Editing 3-2-1 Contact (section)

===Initial conception===
''3-2-1 Contact'' was the brainchild of [[Samuel Y. Gibbon Jr.]], who had been the executive producer of the original ''[[The Electric Company]]'' for the CTW from 1971 to 1977. (Gibbon had left the CTW before ''Contact'''s production officially began, though he was still credited as "Senior Consultant".) The show was based on the original concept of ''[[The Curiosity Show]]'',{{citation needed|date=January 2024}} an Australian science-based children's educational TV show that had been running since 1972. That program was hosted by Australian scientists [[Rob Morrison (scientist)|Rob Morrison]] and [[Deane Hutton]], who were consultants to The Children's Television Workshop in the early planning stages of what became ''3-2-1 Contact''. CTW wanted to make a version using American scientists as presenters,{{citation needed|date=January 2024}} but PBS did not think that middle-aged scientists would engage a young audience{{citation needed|date=January 2024}} (despite the popularity of the format in Australia) and insisted that any science show be hosted/presented by young people.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}} CTW eventually reworked the concept into ''3-2-1 Contact''.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}