Big Bird, Small President (Sesame Workshop assets of $289 million)

Wall Street Journal ^ | 10/9/12 | Wall Street Journal

[jimbo123]

-snip-

According to financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2011, Sesame Workshop and its nonprofit and for-profit subsidiaries had total operating revenue of more than $134 million. They receive about $8 million a year in direct government grants and more indirectly via PBS subsidies. Big Bird and friends also receive corporate and foundation support, and donations amount to about a third of revenue. Distribution fees and royalties comprise another third and licensing revenue makes up the rest.

At the end of fiscal 2011, Sesame Workshop and its subsidiaries had total assets of $289 million. About $29 million was held in cash and "cash equivalents," mainly money-market mutual funds. Another $121 million on the balance sheet was held in "investments." According to the accompanying notes, these investments included stakes in hedge funds and private-equity funds. It's unclear from the financial statements if Big Bird has ever invested in funds run by Bain Capital, founded by Mitt Romney, but no doubt Sesame would be welcomed as a client by many investment managers.

[uncitizen]

Yep, Obelittler is a small, small man.

And a sociopath to boot,

[Oldeconomybuyer]

http://www-tc.pbs.org/about/media/about/cms_page_media/29/PBS%20Financial%20Report%202011.pdf

[SkyDancer]

Read: Taxpayer’s money. Working folks money.

[RummyChick]

Big Bird..part of the 1%

This info should go viral. I had no idea it was worth that much.

[boop]

I’m confused. Sesame Wokshop is this multi million dollar enterprise,but it’s “non-profit”? Why do I see Elmo all over the place? Where does all this moolah go? If it’s on PUBLIC television, paid for by taxpayers, does the “public” own Big Bird?