We are all familiar with the 24/7 lifestyle of Millennials, where the social conversation shifts seamlessly from an offline party to an online post-party discussion complete with photos. Why stop for sleep while the party plays on? But what about their kids? I spotted this poster on the New Haven train line in New York yesterday. My immediate reaction was 'Why on earth would anyone need a 24 hour preschool channel?' Then Bingo! Millennial Moms. "Sprout", as the channel has been named, brings together several recent blog themes. Put a baby boomlet among Millennials together with a 24/7 lifestyle and seeing Elmo (or Barney) at an hour of the day makes perfect sense.
A little investigation reveals Sprout is a collaboration between Comcast and PBS. In addition to the cable channel, there is also Video on Demand and Sproutletsgrow.com (not .org). Here's what PBS had to say in its 2005 joint press release with Comcast:
Diana Kerekes, the acting GM for PBS KIDS Sprout said, "Building on the remarkable success of our video-on-demand (VOD) service, we're very excited to be launching our digital cable channel and website today -- making Sprout truly a multi-platform destination for preschoolers and their caregivers."
The need for 24/7 access to preschool programming is, in my opinion, an outgrowth of the 24/7 Millennial lifestyle. As Gen Y grows up, they will expect the same opportunities for their kids as they now take for granted.
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Even non-millennials appreciate something to watch with a wide-awake infant or toddler, no matter what time of day. I know there were long nights when my kids were little that I just couldn't face another viewing of "The Lion King" or another episode of "Thomas The Tank Engine". The worst part was that I ended up wide awake while the video had the desired effect on my son or daughter. Short and visually engaging shows are the perfect antidote for a child who is not on an 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. sleep schedule - my kids never were.
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