Paul Siefken, president and CEO of Fred Rogers Productions, speaks about the state of children’s media and Fred Rogers’ legacy during his lecture Thursday in the Amphitheater.
Thursday morning was, Paul Siefken said, “certainly a beautiful day in this neighborhood.”
Siefken, president and CEO of Fred Rogers Productions — the same nonprofit production company founded by Rogers himself more than 50 years ago. Rogers, of course — a writer, composer, musician, actor, singer, puppeteer, early childhood expert, Siefken rattled off — was the creator of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” the PBS show that, for more than 30 years and 900 episodes, “inspired young people to wonder about the world and assured them that they were valuable people by just being themselves.”
Siefken took the Amphitheater stage for his installment of the Chautauqua Lecture Series theme “Rising Together: Our Century of Creativity and Collaboration” to reflect on the enduring legacy of Fred Rogers and the evolving role of children’s educational media.
“Fred essentially invented educational children’s television with a series that addressed core child development principles through a visit with a kind neighbor in a sweater with puppet stories from the Neighborhood of Make Believe,” Siefken said. When he asked the audience how many had watched the show, nearly every hand in the Amp was raised, a testament to Rogers’ work.
“It’s remarkable, isn’t it,” Siefken said, “the power of what we see, through a child’s eyes, to stick with us. … It’s the power of childhood. It’s the same power that allows us to vividly remember every lyric of our favorite songs from childhood, or envision the characters from our favorite books when we were children, or remember our favorite moments from our favorite movies. I think it’s why we remember our early childhood teachers so well.”
That power was something Rogers recognized, Siefken said, “when television was becoming such a central part of families’ lives, and he saw that it wasn’t being used to its potential.”
Siefken emphasized that the impact of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” extends beyond mere nostalgia; it has become an integral part of the cultural fabric, shaping the way people think about kindness, empathy, and the importance of being good neighbors.
That legacy is nurtured and furthered by Siefken and his team at Fred Rogers Productions; he highlighted the success of “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,” a modern continuation of Rogers’ original show that premiered in 2012. The animated series, set in the Neighborhood of Make Believe, has become a beloved part of PBS Kids’ lineup, teaching social and emotional skills to a new generation of children.
Siefken underscored the philosophy that guides Fred Rogers Productions, emphasizing that their mission is deeply rooted in Rogers’ approach to children’s media.
“He knew that media could be put to better use to expand people’s worlds and share their experiences, to connect in a meaningful way with the audience,” Siefken said. “And there is no better, more committed, more honest audience to create for than children. Throughout his career, Fred felt a moral obligation to use the power of children’s media responsibly.”
He quoted Rogers’ 1999 Television Hall of Fame induction speech, where Rogers called on media professionals to cherish life and to use their platforms to encourage others in creative, imaginative ways.
“Despite Fred’s exhortation that night, the media world has too often chosen to demean life rather than cherish it,” Siefken said.
He discussed the variety of series produced by Fred Rogers Productions, each tailored to different age groups and learning styles. Shows like “Peg + Cat,” “Odd Squad” and “Alma’s Way” were highlighted as examples of the company’s commitment to creating content that not only entertains, but also educates and inspires.
“Our organization’s mission is to build on Fred Rogers’ legacy by creating quality children’s media that models an enthusiasm for learning and earns the trust of parents and caregivers,” Siefken said. “So we build and we create, to model and to learn. How do we build on Fred’s legacy? By following the road map that Fred Rogers clearly laid out for us — a road map that still works in 2024: … to give an expression of care each day, to every child. To make it clear that feelings are mentionable and manageable.”
The word “model” is intentional, Siefken said, following the adage that “attitudes are caught, not taught.”
“He was a master of modeling curiosity and wonder and neighborliness,” he said. “… (Rogers) modeled good listening in every episode. He didn’t explicitly teach viewers that people make mistakes, but he allowed himself to be shown making a mistake and learning from it.”
Before joining Fred Rogers Productions, Siefken spent 10 years at PBS, and spent his early career at Cartoon Network, working on shows such as “Dexter’s Laboratory” and “Samurai Jack.” He recalled the moment he was asked to lead Fred Rogers Productions, describing his initial feelings of imposter syndrome.
“Who was I to lead the company that Fred Rogers founded?” he wondered aloud. But he drew strength from the memory of his mother, a passionate advocate for public television, who instilled in him a deep appreciation for meaningful work.
“Hearing from my aunt how much my mom loved Mr. Rogers gave me an immense feeling of pride,” Siefken said, sharing that this connection helped him embrace the responsibility he had taken on. “My mom passed away in 2018 and I think about her often. When I do, I hope that the work we’re doing now at Fred Rogers Productions might be continued to be passed on from generation to generation, just like it was for me.”
