Reading Rainbow On ITunes

In celebration of Reading Rainbow’s 30th Anniversary next year, RRKidz Inc. has announced that the classic Emmy award-winning educational television series will make its digital debut for download on iTunes on Tuesday, October 9th.

Los Angeles (I-Newswire) October 9, 2012 - In celebration of Reading Rainbow’s 30th Anniversary next year, RRKidz Inc. has announced that the classic Emmy award-winning educational television series will make its digital debut for download on iTunes on Tuesday, October 9th.

Reading Rainbow which aired from 1983 to 2009 and hosted by actor LeVar Burton for the entire time, was designed to promote and encourage reading in elementary school age children. Bringing quality literature and real world themed videos into the living rooms for 26 years, Reading Rainbow reminded generations of children that through reading they can indeed “go anywhere, be anything.”

For the first time ever, all 152 episodes from this iconic television series can be purchased individually on iTunes or as volume bundles, giving parents, children and fans everywhere to opportunity to “take a look, it’s in the book.” Value priced at $1.99 for each 30 minute program, or $14.99 each for ten 15 episode volumes, families can offer their children dozens of hours of quality and trusted programming, viewable across numerous devices.

Augmenting the original series is a brand new Collector’s Edition offered for a limited time exclusively on iTunes for free. Featuring new segments with LeVar, the Collector’s Edition takes adult fans on a trip down memory lane by featuring the very first and the very last Reading Rainbow episodes and clips from other classic episodes. After its initial free availability, the Collector’s Edition will be made available for only $2.99.
As generations of fans of the TV show will remember, every episode of Reading Rainbow featured a children's book that Burton would expand into an exciting adventure that tied in real world experience with the book’s theme. Each of the books was read by renowned celebrity readers including Julia Child, Bill Cosby, Ossie Davis, Jeff Bridges, Richard Gere, Raul Julia, Eartha Kitt, and Gilda Radner.
The popular children’s book review segment which ended each episode, the iconic “butterfly in the sky” theme song and Burton’s trademark line, "but you don't have to take my word for it," have all entered into pop culture history.

“When Reading Rainbow went off the air, the outcry from parents that their children would not be able to enjoy this wonderful series was astounding. Now those same episodes you know and love from your childhood are available on iTunes,” says RRKidz Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer Mark Wolfe.

LeVar Burton emphasizes, “Never before has the entire series been available to the public. People ask me all the time where they can find Reading Rainbow episodes for their family, so now we have the answer. In sync with the Reading Rainbow brand, once, again we are moving the future of education to technology while simultaneously cherishing the original classics and promoting the love of reading for children.”