PBS KIDS GO! Launches Its First Writers Contest

WNED-TV, Buffalo/Toronto partners with PBS KIDS GO! to mobilize children
across America to write and illustrate their own stories

ARLINGTON, Va., Nov. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- PBS KIDS GO! and WNED-TV
Buffalo/Toronto are partnering to launch the PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest, a
national-local contest designed to promote the advancement of children's
reading skills through hands-on, active learning. The Contest encourages
children in grades K-3 in communities across the country, to celebrate the
power of creating stories and illustrations by submitting their own original
pieces.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091104/PH05254LOGO )

Beginning on January 27, 2010, PBS stations throughout the country will be
active partners in the PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest, and will work with
schools, public libraries and other literacy organizations to implement the
Contest in their communities. Children will be encouraged to write and
illustrate stories and submit them to their local stations, which will select
winners and award prizes. Local winners will be entered into the national
level of the Contest where a renowned panel of judges will identify the
national winners. Winners will be announced and national prizes, including
laptops, digital cameras and MP3 players will be awarded in summer 2010.

In addition, a new PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest Web site at pbskids.org/read
will launch in early 2010. As the information hub of the Contest, it will
include the winning stories in each of the Contest categories as well as a
searchable archive of winning stories.

"We know from research that there is an important connection between writing
and the development of early literacy skills, critical cornerstones for school
readiness and achievement," said Lesli Rotenberg, Senior Vice President,
Children's Media, PBS. "PBS KIDS uses the power of media to open up the worlds
of letters and words for all young children, encouraging them to explore ways
to communicate more effectively and increasing their odds of success."

The PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest extends the powerful tradition and annual
success of the 15 year national "Reading Rainbow Young Writers and
Illustrators Contest," originally created by WNED-TV Buffalo/Toronto and NET
Nebraska.

"WNED is proud to continue its leadership role in literacy for public
television through the PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest," said WNED President and
CEO Donald K. Boswell. "Building on the important legacy of Reading Rainbow,
this new contest ushers the powerful mission of our programs directly into the
homes and classrooms of the community, motivating young students to create and
imagine."

The PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest is a part of PBS KIDS Raising Readers, a
national initiative which uses the power of public media to build the reading
skills of children ages 2-to-8, with an emphasis on children from low-income
families. The effort is funded by a Ready To Learn grant from the U.S.
Department of Education, part of a cooperative agreement with the Corporation
for Public Broadcasting (CPB), PBS and The Ready To Learn Partnership.

About PBS KIDS and PBS KIDS GO!

PBS KIDS, for preschoolers, and PBS KIDS GO!, for early elementary school
kids, offer all children the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds
through television, online and community-based programs. With positive role
models and content designed to nurture a child's total well-being, PBS's
children's media and family and educator resources - including PBS KIDS and
PBS KIDS GO! television series, PBSKIDS.org, PBSKIDSGO.org, PBS Parents
(PBSPARENTS.org), PBS Teachers (PBSTEACHERS.org), PBS KIDS Raising Readers and
literacy events across the country - leverage the full spectrum of media,
technology and community to build knowledge, critical thinking, imagination
and curiosity. Empowering children for success in school and in life, only PBS
KIDS and PBS KIDS GO! have earned the unanimous endorsement of parents,
children, industry leaders and teachers. In September 2008, PBS KIDS GO!
launched its video player (PBSKIDSGO.org/video), featuring hundreds of video
clips and dozens of full-length episodes. Since launch, the site is averaging
1.3 million streams per week. PBSKIDS.org averages 9 million unique visitors a
month. PBS is a nonprofit media enterprise owned and operated by the nation's
356 public television stations, serving more than 115 million people on-air
and online each month. For more information on specific shows supporting
literacy, science, math, and more, visit PBS.org/pressroom.

About WNED

The Western New York Public Broadcasting Association (WNED) long ago
established itself as an originator of television content for PBS. WNED is the
founder and national co-producer of the Reading Rainbow series which garnered
a total of 26 Emmy Awards, ten of which were for "Outstanding Children's
Series." WNED was the producer of the popular Mark Russell Comedy Specials
for PBS and is a producer of major documentaries for PBS national
distribution. A series of WNED documentaries (Your Life Your Money, Window to
the Sea, Niagara Falls, Frank Lloyd Wright's Buffalo, The Marines, The
Adirondacks, Fort Niagara: The Struggle for a Continent) have been broadcast
nationally on PBS since 2005. Elbert Hubbard: An American Original is WNED's
next PBS production and is scheduled for broadcast on November 23, 2009. WNED
is currently producing several documentaries slated for national PBS broadcast
in the coming years including the War of 1812 and a special on the Chautauqua
Institution.

About CPB

CPB, a private, nonprofit corporation created by Congress in 1967, is the
steward of the federal government's investment in public broadcasting. It
helps support the operations of more than 1000 locally owned and operated
public television and radio stations nationwide, and is the largest single
source of funding for research, technology, and program development for public
radio, television, and related on-line services.

The PBS KIDS GO! Writer's Contest is produced by WNED-TV, Buffalo/Toronto and
PBS.

The contents of this release were developed under a grant, #PRU295B050003,
from the Department of Education. However, those contents do not necessarily
represent the policy of the Department of Education, and you should not assume
endorsement by the Federal Government.

SOURCE PBS KIDS GO!

Kim Elek, +1-410-956-0460, kim@mcreynoldselek.com, or Lynn McReynolds,
+1-410-268-0275, lynn@mcreynoldselek.com