Maryland Public Television plays key role in PBS KIDS series Carl the Collector earning national Emmy award

OWINGS MILLS, MD – The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences presented the PBS KIDS animated series Carl the Collector with the Emmy® Award in the “Outstanding Public Service Initiative” category at the 4th Annual Children’s & Family Emmy Awards on March 1 in New York. A team from Maryland Public Television played a major role in the series being honored in this category.

The popular animated series breaks new ground as the first PBS KIDS show to feature central characters on the autism spectrum and incorporate relatable stories, characters, and messages. It also features a production team that includes neurodiverse writers, voice talent, animators, advisors, and other staff.

The Children’s & Family Emmy's Outstanding Public Service Initiative category recognizes programs that demonstrate a significant commitment to social responsibility and community impact. Carl the Collector earned the national award for its “excellence in public service efforts to raise awareness and/or marshal support for one or more worthy community causes.”

The robust community engagement activities and Maryland state standards-compliant learning resources for educators and families – spearheaded by the MPT's Maryland Center for Media Literacy & Education team – were instrumental in the series' Emmy award in the Outstanding Public Service Initiative category. These supporting resources can be found at mpt.pbslearningmedia.org/collection/carl-the-collector/ and https://pbskids.org/carl.

"Carl the Collector clearly addresses autism and neurodivergence acceptance with sensitivity and kindness, but the Outstanding Public Service Initiative award is as much about off-air activity surrounding a program as it is about the content of each episode,” notes Betsy Peisach, vice president, Maryland Center for Media Literacy & Education.

MPT's participation in Carl the Collector brings the statewide public TV network its fifth national Emmy Award in its nearly 60-year history. MPT’s last national Emmy came in 2002, when its gateway to educational offerings for PreK-12 teachers and students, child care providers, and families – Thinkport.org – earned a Community Service Emmy in the “Local Public Service Announcement” category.

More about Carl the Collector

The series follows the everyday adventures of Carl, a warm-hearted autistic raccoon who enjoys collecting things and loves his friends and family in Fuzzytown. Carl pays extraordinarily close attention to detail and comes up with unique ideas that others might not consider. These traits have helped him amass his extensive collections—from autographs and bottle caps to fake mustaches, pet rocks, sweaters, and virtually everything in between—which can come in handy for solving problems around the neighborhood with his friends.

In each episode, Carl and his friends work and play together, and in the process, find out what makes each of them who they are. As a perfectionist, when Carl does something, he wants to do it well. He sometimes struggles with anxiety in new situations and has difficulty when things don’t go according to plan.

“Carl the Collector spotlights neurodiverse characters while exploring and celebrating the entire spectrum of humanity,” said Creator and Executive Producer Zachariah OHora. "The world of Fuzzytown is designed to be a place where all viewers will see themselves or someone they know in it. We hope Carl and his friends will encourage empathy and understanding, and ultimately show that everyone benefits when we recognize and embrace our differences.”

Carl the Collector episodes air at 11 am and 11:30 am Monday through Friday on the PBS KIDS channel. The livestream is available at pbskids.org/videos/watch/live.

The series is produced by Fuzzytown Productions and Spiffy Pictures and premiered in November 2024 on PBS KIDS in English and Spanish.

About Maryland Public Television

Maryland Public Television is a statewide, public-supported TV network and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) member offering entertaining and educational content delivered by traditional broadcasting and streaming on TVs, computers, and mobile devices via its online video player and the free PBS app. A state agency operating under the auspices of the Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission, MPT also produces local, regional, and national programming and frequently earns regional Emmy® awards for its work. MPT’s commitment to educators, parents, caregivers, and learners of all ages is delivered through its Maryland Center for Media Literacy & Education and Thinkport.org. MPT’s year-round community engagement activities connect viewers with resources covering a wide range of topics. More information is available at mpt.org.