Monday, August 31, 2009
Editorial: Reading Rainbow fades away
The show taught the joy of reading to generations of young people.
From the RoundTable blog
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In 1983, the television show "Reading Rainbow" launched, and it soon joined the pantheon of great PBS children's shows. It is right up there with "Sesame Street," "Mister Rogers" and "The Electric Company." And like all but "Sesame Street," it is ending. The last episode was recorded in 2006, and the final rerun airs this weekend.
"Reading Rainbow" taught entire generations of young people the excitement and joy of reading. During its 26-year run, it won two dozen Emmys and many other awards.
The show was formulaic. In each episode, host LeVar Burton -- better known by some for his role as visor-wearing engineer Geordi La Forge on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" -- introduced a book. An adventure or field trip explored the book's theme. Finally, a child gave his or her own review of the book.
Two things carried "Reading Rainbow" beyond that basic structure.
First, it appealed not just to its targeted elementary school students but also to their older siblings and even their parents. Subtle, mature humor and celebrity visits from the likes of rappers Run DMC and wrestler Hulk Hogan kept things interesting.
Second, the show, especially in its later years, tackled serious issues. It explored, always from a child's view, the Sept. 11 attacks, having a parent in prison, poverty and more.
Yet "Reading Rainbow" has fallen victim to the economy and changing views of literacy education.
PBS has little money these days, and funding for the show has dried up. Moreover, leaders at the network and in the Department of Education in recent years have shifted emphasis toward teaching children how to read.
That was not "Reading Rainbow's" mission. Children need to know the how of reading, of course, but "Reading Rainbow" taught them the why, the value and pleasure of a good book. That is a lesson all the more important in an age of easily accessible digital content doled out in as little as 140-character tweets. We are sorry to see it leave the air.
