livestream is available to more than 95% of U.S. TV households. Kidscreen- and Webby Award-winning pbskids.org provides engaging interactive content, including digital games and streaming video. PBS KIDS offers mobile apps to help support young children’s learning, including the PBS KIDS Video app, which is available on a variety of mobile devices and on platforms such as Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Samsung TV and Chromecast. PBS KIDS also offers parent and teacher resources to support children’s learning anytime and anywhere. For more information on PBS KIDS content and initiatives supporting school readiness and more, visit pbs.org/pressroom or follow PBS KIDS on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
For more information, contact:
Matt Huelskamp
Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer
(314) 313-6049
mhuelskamp@ninepbs.org