Doing Things "A Little Differently": An Integrated Approach to Autism Representation on PBS Kids 79 views

As disability and neurodiversity become more visible in children’s television, PBS Kids series offer a valuable lens for examining how public media constructs and circulates representations of autism. Across programs aired from 2010 to today, the emergence of autistic characters reflects not only shifting cultural understandings of neurodiversity, but also the institutional priorities shaping children’s media. Moving beyond scholarship that separates textual analysis from production contexts, this thesis brings critical media industry studies into conversation with disability media studies to position PBS Kids series as a key site of cultural production. Drawing on Julie D’Acci’s integrated approach to media studies, these series are situated within the brand’s production process, educational frameworks, and funding structures through close readings of select episodes and insights from interviews with industry professionals. By analyzing how portrayals of autistic characters are shaped across PBS Kids series, this thesis argues that autism representation functions not simply as an inclusion initiative, but as a defining feature of the brand’s public service identity. At PBS Kids, autism representation is shaped by collaboration with autistic voices and experts, as well as by the unique constraints and possibilities of public media. Together, these factors illustrate how the brand’s structure enables sustained investment in nuanced, pedagogically grounded representation for all children within a changing public media landscape.

MA (Master of Arts)

PBS KIDS; Autism representation; Critical Media Industry Studies; Disability Media Studies

2026-04-19