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Sesame Workshop project director for India Isheeta Ganguly gave
an idea of the programming format which was being considered. Speaking
exclusively to indiantelevision.com, Isheeta said, "The format
has three key components, all of which we plan to produce locally.
First is the studio segment which comprises the Muppets and the
localised street set. The second segment is live action which will
be reality based and shall focus on themes such as health and hygiene,
team skills and building community empowerment, the third will be
creative animation."
Further commenting on the India operations she added, "We see
this as a sustainable project that will not only be a TV programme
but will support and contribute towards launching a pre-school education
movement in India. Currently the New York research and production
team is engaged in active discussions with various educationists
and content providers."
On being quizzed about which broadcasters were in the fray for
collaborating with the workshop, Isheeta replied," We aim to
have a reach on both C&S and terrestrial TV and Radio. Talks
are under way and we are looking at finalising deals in the near
term."
The Workshop has received a grant of $500,000 (Rs. 23.21 million)
from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to design
and develop part of the preliminary research content for the show.
USAID deputy director in the Office of Economic Growth, Madhumita
Gupta told indiantelevision.com that, "USAID's interest is
to demonstrate and test how cutting edge tools like information
and communication technology can be used to strengthen and enhance
India's development agenda, especially to get outreach to the underserved
on a sustainable base that is culturally sensitive and acceptable.
Our support to Sesame Workshop is on account of their focus on pre-school
education which is critical in giving a heads up to students who
are entering into the formal system. The idea is to get the pre-schoolers
to associate learning with fun."
Going by the immense goodwill and charm that Sesame carries (It
has been airing for the last 35 years in the US and still going
strong), it wont be a surprise to see Indian kids take to the Muppets
in a big way!
Also Read
'Sesame
Street' to don Indian avatar
(Pic courtesy
: www.sesameworkshop.org)
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