Warner Bros. Discovery is the owner of Cartoon Network, an American cable television network that is frequently shortened to CN. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a corporation that oversees Boomerang, Cartoonito, Adult Swim, and Toonami’s production and broadcasting operations. The channel’s main office is in Atlanta, Georgia, at 1050 Techwood Drive NW.
The channel, established on October 1, 1992, primarily broadcast animated television shows, mostly children’s programming, ranging from action to animation humor. Ted Turner named Betty Cohen as the network’s first president. It operates daily from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET/PT (holidays and special programs may affect the sign-off time). Cartoon Network generally caters to children between the ages of 6 and 12. At the same time, its early morning show, Cartoonito, targets preschoolers, and its evening show, Adult Swim, targets young adults and older teens between 18 and 34.
Cartoon Network provides a different Spanish-language audio feed. Depending on the provider, this can be accessed through the SAP option or another channel with the English audio track removed as part of a package of Spanish-language television networks sold by subscription providers.
Approximately 94 million paying television households in the US had access to Cartoon Network as of March 2021.
Past Events
Turner Broadcasting System purchased Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists on August 9, 1986. Turner compelled MGM to be sold back on October 18. However, Turner founded Turner Entertainment Co. and retained much of the film and television library produced before May 1986, including a portion of the UA collection. Turner Network Television, the cable channel that debuted on October 8, 1988, attracted viewers with its vast film catalog. Turner also acquired the Hanna-Barbera cartoon studio’s repertoire in 1991. Ted Turner chose Betty Cohen, Senior Vice President of TNT, to create a network to host these shows. On February 18, 1992, Turner Broadcasting stated that it would open Cartoon as a channel for its animation library. One month after Turner’s idea was revealed, on March 12, 1992, its namesake parent corporation was established. The network debuted as the first 24-hour cable channel of a single genre with an animation theme on October 1, 1992.
Production on What a Cartoon! began in 1994 when Hanna-Barbera’s new division, Cartoon Studios, was established. With its 1995 premiere, this program featured original animated shorts. Two preschool shows debuted on Cartoon Network in 1996: Small World, an animated series geared toward preschoolers imported from overseas, and Big Bag, a live-action/puppet television program with animated short episodes produced by Children’s Television Workshop. After Turner Broadcasting System and Time Warner combined, ownership of all Warner Bros. cartoons was consolidated or reverted. After that, the network may carry on with more original shows.
Coding
Shows like Craig of the Creek, We Baby Bears, and The Amazing World of Gumball are currently among the original content available on Cartoon Network. Cartoon Network Studios produces the network’s original programming, while other shows are either bought from other studios, such as Warner Bros. Animation or co-produced with them. Cartoon Network has previously created and broadcast hybrid live-action and animated shows.
From the network’s founding in 1992 until 2017, Cartoon Network continuously showed a variety of Looney Tunes, Merrie Melodies, Tom and Jerry, and Droopy shorts. Cartoon Network was fortunate to have access to a vast library of animated shows in its early years, including titles from DC Comics (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Justice League, and Teen Titans), Hanna-Barbera (The Flintstones, Scooby-Doo, and Snorks), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (Tom and Jerry), and Warner Bros. (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies). Unlike its competitors, the network had access to a reputable animation studio thanks to Turner’s ownership of Hanna-Barbera. Most of these series were relocated to Boomerang in 2000 after being withdrawn by 1999.
Original Series
Cartoon Network Studios, the network’s in-house production company, is the source of a significant portion of its original content. Initially operating as a branch of Hanna-Barbera, this studio gave birth to several of the network’s first original shows, such as Johnny Bravo, Dexter’s Laboratory, Cow and Chicken, and I Am Weasel. The earliest animated television shows on Cartoon Network featured the Cartoon Cartoons brand, but by 2003, the network was hardly using it. In 2008, the name was finally dropped. In addition, companies other than the network’s in-house studio have produced several Cartoon Network original series. Ed, Edd n Eddy, Courage the Cowardly Dog, and Codename Kids Next Door are notable examples. In 2021, the network revived the moniker for a brand-new animated short series.
