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[CCBC-Net] End of "Reading Rainbow"
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From: Donna German <donnagerman>
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:44:44 -0400
I, too, remember when Reading Rainbow had its initial funding pulled. I believe it was in 2006. At that time, there were a number of grass root organizations trying to come up with funding to keep it on the air. I still have and wear a "Save Reading Rainbow" sweatshirt that I bought at that time. If I'm not mistaken, it was eventually bought by Hooked on Phonics but the original producers were not kept on and no new shows have been made since then. I'm not privy to contractual arrangements that would have kept back shows on the air via PBS channels. Angie is right.money talks..
Donna German
Editor
Sylvan Dell Publishing
976 Houston Northcutt Blvd., Suite 3
Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
843-971-6722 (off), 877-958-2600 (toll free), 843-216-3804 (fax)
www.SylvanDellPublishing.com
Temporary eBook Viewing Code: MSBL9J Code expiration date: 10/31/2009 Please click on the following link:
<http://www.sylvandellpublishing.com/ebooktrials.php?e=MSBL9J> http://www.sylvandellpublishing.com/ebooktrials.php?e=MSBL9J Title(s) of viewable eBooks: All eBooks
<http://www.sylvandellpublishing.com/documents/eBookOperatingInstructions.pd f> eBook Operating Instructions
Science and Math through Literature
-----Original Message----- From: ccbc-net-bounces at lists.education.wisc.edu
[mailto:ccbc-net-bounces at lists.education.wisc.edu] On Behalf Of Angie Miles Sent: Monday, August 31, 2009 12:27 PM To: ccbc-net at lists.education.wisc.edu; Anne Dean Mackintosh Subject: Re: [CCBC-Net] End of "Reading Rainbow"
Dear Reading Community
I read with great interest and concern the posts regarding Reading Rainbow. I applaud efforts to let PBS know how badly we would like to save this program, but frankly, the only thing that can possibly save it is funding. And I believe our efforts, if we genuinely feel the need to offer support, should be in that direction.
I cannot overstate my strong feelings in favor of Rainbow. My background is in broadcasting, but most of my current work is in literacy. I work to help struggling readers improve their skill through best practices, but the vast majority of my work relates to educating parents about literacy and making grassroots changes in student motivation to read...especially among
"at-risk" kids and in limited resource communities. Without instilling strong desire to read, without prompting emotional engagement with reading, we cannot possibly make headway in the fight against illiteracy and low literacy that continue to plague America.
For several years, I have also served as a local literacy trainer for PBS, and though I do not speak for the network in any way, I have had the honor of promoting Rainbow and other fine, entertaining, teaching programs PBS has offered. I sincerely believe that Rainbow is among the most important programs that has ever aired on broadcast airwaves anywhere. Virtually all children can identify with the program, which helps them to think of themselves as readers. That is no small accomplishment. After more than twenty years, the approach still works, and it is still direly needed.
A few years ago, I tried for a time to assist a friend who was one of the Reading Rainbow pioneers. We were looking for funding sources, as I learned that the emphasis on marketing and keen competition for funding dollars were putting the program in peril. Reading Rainbow doesn't have a cute character
(some might argue that LeVar is pretty cute, but you get my point) you can put on t-shirts, on lunch boxes and in video games. In tight financial times, this put it in great danger, and we have seen the results.
I, too, want to save the Rainbow. I find it shameful, frankly, that those of us who love reading and who appreciate the essential value of books haven't already found some way to revive and reinvigorate the program. PBS is apparently scraping by with limited funds on all fronts. They do continue to produce high-quality, entertaining, educational fare, such as Sid the Science Kid and the award-winning Superwhy. But there are few shows of such high quality designed for slightly older audiences. Reading Rainbow, I believe, is informative and appealing for a spectrum of learners of all ages...even for adults.
I hope no one is offended by my comments, which are not meant to be critical but are instead intended to inspire any thought or action that can make a real difference. I will gladly sign a petition, but if we want to save Rainbow, we've got to come up with a way to pay for it...plain and simple.
How much would each of us be willing to contribute for an interstitial that says "Brought to you by CCBC-Net" or some other name comparable to "Lovers of Books" or "Keepers of the Written Word"? Who has a company or knows someone within corporate America who is enlightened enough to say "yes" to funding Rainbow? Who will organize a book equivalent of a bake sale brigade to breathe new life into the show? I had even thought at one time we could generate an annual t-shirt, proceeds of which would go solely to fund the show. How many would each of us be willing to buy...for ourselves, our families, our libraries, our schools? This is a pivotal moment, if we choose to embrace it, using the full spectrum of our imagination.
I don't have millions of dollars, but I'm open to doing whatever I can to really save Reading Rainbow. The show taught us that we can go anywhere and do anything. What have we learned? What will we do next? Is this experience a book we're reading or is it a book we're writing?
Regards
Angie Miles
Ashland, Virginia
--- On Sun, 8/30/09, Anne Dean Mackintosh <annedean at macspeno.com> wrote:
From: Anne Dean Mackintosh <annedean at macspeno.com>
Subject: [CCBC-Net] End of "Reading Rainbow"
To: ccbc-net at lists.education.wisc.edu
Date: Sunday, August 30, 2009, 1:59 PM
Many thanks to those who have signed the petition to keep "Reading Rainbow"
on the air. As of 10:00 Sunday morning 350 signatures, many with heartfelt
comments, were on the petition. Not bad for a weekend late in August! If you
have any trouble accessing
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/return-reading-rainbow-to-the-air please
try
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/petition/338798378.
Thank you!
