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Amazon greenlights pilot for original children's series

The show, "Sara Solves It," will be co-developed by WGBH and Out of the Blue Enterprises and will stream free for Amazon Prime subscribers.

Shara Tibken Former managing editor
Shara Tibken was a managing editor at CNET News, overseeing a team covering tech policy, EU tech, mobile and the digital divide. She previously covered mobile as a senior reporter at CNET and also wrote for Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal. Shara is a native Midwesterner who still prefers "pop" over "soda."
Shara Tibken
2 min read
Amazon Studios is developing original content for the company's site. Screenshot by Shara Tibken/CNET
Amazon is giving the green light to a test pilot for an original children's series, adding to its Prime video service library at a time when exclusive content is becoming more important.

The company's movie and series production arm, Amazon Studios, today said the new show, called "Sara Solves It" will be co-developed by WGBH and Out of the Blue Enterprises. It's created by Emmy Award winner Carol Greenwald, who has worked on "Curious George" and "Arthur," and Emmy nominee Angela Santomero of "Blue Clues" and other shows.

The show will revolve around brother and sister duo Sara and Sam as they solve mysteries "that spring from the questions young children encounter in their daily lives." Each mystery is an interactive, math-based puzzle that the viewer can solve along with the characters, Amazon said.

Video streaming providers, like Amazon and Netflix, have branched out from simply offering studio-provided content to making shows of their own. Original and exclusive programming is a big differentiator for the companies, and the competition to secure such contracts has been fierce. Netflix, in particular, has done well with offering original programming. Its "House of Cards" series has proven to be a hit, and the company also plans to debut a new season of "Arrested Development."

Amazon said there are now 12 pilots under way through its studios arm. Once completed, the pilots will be posted on the company's Prime Instant Video site and Amazon Instant Video for customers to watch for free. Most pilots will also be available on LOVEFiLM UK and LOVEFiLM Germany. Viewers can give feedback to help Amazon Studios determine which series to produce.