(August 21, 2024, St. Louis) – In September, KETC/Channel Number 9 marks 70 years of serving the St. Louis region as its public television station and one of the first public television stations in the country. Nine PBS invites the St. Louis community to share in the celebration with several special events to thank the region for 70 years of support.
The highlight of the birthday festivities will be a special visit from PBS Pioneer Sonia Manzano—who portrayed Maria on Sesame Street for 44 years and is the creator of the current PBS KIDS® program Alma’s Way—as the featured guest at special events on Saturday, September 21, and Sunday, September 22.
“In September 1954, KETC/Channel Number 9 went on the air, thanks to the vision, hard work, and generous support of people across St. Louis,” said Amy Shaw, President and CEO of Nine PBS. “The community has supported us enthusiastically ever since—regularly making us the most-watched PBS station in the country. We are honored that Sonia is joining us to celebrate this milestone and the critical role that public media plays in our community.”
An actress, author, and advocate, Manzano was part of the original cast of Sesame Street. She left the show in 2015 and returned to PBS in October 2021 as the creator, executive producer, writer, and voice actor for Alma’s Way, an animated series from Fred Rogers Productions. The series is currently debuting a new exhibit at the Magic House.
“I am excited to visit St. Louis and help celebrate one of the country’s original public television stations,” said Manzano. “Public television is critical to helping build and sustain communities, and Nine PBS is well known throughout the PBS system for its innovation and commitment to community engagement.”
Nine PBS 70th Birthday Celebrations
“All of us at Nine PBS are grateful to the generations of St. Louisans who have loved and supported Channel 9 over the past 70 years. We want to celebrate this milestone by thanking the entire St. Louis community,” said Shaw.
Birthday celebration events include:
Saturday, September 7: Families are invited to join Daniel Tiger and other beloved characters to kick off Nine PBS’s birthday month celebration at Storytime in the Commons and “Be My Neighbor Day.” The popular event includes games, crafts, and storytime with the book on the big screen—plus photo opportunities with Alma and Daniel Tiger from PBS KIDS favorites Alma’s Way and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. Admission is free. Advance registration is encouraged at ninepbs.org/events.
Sunday, September 8: Nine PBS partners with the Saint Louis Art Museum for their Free Family Sunday event series. Watch a special episode of PBS KIDS favorite Alma’s Way in the museum’s auditorium, participate in art projects and activities, join a special guided tour of the art museum’s collection, and get a special chance to meet Alma. Admission is free. Register at ninepbs.org/events.
Saturday, September 21: Nine PBS is happy to celebrate with the Greater St. Louis Hispanic Festival in Soulard Park. Sonia Manzano will appear on the main stage at 11 am and host a meet-and-greet with Alma in the children’s area directly following.
Sunday, September 22: The month of celebration is capped off with a Birthday Block Party in the Public Media Commons. The community and Nine PBS fans of all ages are welcome to the street party and open house from 1–4 pm. The party will kick off with Sonia Manzano reading a story in the Public Media Commons, followed by a book signing and meet-and-greet. The event includes tours of the station, PBS KIDS’ characters, birthday treats, a kids’ zone, and live entertainment. Tickets are free and are available at ninepbs.org/events.
Complete details for all of Nine PBS’s birthday activities can be found at ninepbs.org/70. Viewers can also share memories about Nine PBS or submit a birthday wish on the website.
(Be My Neighbor Day is supported by PNC Grow Up Great® with additional support from Fred Rogers Productions, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s Ready to Learn, The Magic House, Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, and UB Greensfelder. Block Party supported by UB Greensfelder, Millstone Foundation, the Raymond H. Wittcoff Foundation, Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, and The Magic House.)
70 Years of Serving St. Louis
As a result of the vision, hard work, and generous support of people across the community, KETC/Channel Number 9 went on the air in September 1954, one of the first public TV stations licensed to a community. Thanks to St. Louis and viewers like you, Nine PBS has served our region over the last 70 years as a storyteller and trusted partner. We connect our community through compelling national programs, inspiring local stories, and engaging initiatives that help our region flourish. We look forward to serving St. Louis and continuing to play a key role in building our community’s future for all.
About Nine PBS
As an essential community institution, Nine PBS magnifies and deepens understanding of our community to help our region flourish. We tell stories that move us. We meet people where they are the most comfortable consuming content. Nine PBS’s platforms include four distinct broadcast channels (Nine PBS, Nine PBS KIDS®, Nine PBS World, and Nine PBS Create), ninepbs.org, social media, the free PBS Video App, streaming services, live and virtual events, and the Public Media Commons. Since 1954, Nine PBS has accepted the community’s invitation into their homes, schools, and businesses. Follow Nine PBS on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok.
For more information, contact:
Amy Burger
(314) 265-1372
amy@amyburger.com
Sarah Brandt
Director of Communications
(314) 359-2121
sbrandt@ninepbs.org