'The Electric Company' turns on the power again

By Barry Garron

TCA -- If you were a child or the parent of one between 1971 and 1985, there's a pretty good chance you remember "The Electric Company" on PBS, which tried to make reading fun. Starting in January, it's back.

At least, the name is back. The show, from the Sesame Workshop, itself has been reimagined to appeal to a new generation and to make use of the latest computer graphics. Also, while the early show emphasized phonics, the new one will also teach vocabulary.

"The shameful statistics on literacy in this country need to be addressed in media," said Karen Fowler, the show's new exec producer, during a Saturday session at the TCA press tour. Meanwhile, she said, "we had this beautiful brand," referring to the show's title.

A few--very few--features from the old show will be dusted off for the new one but mostly everything about the program is new as it reaches out once more to help kids between the ages of six and nine.

Fowler said those years are crucial because children who are not reading well by the end of fourth grade "are in danger of never being fully literate."

Clips looked bright and entertaining. Scott Cameron, in charge of education and research, says kids hate spinach but they'll eat it if it is in something they enjoy, like ravioli. "We've got to make some spinach ravioli."