New Web-Only Kids’ Series for PBS

PASADENA: Exclusively for the PBS children’s website PBSKidsgo.org, Wilson & Ditch: Digging America, produced by The Jim Henson Company, targets kids 6 to 10 with the cross-country adventures of two gophers.

The show teaches kids about American culture, history and geography by following brothers Wilson and Ditch as they explore some of the country’s most famous, and not-so-famous, destinations. Funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the series for PBSKidsgo.org features original online video and interactive games, as well as podcasts posted by the brothers.

The animated webisodes will be brought to life using the Henson Digital Puppetry Studio, a proprietary technology that allows performers to puppeteer and voice digitally animated characters in real time. PBS Kids and The Jim Henson Company have an established relationship from the preschool series Sid the Science Kid and the upcoming Dinosaur Train.

"We know kids will enjoy exploring the amazing places featured on the site and we hope they’ll get inspired to visit and discover these destinations with their own families," said Halle Stanford, the executive VP of children’s entertainment for The Jim Henson Company. "The Internet —and specifically PBSKidsgo.org—has become a destination for millions of kids to play and learn about the world. As they travel the country with Wilson and Ditch, our audience will gain a greater understanding of their national citizenship that extends beyond their own community."

"Not every child has the opportunity to physically explore the United States," commented Lesli Rotenberg, the senior VP of children’s media for PBS. "Wilson and Ditch are funny guides who take early elementary school kids on an adventure to see parts of the country that they might have never known existed. PBS KIDS GO! is designed to cultivate a love of learning and expand possibilities for every child both in and out of the classroom. As the most trusted educational media brand, it’s a priority to continue to offer this age group something that will not only make them laugh but enrich their everyday learning."

"We’ve seen tremendous growth on the web this past year—so much so that PBS KIDS regularly finishes in the top three of all U.S. kids’ sites and PBS.org last year surpassed all commercial television network sites in visits," added Jason Seiken, the senior VP of PBS Interactive. "Much of this growth has been driven by new features such as our video hub (PBS.org/video) and our kids’ video hub (PBSKidsgo.org/video). The next phase of our growth strategy involves aggressive plans for original web content, including high-quality series such as Wilson & Ditch: Digging America."