Reading Rainbow
Reading Rainbow is a nonprofit children's literacy media brand owned by Buffalo Toronto Public Media, producing read-aloud television episodes, companion educational activities, and community programs for children in grades K-3, distributed via PBS broadcast, the PBS Retro FAST streaming channel, and Amazon Prime Video.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Reading Rainbow does
Reading Rainbow is a children's educational media brand built around a television series that pairs read-aloud children's books with host-led field trips and companion educational activities to develop literacy among children in grades K-3. The brand was created in 1983 by Western New York Public Broadcasting Association (now Buffalo Toronto Public Media, BTPM) and ran on PBS for 26 years, accumulating a library of 150+ episodes, 250+ awards (including a Peabody Award and 26 Emmys), and peak weekly reach of approximately 2 million viewers. Production of new episodes ended in 2006 and the broadcast run concluded in August 2009; the brand was revived beginning in November 2018 via a $200,000 grant from The John R. Oishei Foundation and the launch of Reading Rainbow Live on the Looped virtual events platform.
The current product portfolio includes the classic 150+ episode library organized by theme (Animals, Families, World Cultures, Creativity, Stories with a Message, STEM Connections), newly produced 2024 episodes featuring celebrity readers, the Reading Rainbow Young Writers & Illustrators Contest, an annual Reading Rainbow Book Drive, and companion educational resources (Family Activities, Classroom Guides, Math/Science/Social Studies Activities, Spanish-language activities) sourced through PBS LearningMedia and PBS Parents. Distribution spans PBS broadcast television, the PBS Retro FAST channel (launched April 2024 on Prime Video, Roku, TCL, and Vizio), Amazon Prime Video, and the readingrainbow.org website. The host is LeVar Burton.
Reading Rainbow is a private nonprofit public broadcasting property rather than a venture-backed technology company. Revenue mechanics are a mix of U.S. Department of Education 'Ready to Learn' grants, philanthropic foundation grants (Oishei Foundation), licensing and episode sales (500,000+ copies sold since 1995), FAST-channel and streaming distribution, and donations via BTPM. The operating team is small (11–50 employees) and the program is not structured around venture financing or conventional SaaS pricing — pricing for episode purchases and licensing is not publicly disclosed.
Reading Rainbow firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Reading Rainbow
- Legal name
- Western New York Public Broadcasting Association (WNED-PBS)
- Website
- https://readingrainbow.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Reading Rainbow is a nonprofit children's literacy media brand owned by Buffalo Toronto Public Media, producing read-aloud television episodes, companion educational activities, and community programs for children in grades K-3, distributed via PBS broadcast, the PBS Retro FAST streaming channel, and Amazon Prime Video.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Reading Rainbow industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Children's Educational Media
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Services (611)
- akta.pro primary industry
- K–12 Instructional Video & Multimedia (EDAGALAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Family Co-Viewing Educational Channels (MPABAKAL), Reading Comprehension & Close Reading Enrichment (EDAMAJAB)
Keywords
Where Reading Rainbow is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Reading Rainbow business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Government Grants: Partially supported by a 'Ready to Learn' grant from the U.S. Department of Education for content development around children's literacy objectives.
- Licensing and Episode Sales: Over 500,000+ copies of Reading Rainbow episodes sold since 1995. Episodes available for licensing and purchase.
- Streaming Platform Distribution: Available on streaming platforms including PBS Retro FAST channel (Prime Video, Roku, TCL, Vizio) and Amazon Prime Video.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Reading Rainbow product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Reading Rainbow is a children's educational television series and literacy brand produced by Buffalo Toronto Public Media (BTPM). Each episode pairs a children's book read aloud (often by a celebrity reader) with host LeVar Burton's field trips and interviews, accompanied by downloadable educational activities for families and classrooms. The offering spans the classic 150+ episode archive, new 2024 revival episodes, and the Reading Rainbow Live interactive virtual event platform.
Product overview
Reading Rainbow is an educational children's media brand produced by Buffalo Toronto Public Media (BTPM), built around a television series that motivates children in grades K-3 to become avid readers. The core product is the Reading Rainbow TV series — both the classic archive (1983–2009, 150+ episodes) and newly produced 2024 revival episodes — each pairing a children's book read aloud by a celebrity with field trips and educational segments hosted by LeVar Burton. The brand extends across multiple complementary offerings: the interactive virtual event platform Reading Rainbow Live (using Looped), the annual Reading Rainbow Book Drive for author book donations, and a library of companion educational resources sourced through PBS LearningMedia and PBS Parents (Family Activities, Classroom Guides, Math/Science/Social Studies Activities, and Spanish-language activities). Content is distributed via PBS Retro FAST channel (on Prime Video, Roku, TCL, Vizio), Amazon Prime Video, and the readingrainbow.org website.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Reading Rainbow TV Series (Classic Library) The flagship children's literacy television series archive with over 150 programs organized by theme (Animals, Families, World Cultures, Creativity, STEM, Stories with a Message), each pairing a children's book read aloud with field trips and educational activities hosted by LeVar Burton. Available to children, families, and educators for streaming and broadcast viewing.
