Opinions

Friday, Sep. 05, 2008

'Neighborhood' goes digital

Those who want a daily dose of old-fashioned good cheer from Mister Rogers will have to rely on modern technology to get it. And, come to think of it, that's something Fred Rogers might have appreciated.

PBS announced in June that it was dropping "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" from its daily syndicated feed. Instead, it will offer one weekend episode, which local stations can run as they see fit.

Fortunately, parents who want their children to be able to share some time each day with the cardigan-wearing character as they did when they were young will have another option. South Carolina's public broadcasting network, ETV, will continue daily airings of the show on its digital South Carolina Channel.

"Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" never was much in the special-effects department. About as high-tech as Fred Rogers ever got was a puppet theater. And, considering that the show stopped filming in 2001, it has begun to look a little dated.

But, the response of of fans, old and new, is: So what? While the airwaves are crowded with modern, special-effects loaded kids' shows, animated features and trendy teen shows, there is only one "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood."

The effect this gentle, welcoming, clunky show has had -- and continues to have -- on millions of young children may be hard to explain and impossible to duplicate. But it certainly is real.

It was a crummy day in the neighborhood when PBS decided to drop the show. But, thanks to digital technology, Mister Rogers still will be coming home each day, slipping into a sweater and comfortable shoes, and inviting kids to be his neighbor.

And, as someone whose message to children was to be adventurous, try new things and use their imaginations, Mister Rogers probably would have felt right at home himself on digital TV.