As Vice President of Children’s Programming at PBS, Linda Simensky collaborates with producers, co-production partners, PBS station programmers, and distributors throughout the development, production, post-production, and broadcast phases for PBS KIDS programming.
Linda’s efforts in transforming PBS KIDS’ lineup for preschool- and school-age children over the past several years have brought PBS to the forefront of the children’s media space. The American public rates PBS KIDS as the most trusted educational media brand for children, and PBS KIDS programs consistently rank number one with moms and in the top five with preschoolers. PBS KIDS also was named Channel of the Year in Kidscreen’s 2012 broadcasting awards.
Since joining PBS in 2003, Linda has worked with renowned producers to develop hit shows that now reach 82% of all kids ages 2-8 in the U.S. – from CURIOUS GEORGE and THE CAT IN THE HAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THAT, to WILD KRATTS and WORDGIRL. Linda also helped bring PBS KIDS’ newest series to fruition: DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD, a program that brings Fred Rogers’ social-emotional curriculum to a new generation of children. Linda is currently working on PEG + CAT, a new PBS KIDS preschool math series, premiering this fall.
Building on PBS KIDS’ mission to offer educational media content to kids across all platforms, Linda also works closely with PBS KIDS’ interactive team to build a cross-platform media experience for kids across all PBS KIDS media properties.
Before joining PBS, Linda was Senior Vice President of Original Animation for Cartoon Network, where she oversaw development and series production of “The Powerpuff Girls,” among others. She began her career working for nine years at Nickelodeon, where she helped build the animation department and launch the popular series “Rugrats,” “Doug” and “The Ren & Stimpy Show.” Linda is a frequent speaker and writer on the topic of children’s programming; she has presented at numerous animation and television conferences and her work has appeared in several books on animation and children’s media.