The 55th season of the popular children’s program "Sesame Street" will be its last on HBO's steaming platform, Max.
The New York Times reported that the decision is part of a broader shift away from children’s programming.
“Based on consumer usage and feedback, we’ve had to prioritize our focus on stories for adults and families,” a Max spokesman told the publication.
"Sesame Street" first aired in 1970 on PBS, where it continues to be available for free. It entered into an agreement with HBO nearly 10 years ago to air new episodes before they premiered on PBS.
RELATED STORY | 'She is amazing': Taylor Swift makes surprise visit to Kansas City children's hospital
While no new episodes will stream on Max after January, older episodes of "Sesame Street" will remain on the platform through 2027.
Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind the program, says it will look for a new distribution partner.
“We will continue to invest in our best-in-class programming and look forward to announcing our new distribution plans in the coming months,” a spokesman for Sesame Workshop said in a statement to The New York Times.
While Max tinkers with its programming lineup, there's no doubt that "Sesame Street" is still a resource for learning and comfort to this day. On Monday, an Instagram post from "Sesame Street" was liked by more than 50,000 users after it acknowledged a shooting at a school in Wisconsin.
"We’re thinking of our friends in Wisconsin today," a post says, with a picture of characters Ernie and Mr. Snuffleupagus embracing. Hundreds of people commented on the post, thanking the program for being there during tough times.
