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Barney & Friends is a popular children's television show produced in the United States, mainly aimed at preschoolers. Barney is a purple anthropomorphic Tyrannosaurus rex who conveys learning through jumping around singing children's songs with a friendly, optimistic attitude.

Origin and development of the show

Barney was created in 1987 by Sheryl Leach of Dallas, Texas. She came up with the idea for the program while considering TV shows that she felt would be educational and appeal to her son. Leach then brought together a team who created a series of home videos, Barney and the Backyard Gang, which also starred actress Sandy Duncan in the first 3 videos. Later, Barney was joined by the characters Baby Bop and BJ.

Although the original videos were a modest regional success, Barney only became a mega hit when the character and format were revamped for series television and picked up by the Public Broadcasting System, debuting as "Barney & Friends" in 1992. The series was produced by Lyrick Studios (bought by HIT Entertainment). For several years, the show was taped at the ColorDynamics Studios facility at Greenville Avenue & Bethany Drive in Allen, after which it moved to The Studios at Las Colinas, Texas. Currently, the series is produced in a northern suburb of Dallas. The TV series and videos are currently distributed by HIT Entertainment.

In the new season, which debuted on September 18 2006, a cousin of Baby Bop and BJ joined the series. "Riff" is a musical hadrosaurid dinosaur, who teaches kids about world music.

Barney & Friends is now shown in other countries where it is translated if necessary. One such example is the Latin-American version produced in Mexico which is called Barney y Sus Amigos, (Spanish translation of "Barney and his Friends.")

Criticism and Controversy

Although most serious reviews of Barney & Friends have been positive, the show has been the target of a certain degree of controversy. This criticism generally stems from some disagreement in the messages that the show sends children through the situations that it portrays.

The show has also been criticized for its lack of educational value. However, studies conducted by Yale researchers Dorothy and Jerome Singer have confirmed that episodes actually contain a great deal of age-appropriate educational material, calling the program a "model of what preschool television should be." An additional criticism has been made that the characters often use magic to solve real problems, something that is very controversial among some who regard "magic" as equivalent to witchcraft. Because of this, the show is banned from the Philippines.

Cast

Crew

• Sheryl Leach (creator)
• Kathy Parker (producer)
• Dennis DeShazer (director)
• Mark S. Bernthal (writer)
• Stephen White (writer)

Specials

• Barney's Imagination Island (1994)
• Barney's Great Adventure (1998)

Funding

• Corporation for Public Broadcasting (1992-1998)
• Viewers Like You
• Kimberly Clark (1993)
• Chuck E. Cheeses (1995-2006)
• Kellogg's Frosted Flakes (1998-2000)
• Chef JR (1997-1999)
• Johnson & Johnson Corporation (1995)

Airing History

• USA
  • PBS
  • PBS KIDS Sprout

• UK
  • GMTV(1994-2000?)
  • The Children's Channel
  • LIVINGtv
  • Cartoon Network TOO (2006-)

See also

• List of Barney & Friends episodes and videos
• Barney's Hide and Seek (Sega Genesis console game)
• Anti-Barney humor
• PBS
• PBS Kids
• PBS Kids Sprout
• Treehouse TV
• Baloney & Kids

External links

• HIT Entertainment official website
• PBS official website
• Barney & Friends web page at TreeHouseTV.com
• Barney & Friends at the Internet Movie Database

• Barney & Friends
• PBS network shows
• Programs broadcast by Treehouse TV
• 1990s American television series
• 2000s American television series
• 1992 television program debuts