Following Protests, Apple to Allow Peanuts Specials to Air on PBS

Peanuts specials "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" and "A Charlie Brown Christmas" will air on broadcast TV after all, with Apple planning to provide them ad-free on PBS and PBS Kids on November 22, 2020 and December 13, 2020, respectively.

charlie brown thanksgiving image
Apple's decision to air the specials on PBS comes following a petition from Peanuts fans unhappy with Apple gaining rights to the Peanuts content through its partnership with Wildbrain. The petition ultimately garnered more than 250,000 signatures.

Apple had planned to provide access to the specials for free through the Apple TV app, but petitioners called on the Cupertino company to bring the specials back to traditional broadcast television. Those who want to watch the Peanuts specials on television instead of through the ‌Apple TV‌ app will now be able to do so on select dates.

"Peanuts" fans will have even more ways to watch Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the gang on their holiday adventures as Apple and PBS team up for special ad-free broadcasts of "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" and "A Charlie Brown Christmas." To complement their release on Apple TV+ this holiday season, "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" will also air on PBS and PBS KIDS on November 22, 2020 at 7:30 p.m. local time / 6:30 p.m. CT and "A Charlie Brown Christmas" will air on PBS and PBS KIDS on December 13, 2020 at 7:30 p.m. local time / 6:30 p.m. CT.

Apple also plans to stream the Peanuts specials ad-free on ‌Apple TV‌. Apple will air "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" starting on November 18, and it will be free for everyone from November 25 to November 27.

"A Charlie Brown Christmas" will be available on ‌Apple TV‌+ starting on December 4, and it will be free to watch from December 11 to December 13.

Popular Stories

2024 iPhone Boxes Feature

Apple Adjusts Trade-In Values for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and More

Thursday November 6, 2025 11:12 am PST by
Apple today updated its trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models. Trade-ins can be completed on Apple's website, or at an Apple Store. The charts below provide an overview of Apple's current and previous trade-in values in the U.S., according to its website. Maximum values for most devices either decreased or saw no change, but the iPad Air received a slight bump. ...
Finder Siri Feature

Apple's New Siri Will Be Powered By Google Gemini

Wednesday November 5, 2025 11:57 am PST by
The smarter, more capable version of Siri that Apple is developing will be powered by Google Gemini, reports Bloomberg. Apple will pay Google approximately $1 billion per year for a 1.2 trillion parameter artificial intelligence model that was developed by Google. For context, parameters are a measure of how a model understands and responds to queries. More parameters generally means more...
Liquid Glass General Feature

Apple Shares Liquid Glass Design Gallery

Thursday November 6, 2025 2:45 pm PST by
Apple is promoting the new Liquid Glass design in iOS 26, showing off the ways that third-party developers are embracing the aesthetic in their apps. On its developer website, Apple is featuring a visual gallery that demonstrates how "teams of all sizes" are creating Liquid Glass experiences. The gallery features examples of Liquid Glass in apps for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac. Apple...
iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Available Now With These 8 New Features

Monday November 3, 2025 5:54 am PST by
Following more than a month of beta testing, Apple released iOS 26.1 on Monday, November 3. The update includes a handful of new features and changes, including the ability to adjust the look of Liquid Glass and more. Below, we outline iOS 26.1's key new features. Liquid Glass Toggle iOS 26.1 lets you choose your preferred look for Liquid Glass. In the Settings app, under Display...
airtag purple

Apple's Website Lists AirTag 4-Pack at Shockingly Low Price [Updated]

Friday November 7, 2025 6:40 am PST by
Apple's online store in the U.S. is suddenly offering a pack of four AirTags for just $29, which is the same price as a single AirTag. This is likely a pricing error, and it is unclear if orders will be fulfilled. Apple has not discounted the AirTag four-pack in any other countries that we checked. Delivery estimates are already pushing into late November to early December, suggesting...
apple watch se 3 always on

Apple to Remove iPhone-Apple Watch Wi-Fi Sync in EU With iOS 26.2

Thursday November 6, 2025 4:37 am PST by
Apple in iOS 26.2 will disable automatic Wi-Fi network syncing between iPhone and Apple Watch in the European Union to comply with the bloc's regulations, suggests a new report. Normally, when an iPhone connects to a new Wi-Fi network, it automatically shares the network credentials with the paired Apple Watch. This allows the watch to connect to the same network independently – for...
ikea smart home devices

IKEA Debuts 21 HomeKit-Compatible Smart Bulbs, Sensors, and Controls

Thursday November 6, 2025 4:08 pm PST by
IKEA today announced the upcoming launch of 21 new Matter-compatible smart home products that will be able to interface with HomeKit and the Apple Home app. There are sensors, lights, and control options, all of which will be reasonably priced. Some of the products are new, while some are updates to existing lines that IKEA previously offered. There are a series of new smart bulbs that are...
Home Hub Command Center with Dome Base Feature

Apple's 2026 Smart Home Revamp: All the Rumors

Wednesday November 5, 2025 3:54 pm PST by
It's been over a decade since Apple's HomeKit smart home platform launched, and it is overdue for an update. HomeKit and the Home app can no longer keep up with AI-powered solutions from other companies like Google and Amazon, but that's set to change with a smart home revamp that Apple has planned for 2026. Home Hub Apple is working on a home hub or "command center" that will serve as a...

Top Rated Comments

Apple Desktop Bus (ADB) Avatar
65 months ago

There are actually plenty who can’t afford internet at all. Get out of your bubble/
These folks who were "protesting" were doing so online. They have internet access.
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iapplelove Avatar
65 months ago

Those with poor Internet those that cannot afford to buy a bargain priced DVD at the checkout line can be happy again.
There are actually plenty who can’t afford internet at all. Get out of your bubble/
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tamara6 Avatar
65 months ago
I'm confused - is there a disadvantage to the Peanuts specials being broadcast on PBS? I'm confused why some people think this is bad. Are you being hurt by this in some way?
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tylersdad Avatar
65 months ago

There are actually plenty who can’t afford internet at all. Get out of your bubble/
Well, clearly people who cannot afford high-speed internet do not deserve to watch Charlie Brown.

I'm kidding, of course, but that seems to be the mentality of some of the previous commenters.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nutmac Avatar
65 months ago
Those with poor Internet or those that cannot afford to buy a bargain priced DVD at the checkout line can be happy again.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
topdownjimmy Avatar
65 months ago
Telling people what they should be able to afford is pretty crappy. $5 for a DVD is not the same as free.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)