Common Sense Media Review
By Marina Gordon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Warm, fast-paced news show promotes empathy, activism.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 5+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
KID CORRESPONDENT is a four-episode pre-election YouTube show that's structured like a newscast, in which 8-year-old host Riah quips and introduces the theme of the week and various segments -- "Ask a Grownup" (celebrity guests), "ad" breaks, dance party, etc. It's fun, colorful, fast-paced, and features a racially diverse set of kid correspondents who are all appropriately socially distanced (it was produced during the Covid era) and remote but edited to appear they're interacting in real time. In addition to such celebrity guests as Mandy Moore and Rainn Wilson, Riah interviews kids who are speaking up (by phone banking, protesting, and more).
Is It Any Good?
In a year when everyone seems to be talking about politics, families with young children will welcome this positive, inspirational antidote to the often combative rhetoric around the 2020 election. Kid Correspondent may remind parents of a similar TV show from another era; think of it as Zoom for the Zoom generation. In four brief episodes, relatable host Riah presents a fun, friendly, kid-empowering world in which big ideas (empathy, healthy disagreement, cats vs. dogs) can be explored in a supportive way. The kid correspondents have a "let's put on a show!" vibe, as though a production from your local elementary school made its way to the big YouTube stage. The celebrity guests who appear in "Ask a Grownup" segments (Mandy Moore, Rainn Wilson, Robin Roberts, and Lisa Loeb are in the first two episodes) are warm and earnest, and the "Kid of the Week" segments will encourage elementary-age viewers to think about what they believe and how to make their voices heard.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about whose advice about interacting with others in Kid Correspondent is most meaningful to you? Did you find the kid correspondents more helpful or the celebrities featured in "Ask a Grownup"?
What issue are you most passionate about? Why is it important to you? What's something you can do about it?
What kinds of questions would you want to "Ask a Grownup?" What do grownups know that kids don't? And what do kids know that grownups don't?
Families can talk about communication and empathy. Why are these important character strengths? How does Riah communicate with guests on the show? How does hearing other people's thoughts and ideas help with feeling empathy towards them?
Kid activists like Greta Thunberg and Malala Yousafzai have made a big impact on the world. When do you think kids should start learning about the world around them? What about becoming activists for causes they care about?
TV Details
- Premiere date : October 28, 2020
- Cast : Riah Wyllie , Christian Kelley , Ava Martinez
- Network : YouTube
- Genre : Educational
- Topics : Activism , Friendship
- Character Strengths : Communication , Compassion , Courage , Empathy
- TV rating :
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
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