Fast Talk: Platforms for the Pre-K Crowd

Andrew Beecham

SVP programming, PBS Kids Sprout
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Andrew Beecham, 44, serves up kid-tested favorites on the digital channel that's a joint venture between Comcast, Sesame Workshop, HIT Entertainment, and PBS. He leverages the strengths of TV, video on demand, and the Web, and has nailed 250 million on-demand downloads and a Webby award in less than two years.

"The best example of how we exploit our TV network, video-on-demand service, and Web site is Sprout Diner. On TV, we serve up very short segments. Barney might say, 'I've had a very busy day, I need something to eat.' So you see an animated segment creating a dish that we name after him. Kids see Barney with a purple hummus dip, and they may well want to try that, so on video on demand, you can watch kids and their parents actually making it. Online, you can play games with the characters and the food, and look at the recipes."