Sesame Street premiered on November 10, 1969 with the goal of finding a way to educate children while entertaining them. A thirty minute preview erred two days before the premier in order to get parents and children interested in the show. It will be returning for its 41st season in November 2010.
Sesame Street was one of the shows to pioneer the idea of incorporating audience research and focus group feedback into the show. At the time, there was little precedent for it and television was still in its infancy. One of the many ways that Sesame Street attempted to reach its audience was through its setting on an inner city street.
Another important aspect of Sesame Street has been its use of music. Some of the more popular songs to come out of Sesame Street and which you are likely to have heard at some point (and can maybe even still sing along to) are Rubber Duckie, C is for Cookie, and its theme song, Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street?