As Rogers said, after all, “one of the greatest dignities of humankind is that each successive generation is invested in the welfare of each new generation,” which brought Siefken to what he was tasked with exploring in the Amp: the broader impact of children’s media on early childhood development.
Siefken discussed how Fred Rogers Productions uses its platform to model resilience, empathy, and thoughtful decision-making, citing examples from their shows “Donkey Hodie” and “Alma’s Way.” He explained that the organization places a strong emphasis on inclusivity, ensuring that their content reflects the diverse identities and experiences of children and families.
“Our mission is to build on Fred Rogers’ legacy by creating quality children’s media that models an enthusiasm for learning and earns the trust of parents and caregivers,” he reiterated.
Drawing on research from the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, he explained how early interactions between children and their caregivers lay the foundation for future learning and social competence.
“It’s what they call a serve-and-return relationship,” Siefken said, and noted the critical role that these early exchanges play in a child’s cognitive and emotional development.
A recent survey, conducted by Fred Rogers Productions and the Center for Scholars and Storytellers at UCLA, explored the long-term impact of “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” on teenagers who had watched the show as preschoolers. The survey revealed that many of these young people retained vivid memories of the show’s lessons on empathy, emotional regulation and problem-solving. “It was pretty important,” one participant said, reflecting on how the show’s lessons had stayed with them into adolescence.
The survey results echoed earlier research by Texas Tech University, which found that regular parent-child communication about “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” was associated with greater empathy, emotional recognition, and self-efficacy in young children.
“What is the secret sauce?” Siefken asked. “It’s when adults engage with children around the content to provide context, support and yes, love.”
Early childhood, he said, is also about a growing sense of independence, which if fostered correctly at a young age, “can flourish into a sense of persistence and resilience that will enable children to practice overcoming everyday obstacles so they can take on much bigger challenges later in life.”
Challenges, he noted, like those faced by children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“While many of us have moved on, there are millions of children whose developing independence and sense of self was interrupted,” Siefken said. “As we emerge from the incredible challenges the pandemic introduced, children will continue to struggle and it will be vital to support them with examples of positivity and resilience.”
He highlighted the role of shows like “Donkey Hodie,” which models perseverance and problem-solving through its characters’ adventures. “Resilience works like a muscle,” Siefken quoted from a Washington Post article, stressing the importance of helping children build this essential life skill.
Siefken also addressed his organization’s efforts to celebrate diversity and inclusivity in their content. Recent seasons of “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” have introduced new lead characters from different backgrounds, ensuring that more children see themselves represented on screen. He also spoke about the careful attention paid to portraying characters with disabilities, such as Chrissie in “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,” and Eddie Mambo in “Alma’s Way.”
Doing this, he said, ensures that “more children can be more welcomed into the big wide world and recognize that, as Fred Rogers said, as different as we are from one another, as unique as each one of us is, we are much more the same than we are different.”
Remember, Siefken said, that in “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” Rogers fed the fish in his tank, every single episode. Rogers once received a letter from a young viewer who was blind.
“She wrote, ‘Dear Mr. Rogers, please say when you are feeding the fish, because I worry about them. I can’t see if you are feeding them, so please say you’re feeding them out loud,’ ” Siefken said. “(Her name was) Katie. Age 5. From that moment on, Fred always told the audience he was feeding the fish so that one viewer and others who couldn’t see him do it could hear that the fish were being fed. A special effort for one child.”
In closing, Siefken returned to the central theme of Fred Rogers’ work: the importance of modeling kindness, empathy, and a love of learning. He reminded the audience that, like Fred Rogers himself, the goal of Fred Rogers Productions is to create content that resonates with children on a deep, emotional level, helping them to grow into thoughtful, compassionate adults.
“As Fred said, ‘In every neighborhood, all across our country, there are good people insisting on a good start for the young and doing something about it,’ ” Siefken said.
He gave one final reflection on Fred Rogers, and the man’s belief in the power of music.
“When you sing together, you make one voice,” Siefken quoted, drawing a parallel to the collective effort required to create a better world for future generations. “Finding ways to harmonize our uniqueness with the uniqueness of others can be the most fun and most rewarding of all.”
With that, Siefken gave Chautauquans a chance to harmonize their uniqueness, and together, they sang:
It’s a beautiful day in this neighborhood
A beautiful day for a neighbor
Would you be mine? Could you be mine?
It’s a neighborly day in this beautywood
A neighborly day for a beauty
Would you be mine? Could you be mine?
I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you
I’ve always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you
So, let’s make the most of this beautiful day
Since we’re together, we might as well say
Would you be mine? Could you be mine?
Won’t you be my neighbor? Won’t you please, won’t you please?
Please, won’t you be my neighbor?