Anne
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:44:44 -0400
I, too, remember when Reading Rainbow had its initial funding pulled. I believe it was in 2006. At that time, there were a number of grass root organizations trying to come up with funding to keep it on the air. I still have and wear a "Save Reading Rainbow" sweatshirt that I bought at that time. If I'm not mistaken, it was eventually bought by Hooked on Phonics but the original producers were not kept on and no new shows have been made since then. I'm not privy to contractual arrangements that would have kept back shows on the air via PBS channels. Angie is right.money talks..
Donna German
Editor
Sylvan Dell Publishing
976 Houston Northcutt Blvd., Suite 3
Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
843-971-6722 (off), 877-958-2600 (toll free), 843-216-3804 (fax)
www.SylvanDellPublishing.com
Temporary eBook Viewing Code: MSBL9J Code expiration date: 10/31/2009 Please click on the following link:
<http://www.sylvandellpublishing.com/ebooktrials.php?e=MSBL9J> http://www.sylvandellpublishing.com/ebooktrials.php?e=MSBL9J Title(s) of viewable eBooks: All eBooks
<http://www.sylvandellpublishing.com/documents/eBookOperatingInstructions.pd f> eBook Operating Instructions
Science and Math through Literature
-----Original Message----- From: ccbc-net-bounces at lists.education.wisc.edu
[mailto:ccbc-net-bounces at lists.education.wisc.edu] On Behalf Of Angie Miles Sent: Monday, August 31, 2009 12:27 PM To: ccbc-net at lists.education.wisc.edu; Anne Dean Mackintosh Subject: Re: [CCBC-Net] End of "Reading Rainbow"
Dear Reading Community
I read with great interest and concern the posts regarding Reading Rainbow. I applaud efforts to let PBS know how badly we would like to save this program, but frankly, the only thing that can possibly save it is funding. And I believe our efforts, if we genuinely feel the need to offer support, should be in that direction.
I cannot overstate my strong feelings in favor of Rainbow. My background is in broadcasting, but most of my current work is in literacy. I work to help struggling readers improve their skill through best practices, but the vast majority of my work relates to educating parents about literacy and making grassroots changes in student motivation to read...especially among
"at-risk" kids and in limited resource communities. Without instilling strong desire to read, without prompting emotional engagement with reading, we cannot possibly make headway in the fight against illiteracy and low literacy that continue to plague America.
For several years, I have also served as a local literacy trainer for PBS, and though I do not speak for the network in any way, I have had the honor of promoting Rainbow and other fine, entertaining, teaching programs PBS has offered. I sincerely believe that Rainbow is among the most important programs that has ever aired on broadcast airwaves anywhere. Virtually all children can identify with the program, which helps them to think of themselves as readers. That is no small accomplishment. After more than twenty years, the approach still works, and it is still direly needed.
A few years ago, I tried for a time to assist a friend who was one of the Reading Rainbow pioneers. We were looking for funding sources, as I learned that the emphasis on marketing and keen competition for funding dollars were putting the program in peril. Reading Rainbow doesn't have a cute character
(some might argue that LeVar is pretty cute, but you get my point) you can put on t-shirts, on lunch boxes and in video games. In tight financial times, this put it in great danger, and we have seen the results.
I, too, want to save the Rainbow. I find it shameful, frankly, that those of us who love reading and who appreciate the essential value of books haven't already found some way to revive and reinvigorate the program. PBS is apparently scraping by with limited funds on all fronts. They do continue to produce high-quality, entertaining, educational fare, such as Sid the Science Kid and the award-winning Superwhy. But there are few shows of such high quality designed for slightly older audiences. Reading Rainbow, I believe, is informative and appealing for a spectrum of learners of all ages...even for adults.
I hope no one is offended by my comments, which are not meant to be critical but are instead intended to inspire any thought or action that can make a real difference. I will gladly sign a petition, but if we want to save Rainbow, we've got to come up with a way to pay for it...plain and simple.
How much would each of us be willing to contribute for an interstitial that says "Brought to you by CCBC-Net" or some other name comparable to "Lovers of Books" or "Keepers of the Written Word"? Who has a company or knows someone within corporate America who is enlightened enough to say "yes" to funding Rainbow? Who will organize a book equivalent of a bake sale brigade to breathe new life into the show? I had even thought at one time we could generate an annual t-shirt, proceeds of which would go solely to fund the show. How many would each of us be willing to buy...for ourselves, our families, our libraries, our schools? This is a pivotal moment, if we choose to embrace it, using the full spectrum of our imagination.
I don't have millions of dollars, but I'm open to doing whatever I can to really save Reading Rainbow. The show taught us that we can go anywhere and do anything. What have we learned? What will we do next? Is this experience a book we're reading or is it a book we're writing?
Regards
Angie Miles
Ashland, Virginia
--- On Sun, 8/30/09, Anne Dean Mackintosh <annedean at macspeno.com> wrote:
From: Anne Dean Mackintosh <annedean at macspeno.com>
Subject: [CCBC-Net] End of "Reading Rainbow"
To: ccbc-net at lists.education.wisc.edu
Date: Sunday, August 30, 2009, 1:59 PM
Many thanks to those who have signed the petition to keep "Reading Rainbow"
on the air. As of 10:00 Sunday morning 350 signatures, many with heartfelt
comments, were on the petition. Not bad for a weekend late in August! If you
have any trouble accessing
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/return-reading-rainbow-to-the-air please
try
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/petition/338798378.
Thank you!
Anne
-- Anne Dean Mackintosh 129 Westover Drive Cherry Hill, NJ 08034 annedean at macspeno.com _______________________________________________ CCBC-Net mailing list CCBC-Net at lists.education.wisc.edu Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe... http://lists.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net _______________________________________________ CCBC-Net mailing list CCBC-Net at lists.education.wisc.edu Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe... http://lists.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-netReceived on Mon 31 Aug 2009 11:44:44 AM CDT
