Sesame Street and other shows on PBS have been scrutinized in recent years as government officials have been trying to decide on how much funding they should actually receive from the federal government. One Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, suggested that Sesame Street and other PBS shows should be paid for by advertisements, like the show on major networks. No matter what our political affiliations, the state of the economy and the nation debt has made in almost certain that advertisements on PBS shows are coming soon. Although there are not advertisements that air during the Sesame Street, corporate sponsors are mentioned at the beginning and the end of each show. Local PBS stations also mention their local sponsors at the beginning and end of each show.
Corporations and individuals have had to make changes to effectively manage their money and it would be no surprise if Sesame Street and some other PBS program will have to make some additional changes to keep afloat and made available to another generation of preschoolers.