Will PBS’ Top-Rated Kids’ Show Survive?

Here’s a problem for “Arthur” to ponder in an upcoming episode: What impact will the unfolding financial woes of the series’ co-producer, Montreal-based Cinar Corp., have on the future of the PBS children’s series?

The answer could mean a lot to the Public Broadcasting Service. The animated “Arthur,” based on the best-selling books, is PBS’ top-rated children’s show, and by PBS calculations, the most-watched children’s show on television.

In recent days, amid questions of financial irregularities, Ronald Weinberg and Micheline Charest, the husband-and-wife team who had founded and run the publicly traded company that produces nonviolent programming and educational products for children and families, resigned by mutual consent with Cinar. Late last week, three Canadian government agencies suspended their funding of the company, pending answers to questions, including the issue of an unauthorized investment of $122 million.

Not only does Cinar co-produce “Arthur” with WGBH-TV in Boston, but the company also has a hand in two other current PBS series: the year-old “Zoboomafoo,” in which preschoolers meet animals and learn how to care for them, and “Wimzie’s House,” also for preschoolers, about a puppet monster. “Caillou,” which is being adapted for the U.S. from a hit from Canadian television, is scheduled to join the PBS lineup in the fall and has just started production. PBS ordered a full season of the show about life lessons for preschoolers.

PBS and WGBH declined to comment, other than to say that they are keeping a close eye on the situation. Cinar spokeswoman Suzan Ayscough said the PBS shows remain in production and that the company is working to answer the funding agencies’ questions as quickly as possible.

On Friday, the company said that it had received approximately $46 million of the $122 million in unauthorized investments. Ayscough said Cinar is “committed to providing clear answers to key issues. . . . We are continuing to work on clarifying all of this situation and in satisfying the information needs of the securities commissions, of the exchanges, and of our shareholders as soon as possible.”