Tubi is counting to 250 as Elmo, Cookie Monster and the rest of the “Sesame Street” gang come to the free streamer.
Starting Wednesday, April 1, Tubi will add 250 episodes of “Sesame Street” from the beginning of the series through season 38 under a deal with Sesame Workshop. Tubi said 10% of episodes will be replaced with additional episodes each quarter.
Episodes of classic children’s shows available on Tubi include the first episode from 1969, “Gordon Introduces Sally to Sesame Street.” “The Marriage of Maria and Luis” 1988. “R2-D2 and C-3PO Visit Sesame Street” (1980); and “Big Bird Goes to Hawaii” (1978), one of the first large-scale remote shoots.
Like other children’s content on Tubi, “Sesame Street” displays “kid-safe” ads that are not targeted based on personal information or profiles. Additionally, Tubi allows parents to set up accounts for their children in a “kid-safe environment,” according to a Tubi representative.
The deal with Tubi adds another place for Sesame Street content. Netflix has a deal with Sesame Workshop for worldwide streaming rights to current season episodes and some library content, while YouTube recently added 100 free episodes. In the United States, episodes of “Sesame Street” are available daily on PBS stations and the PBS Kids digital platform. Additionally, HBO Max continues to offer a large collection of “Sesame Street” episodes to U.S. subscribers.
“Few brands have shaped the minds and captured the imaginations of young people like Sesame Street,” said Adam Lewinson, chief content officer at Tubi. “By offering hundreds of episodes for free on Tubi, we’re giving today’s kids access to fun and essential learning while encouraging parents to share a part of their childhood with the next generation. This is a powerful example of how Tubi connects viewers through stories that stay with them for a lifetime, making meaningful and educational entertainment available to everyone.”
Sesame Workshop Chief Operating Officer Joseph Girardi said bringing “Sesame Street” to Tubi “allows us to expand our reach and impact, and we’re excited to make our beloved characters and proven educational media available to even more children, families and fans.”
Tubi, part of Fox Corp.’s Tubi Media Group, claims to offer the largest collection of premium on-demand content, including more than 300,000 movies and TV episodes and more than 400 exclusive original titles. Tubi has more than 100 million monthly active viewers, according to the company.
