Guests: David Newall, David Bianculli, Sherri Hope Culver

Mister Rogers Neighborhood premiered 50 years ago on PBS. Generations of children grew up watching Fred Rogers and being reassured that they were special for simply being themselves. Fred Rogers’ songs, stories, and the Neighborhood of Make-Believe emphasized self-esteem, friendship, compassion, curiosity and imagination. Speaking directly to his young audience, Rogers often tackled tough topics like war, death, and divorce. Sadly Fred Rogers died of cancer in 2003 but the lasting influence of his show continues. This hour, we’ll pay tribute to Mister Rogers and look at his impact with DAVID NEWALL, who played Mr. McFeely on the show, DAVID BIANCULLI, TV critic and guest host for Fresh Air, and SHERRI HOPE CULVER, professor of media and communication at Temple University