Levar Burton is a strange kind of celebrity. He had his hands firmly entrenched in Star Trek before turning his sights on scientific pursuits, mixed in with some children's reading television shows for good measure. When Reading Rainbow ended, it was a sad time for reading and children's books as a whole, but every show has its time. It turns out Levar is going to the crowdsourcing super power Kickstarter to bring the show back to the delight of every book-toting kid around.
The show won't be getting air time like it used to, but with the power of the Internet at an all-time high, does it really matter? Levar is lobbying investors to bring the show back to the Internet for a new series with all-new interactive books.
Crowdfunded Book Shows
Levar Burton Has Gone to Kickstarter to Bring Back the Reading Rainbow
Trend Themes
1. Crowdfunded Entertainment Shows - With the rise of crowdfunding platforms, there's an opportunity to use the backing of the masses to fund new and innovative forms of entertainment.
2. Online Interactive Book Platforms - The Internet's ability to connect people and offer new forms of media like interactive content is creating opportunities to build new education platforms and tools for children.
3. Celebrity Crowdfunding - Celebrities are increasingly turning to crowdfunding platforms to fund projects, and there's potential to leverage their reach and influence to bring attention to new ideas and ventures.
Industry Implications
1. Publishing - With declining book sales and the rise of online media, traditional publishing houses could use the success of crowdfunded book shows to influence new marketing and distribution strategies.
2. Education Technology - Crowdfunding platforms offer a way to launch new ed-tech startups and tools for classrooms, inspired by the successful interactive educational platform of Reading Rainbow.
3. Streaming Services - With the increasing number of online streaming services, launching a nostalgic and educational show like Reading Rainbow could attract an untapped market of millennial parents and their children.