Maine PBS revamps children’s programming lineup

BANGOR – “Jay Jay the Jet Plane” has flown into the children’s programming lineup on Maine PBS and his arrival isn’t the only change that will be happening in coming months to the PBS Kids schedule.

“Jay Jay the Jet Plane,” a series about a young plane that’s trying to earn its wings, was introduced at the beginning of July. To put that show on the air at 10 a.m., Maine PBS shuffled some of its other programs to new times, and will change some of them again in September.

“Dragon Tales,” which was televised in the morning and the afternoon, now only is on at 4 p.m. “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” was moved to 10:30 a.m., and it will be moved to 11:30 a.m. in September.

“Zoboomafoo” was moved to 11 a.m., and will be on at 3:30 p.m. in September. “Caillou” now is shown at 11:30 a.m., and will be shown at 12:30 p.m. in September. “Reading Rainbow” was moved to noon, and will go to 10:30 a.m. in September.

Maine PBS program manager Bernie Roscetti said the children’s lineup is reviewed regularly “to see if programs are on at the right time for viewers.” When “Sesame Street” was moved to noon several months ago, parents called the station to say that was not a good time to air it, he said. Now it is on at 9 a.m.

“A lot of parents, mostly mothers, said their kids took naps at that time [noon] and wouldn’t be able to watch it,” Roscetti said.

“Wishbone” will be leaving the national public broadcasting system at the end of August when the rights to air the show expire, Roscetti said. No new episodes have been produced lately, and the producers have decided it was time to take it off the air, although that move may be temporary and the program could end up on a cable station.

“Producers make these decisions based on what they know,” Roscetti said. “They know that repeated episodes over a period of time will wear out.”

Starting in September, Maine PBS will be introducing some new programs targeted at children.

“Sagwa the Chinese Siamese Cat,” an animated series based on author Amy Tan’s books, features an adventurous cat whose experiences are drawn from Asian folktales. It will air at noon starting Sept. 2.

On Sundays, an animated “Anne of Green Gables” will air at 6 p.m. At 6:30 p.m., “Redwall,” by author Brian Jacqes, explores a mythological, medieval land populated by woodland creatures.

The children’s lineup, which takes effect in September, will be:

“Arthur,” at 7 a.m.; “Clifford the Big Red Dog,” at 7:30 a.m.; “Barney,” at 8 a.m.; “Teletubbies,” at 8:30 a.m.; “Sesame Street,” at 9 a.m.; “Jay Jay the Jet Plane,” at 10 a.m.; “Reading Rainbow,” at 10:30 a.m., “Between the Lions,” at 11 a.m.; “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” at 11:30 a.m.; “Sagwa,” at noon; “Caillou,” at 12:30 p.m.; “Zoboomafoo,” at 3:30 p.m.; “Dragon Tales,” at 4 p.m.; “Between the Lions,” at 4:30 p.m.; “Zoom,” at 5 p.m., “Clifford the Big Red Dog,” at 5:30 p.m., and “Arthur,” at 6 p.m.