- Reading Rainbow New Episodes (2024 Revival) Newly produced episodes of the revived Reading Rainbow series for children K-3, focusing on literacy, emotional expression, and community engagement, with celebrity readers and educational segments. Distributed via PBS Retro FAST channel and readingrainbow.org.
- Reading Rainbow Live Interactive virtual event platform built on Looped that enables viewers to join on-screen and interact with hosts and other participants during live reading events hosted by Reading Rainbow.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 2 million weekly viewers during broadcast run
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Reading Rainbow
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Reading Rainbow technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature3 records
Reading Rainbow partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- PBS RetrocoreReading Rainbow is now available on the PBS Retro FAST channel alongside other classic content like Mister Roger's Neighborhood and Kratts Creatures. PBS Retro is available on Prime Video, Roku, TCL and Vizio, providing broad streaming distribution for the classic children's literacy series.
- PBS LearningMediacoreReading Rainbow partners with PBS LearningMedia to provide educational resources including reading and literacy activities, lesson plans, and video content aligned with curriculum standards for K-3 education.
- Buffalo Toronto Public Media (BTPM)coreBTPM is the sole owner of all Reading Rainbow intellectual property and plans to re-establish Reading Rainbow as a leader in children's education programming. BTPM organizes book drives and manages the program's digital presence and content development.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Reading Rainbow competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- PBS Kids: PBS Kids is the network/platform through which Reading Rainbow is distributed and the parent curator of the educational mission. Comparable as the broader K-6 educational media ecosystem that encompasses Reading Rainbow as one of its titles.
- Scholastic Education: Scholastic operates the largest K-12 book club/reading program and educational content distribution in U.S. schools. Closely comparable K-3 reading-and-literacy mission and classroom-channel access to teachers.
- Wild Kratts / Kratt Brothers: Co-distributed on PBS Retro FAST alongside Reading Rainbow, this is a STEM-focused children's series with companion educational activities. Comparable as a fellow PBS-distributed, library-rich, K-3 educational video property with licensing activity.
- LeapFrog (LeapFrog Enterprises): An established educational content and learning-toys brand with curriculum-aligned early-literacy products distributed in classrooms and homes. Comparable K-3 learning content and parent/teacher buyer base, though product-led through physical hardware.
Emerging players
- StoryBots: A Netflix children's educational franchise (acquired by KIDZ BOP/Party of Six) covering science, math, and literacy through song and video. Comparable educational video format targeting similar K-3 viewers, but primarily digital-distribution-first.
- Khan Academy Kids: Khan Academy's free, standards-aligned early-literacy and math app for ages 2-7. Comparable K-3 educational content with a digital-first delivery model and free/distribution-rich monetization that competes for the same classroom and parent audience.
- Epic! (Read-Along Digital Library): A subscription digital library of children's books, audiobooks, and educational videos used in schools and homes for K-3 literacy. Directly comparable K-3 read-aloud and literacy mission with classroom-licensed distribution.
Direct peers
- Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood: A Fred Rogers Productions PBS Kids series targeting ages 2-5 with structured social-emotional and early-literacy learning through animated storytelling. Closely comparable product format, age band (pre-K), and PBS-only distribution.
- Sesame Workshop (Sesame Street): Sesame Workshop produces Sesame Street, the most directly comparable children's educational TV brand on PBS, targeting similar preschool/early-elementary audiences with read-aloud literacy and social-emotional content. Both organizations pair celebrity talent, classic library IP, and PBS LearningMedia curriculum alignment.
- Arthur (WGBH): Long-running PBS Kids animated series based on Marc Brown's children's books, serving K-3 audiences with literacy and life-skills content. Directly comparable literacy-adjacent format and PBS broadcast/distribution model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Reading Rainbow social profiles
Digital presenceReading Rainbow financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Reading Rainbow leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Reading Rainbow funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Reading Rainbow M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Reading Rainbow
What does Reading Rainbow do?
Reading Rainbow is a children's educational television series and literacy brand produced by Buffalo Toronto Public Media (BTPM). Each episode pairs a children's book read aloud (often by a celebrity reader) with host LeVar Burton's field trips and interviews, accompanied by downloadable educational activities for families and classrooms. The offering spans the classic 150+ episode archive, new 2024 revival episodes, and the Reading Rainbow Live interactive virtual event platform.
Is Reading Rainbow a public or private company?
Reading Rainbow is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Reading Rainbow founded?
Reading Rainbow was founded in 1983. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Reading Rainbow based?
Reading Rainbow is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Reading Rainbow make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Government Grants are the primary driver. The others are licensing and Episode Sales and streaming Platform Distribution.
Who are Reading Rainbow's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are PBS Kids, Scholastic Education, Wild Kratts / Kratt Brothers and LeapFrog (LeapFrog Enterprises). Emerging players are StoryBots, Khan Academy Kids and Epic! (Read-Along Digital Library). Direct peers are Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Sesame Workshop (Sesame Street) and Arthur (WGBH).
Does Reading Rainbow have an API?
No public API is recorded for Reading Rainbow.
What industry is Reading Rainbow in?
Reading Rainbow's product category is Children's Educational Media. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAGALAA, K–12 Instructional Video & Multimedia, with a secondary code of MPABAKAL, Family Co-Viewing Educational Channels. Its NAICS code is 61171.