An era ends on PBS stations Friday, when the contract expires for Le Var Burton�s �Reading Rainbow.� After 26 years, and 24 national Emmys, the excellent children�s show will vanish from WPTD-TV (noon weekdays, Channel 16) and many other public TV stations.

The show premiered in 1983. It ceased production in 2006, when funding ran out. The PBS contract expires Friday, so it can no longer feed it to stations.

However, off-air educational rights remain in effect for a year following the last broadcast of each episode, says Darwin McPherson, communications director for Buffalo�s WNED-TV, which has produced the series since its debut in July, 1983. Says McPherson: �We �re confident that the Young Writers and Illustrators Contest will live on through PBS Kids.� No word on that yet.

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/tv/2009/08/25/reading-rainbow-soon-to-be-tv-history/



OMG I love the reading rainbow! I cant believe its been on so long. My days used to be filled with the magic school bus, wishbone, arthur, and the reading rainbow. PBS makes some awesome shows. :)

Oh man... I didn't know it was still on! That was my favorite show when I was younger.

"....take a look, it's in a book!" gosh, i loved that show when i was little too!

I didn't know this was still on either!
Gracious, I loved this show growing up!