It’s a good day in this place, as the theme song goes, and Mister Rogers fans have reason to rejoice. Fred Rogers Productions has partnered with Little Dot Studios to bring to YouTube the iconic children’s show Mister Rogers Neighborhood, which ran from 1968 to 2001. The show will have a dedicated YouTube channel with full episodes and short video content, such as clips and compilations.
“Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood continues to inspire audiences young and old across four generations,” said Paul Siefken, president and CEO of Fred Rogers Productions. “We are excited to partner with Little Dot Studios on this new YouTube channel that will make the wonder, kindness, and human connection of the series more accessible and accessible than ever.”
Details, first reported by Deadline, are sparse. Little Dot Studios is giving its American team the task of putting together the channel and its content with help from Fred Rogers Productions. A PBS spokesperson told CNET that the expected release date is the summer of 2026 and that the station will include selected episodes in rotation from the entire program catalog.
Little Dot Studios manages more than 1,100 YouTube channels, including those of many automakers and game developers, such as Ubisoft. The company also had exclusive rights to broadcast the documentary Diddy: In Plain Sight in 2025.
Other TV shows from Fred Rogers Productions, such as Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Donkey Hodie and Alma’s Way, will remain on PBS Kids.
The show, which ran from 1968 to 2001, had 895 episodes over 31 seasons. It has also hosted many guests, including celebrity chef Julia Child, Koko the Gorilla, musicians, dancers and astronauts. LeVar Burton’s Star Trek tour in 1998 was very memorable. The show is not available in its entirety anywhere, though Amazon Prime Video it is getting closer.
PBS told CNET that the show will continue to air on Pluto TV, and that episodes will continue to air on regular TV on PBS, with selections available to stream on PBS Kids. Amazon Prime Video will also keep its collection strong. Episodes can be streamed for free on PBS Retro on Plex, Roku, Vizio, TCL and LG smart TVs.
A new generation of neighbors
Although it was aimed primarily at preschoolers, the show’s timeless positive messages have resonated with people of all ages. When news of the YouTube channel broke on Thursday, it was met with an overwhelmingly positive response on social media, with longtime fans vowing to watch every episode and share it with their kids.
“My daughter is 8 months old, and lately I’ve been thinking about things like Mr. Rogers and how important it was to me growing up,” wrote one commenter. “I didn’t know if there was anything like that now, but I’m glad to know it will be available as he gets older and able to watch.”
Fred Rogers died in 2003. He still makes occasional headlines, including during Mitt Romney’s 2012 US Presidential campaign, when Rogers’ 1969 Congressional testimony was extended after Romney promised to cut funding for PBS.
A documentary about Rogers, Won’t You Be My Neighbor, was released in 2018 to widespread acclaim.
