Expanded Deal With Sesame Workshop Brings Hundreds Of Classic Episodes To YouTube

TV & Film

Sep 6

Spanning across generations, Sesame Street has been key to educating its viewers on the basics, from counting and spelling to how to be a good friend and exploring how the residents of Sesame Street live. The show has since expanded into a nonprofit called Sesame Workshop to further educate viewers and fans alike. Given Sesame Street’s popularity, the media giant YouTube announced a deal with Sesame Street’s nonprofit organization to bring new content on top of new episodes premiering on Netflix and PBS. According to Hollywood Reporter, Sesame Workshop is continuing its goal to “host workshops with creators to help them create entertaining and educational content”. This new partnership will contain content exclusive to YouTube.

Starting January 2026, Sesame Workshop’s partnership with YouTube will consist of “hundreds of classic episodes” resulting in making YouTube “the largest digital library of Sesame Street content available.” Platforms such as Netflix and HBO Max will still retain episodes of Sesame Street, but Sesame Workshop’s deal with YouTube has the potential to monopolize children’s programming and content, especially with other children’s programs like Ms. Rachel and Cocomelon. However, the deal with YouTube provided Sesame Workshop with a safety net when Sesame Workshop “lost its output deal with HBO last December” despite “a deal to continue carrying some library programming.” Regardless of where Sesame Street is watched, its content is expected to continue educating and making a difference in the lives of generations to come.