"On Wednesday evening after dinner"

March 1st marks World Children's Television Day. In the USSR, children's television was represented primarily by programs like "Visiting a Fairy Tale" and "Good Night, Little Ones," but with the advent of the 90s, everything changed. Freedom and capitalism allowed children's television to flourish. Watching new programs became not only entertainment but also a window into a new world. Children from all over Russia gathered around the television to watch "Star Hour" or "Call of the Jungle," and TV host Sergei Suponev, with his kind gaze and smile, was just another member of the family. 

Speaking of Sergei Suponev, a childhood hero for millennials and the first major public loss for this generation. Sergei got a job as a loader at Ostankino in 1980, and in 1986 he joined the Children's Desk of Central Television. He hosted iconic children's shows and was beloved for his ability to connect with children. He treated young people as an equal, like a cool older friend, not a strict parent. In 2001, Sergei Suponev died in a snowmobile accident. He was 38 years old. It was a huge loss for both television and its viewers.