Blocks Used in Programming
Cartoon Cartoon Fridays was the channel’s flagship block from 1999 to 2003 when it debuted the new Cartoon Network original series under the Cartoon Cartoons banner. After Cartoon Network started to phase out the Cartoon Cartoons branding in 2003, the block was renamed “Fridays” from 2007 onward. Originally airing from 1997 to 2008, the Toonami block included primarily action-oriented shows targeted at older kids and teens, including imported anime programs. In 2012, the league was relaunched under Adult Swim’s umbrella. A live-action reality TV block targeting young people was introduced in 2009 under CN Real. The network debuted DC Nation, a coalition dedicated to television shows based on DC Comics concepts, in 2011.
Cartoon Network debuted two new blocks in September 2021, one geared toward preschoolers and the other toward family viewing. The preschool block, Cartoonito, and the new Sunday evening block, ACME Night, mostly feature family films and library content in addition to other original series, specials, and television films from Warner Bros. Animation and Adult Swim. They were unveiled as a part of Tom Ascheim’s plan to increase Cartoon Network’s audience penetration. On September 3, 2023, ACME Night relocated to Adult Swim due to Adult Swim’s daily sign-on time change to 5 p.m. ET/PT.
Studios for Production
Cartoon Network Studios
After Hanna-Barbera, Cartoon Network Studios is the network’s first animation studio division to produce original shows for the web. It is housed in the West Coast headquarters of the network in Burbank, California. While the studio has original content for the network, Cartoon Network Studios did not participate in the production of any of the original Cartoon Network or Cartoonito series, including Big Bag, Ed, Edd n Eddy, Mike, Lu & Og, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Sheep in the Big City, Codename: Kids Next Door, The Secret Saturdays, and Sunday Pants. After failed attempts to release pilots on the block, it began creating series for Adult Swim in 2014 with Williams Street, its sibling business. Additionally, it established live-action television series for Adult Swim, previously for Cartoon Network, and currently for Rent Now Productions, Factual Productions, and Alive and Kicking, Inc.
Williams Street
The adult production studio section of the network, Williams Street Productions, is based in Atlanta, Georgia, along with the network’s main offices. It supplies original material to the late-night programming block Adult Swim. Before joining Adult Swim, the company previously worked on Cartoon Network’s Space Ghost: Coast to Coast.
Europe’s Hanna-Barbera Studios
The network’s European production studio division, Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe (formerly Cartoon Network Development Studio Europe until 2012 and Cartoon Network Studios Europe until 2021), is based in London, England, and produces other original shows from the United Kingdom.
Cartoon Network Studios
Since December 5, 1993, Cartoon Network Productions has served as the worldwide distribution arm for series, pilots, and motion pictures on several international Cartoon Network channels.
Latin American Original Productions on Cartoon Network
Established in 2004, Cartoon Network Latin America Original Productions (abbreviated as CN LA) is the production studio branch of the network’s Latin American station, formerly known as Cartoon Network Producciones, until 2018.
FAQs
Why is the Cartoon closing its doors?
Cartoon claims shifting consumer habits and changing industry dynamics are the leading causes of its closure.
What becomes of the shows that are now airing?
What will happen to the series now airing is still being determined; some may move to different platforms.
Will there be another Cartoon in the future?
The official announcement does not mention a return, so it’s unclear what Cartoon future holds.
What effects does this have on employees?
Information regarding the effect on employees is still pending. The business will be keeping a careful eye out for any updates.
Is a farewell party scheduled?
Fans are asking for a goodbye party or special programming to honor Cartoon Network’s history, albeit this has not been confirmed.
How can supporters demonstrate their support?
Through social media, fans can keep showing affection for Cartoon Network, sharing their best moments, and lending their support to the creators who helped make the network successful.
In Summary
The decision of Cartoon Network to close signifies the end of an era and the start of a new one for the production of animated content. As we say goodbye to a beloved partner, we anticipate the opportunities the changing industry presents. We will always have a particular place in our hearts for Cartoon Network, proof of the timeless value of animated storytelling.