The news: Warner Bros. Discovery has decided not to renew its deal for new episodes of “Sesame Street” after the upcoming 55th season on Max.

• The platform will continue to license the show's library content through 2027.
• Season 56, planned for 2025, will feature a reimagined format with longer narrative segments.

How we got here:

• The show moved to HBO in 2016 to address declining DVD revenues, with episodes later airing on PBS.
• A five-year deal in 2019 transferred the series to HBO Max (now Max).
• The Warner partnership provided critical financial support as viewing habits shifted away from traditional formats.

Why it matters: The decision reflects Max's strategic shift toward adult and family programming, including an upcoming Harry Potter series in 2026.

This shift comes after the platform's earlier efforts to become more family-friendly by dropping the HBO branding.

Our take: The end of this partnership marks a significant shift in streaming strategy, as platforms increasingly focus on content that drives broader audience engagement rather than serving specific demographics.

• While YouTube dominates youth viewership with 86% of students watching videos on the platform, traditional television/film streaming remains strong at 73%, suggesting significant opportunity remains for children's content across streaming services.
• That said, YouTube's dominant 81% reach among children ages 2 to 12, compared to traditional video-on-demand's 62%, highlights the shifting landscape that has pushed legacy children's content providers like Sesame Street to continually reevaluate their distribution strategies.
• The challenges facing WBD with children's content mirror Disney's struggles, as traditional children's TV properties face dramatic viewership declines - exemplified by Disney Channel's fall from a top 10 network in 2014 to just 132,000 average daily primetime viewers in 2023.
• Sesame Street's next move will be closely watched as it navigates the evolving streaming landscape while maintaining its educational mission.

This article is part of EMARKETER’s client-only subscription Briefings—daily newsletters authored by industry analysts who are experts in marketing, advertising, media, and tech trends. To help you finish 2024 strong, and start 2025 off on the right foot, articles like this one—delivering the latest news and insights—are completely free through January 31, 2025. If you want to learn how to get insights like these delivered to your inbox every day, and get access to our data-driven forecasts, reports, and industry benchmarks, schedule a demo with our sales team.