Joan Ganz Cooney understood that children’s media does not exist in isolation. Parents, caregivers, and teachers help children connect what happens on screen to the world around them. This week, our authors consider the role of the caring adult in a media landscape that is increasingly personalized, pervasive, and difficult to navigate—and how technology can support, rather than replace, human connection.
When considering Joan Ganz Cooney’s The Potential Uses of Television in Preschool Education today, I’m amazed by how forward-thinking it still feels. Sixty years ago, she wasn’t just imagining television as entertainment, she saw its potential to help children learn and grow. Even more importantly, she recognized that the adults in a child’s life would always be an essential part of that learning.
That idea has only become more relevant. 60 years ago, families watched one television together. Today, kids have access to media wherever they are and whenever they want it. Parents and caregivers aren’t just deciding what their children watch anymore, they’re helping them navigate an almost endless amount of content, making choices about what’s meaningful, and finding ways to connect what happens on screen to everyday life.
I think that’s what continues to make her vision so remarkable. While the technology has changed dramatically, the foundation hasn’t. Great educational media isn’t just about what’s on the screen, it’s about the conversations, play, and shared experiences that happen afterward. The screen can spark curiosity, but it’s the caring adult who helps turn that curiosity into learning.
That’s something we continue to think about every day at Sesame Workshop. As we create content for a world of portable, 24/7 media, we’re always asking how we can support not just children, but the parents, caregivers, and teachers who help bring that learning to life. Joan Ganz Cooney’s report wasn’t just a vision for television, it was a vision for how media can strengthen the relationship between children and the people who care for them. That feels just as true today as it did 60 years ago.
Kay Wilson Stallings served as Executive Vice President, Chief Creative Development and Production Officer at Sesame Workshop, overseeing Sesame Street, the organization’s global content portfolio, and the development of new programming across platforms. She is a two-time Hollywood Reporter Kids Entertainment Power List honoree and a 2024 Animation Magazine Hall of Fame inductee.
