Does anyone wish CN would be an all-ages network again just like the 90s and early 2000s?

[JMTV]

Ok, since you didn't "get it" despite my post being somewhat lenghty, I'll further explain.

CN is 24/7 everywhere in the world except for the US. Don't see a reason why we couldn't get back to that in USA to bring more variety to the channel. Boomerang doesn't need to run all day. Having a limited schedule from 6AM-8PM would bring again more variety to Boomerang and having Adult Swim on the same channel from 8PM-6AM would bring in more variety to that "block" too. I modified the initial idea slightly.

What do you mean we don't get it?!

First of all, I read your post, and I respectfully disagree on what you're saying. Cartoon Network cannot run 24/7 anymore because kids don't watch TV during those late-night hours, and advertisers are not going to advertise those hours when kids weren't even tuning in. Like I said before, kids can watch CN content elsewhere rather than just on TV. It is what is.

Second of all, just because Cartoon Network in other countries run 24/7, that doesn't mean the US can followed suit. Other countries has different laws and different standards compared to the US, so that's not even that comparable.

Thirdly, I'm sorry, but moving Adult Swim to Boomerang does not work either because it would be the same thing as Cartoon Network, but on a upper tier cable package, and not many people had Boomerang. Plus, it would also demising Adult Swim's presence and it would make the brand less valuable, and it'd make Boomerang Cartoon Network 2 already.

Just because international feeds are lazy doesn't mean it can't have potential again.

Welp, there's nothing we can really do about it. I hate to repeat myself, but CN are not going to change unless the people the top are willing to.

Also, @BlooMac did brought up a very good point below.

The ideal thing to do is merge Adult Swim or the earlier portion of it (Checkered, ACME, Bob's, Hill) into CN and just let it be a general audience channel.

This what I think Cartoon Network should've gone if they are going through a young adult direction.

Either merge with Adult Swim or merged the earlier parts of Adult Swim back to CN and become a general audience channel.

 

[Checkerboard]

In which case it can change its name to Warner TV basically...
Also, they could have made Boomerang more available if they really cared.

 

[Silverstar]

In which case it can change its name to Warner TV basically...

WBD could change Cartoon Network's name to Warner TV tomorrow if they wanted to, but at this stage Cartoon Network has become a globally recognized brand, like McDonald's. The name can't really be changed now.

Also, they could have made Boomerang more available if they really cared.

@JMTV already elaborated on this, but while international Boomerangs are noticeably different (Britain and Canada's Boomerangs are essentially Cartoon Network, for example) US's Boomerang is more or less just a storage bin for CN's hand-me-downs. It's been that way since its' inception in 2000. Most Americans aren't willing to spend full price for a channel that doesn't air anything new; yeah, there's stuff like MeTV, but that's free. Boomerang US isn't designed to make its' parent company any real money beyond ad revenue and subscription fees (heck, US Boom was only created to get the older CN shows off the main channel in order to make room for the newer shows and acquisitions), which is why there's never been any drive on Warner's part to expand its' availability.

Rather than splintering their blocks into separate channels, I would simply integrate Boomerang, Adult Swim and what's left of Cartoonito into CN and rebrand the whole thing as a general channel for animation lovers.

 

[JMTV]

In which case it can change its name to Warner TV basically...

Nah, it's not as recognizable. Plus, it reminds me of The WB.

Also, they could have made Boomerang more available if they really cared.

Well, that's Warner Bros for ya! Cuz, we all know they don't.

Also, @Silverstar already talked about Boomerang above, so I'm not going through that again.

 

[cartoonnetworkpoke]

This thread has proved how much of a mess CN is in. Like I've said since Snyder left The channel has been mismanaged terribly. If only executives had listened to the fans I do believe the channel could be in a much different place. But oh well. At least I have the memories of this channel.

I will be traveling to Europe this week. I'm interested to see how CN's schedule is and how it compares to the US. It might line up with my theory about CN being better outside America.

 

[Checkerboard]

Where you going might I ask? It's definitely different. Feel free to report back what you find

And yes, CN US is like trying to untie some endless knot. It's frustrating honestly that they let it get to this point where there aren't any good options. But that's because since Betty left any longterm vision went bye bye with all the executive shifts.

 

[cartoonnetworkpoke]

Where you going might I ask? It's definitely different. Feel free to report back what you find

And yes, CN US is like trying to untie some endless knot. It's frustrating honestly that they let it get to this point where there aren't any good options. But that's because since Betty left any longterm vision went bye bye with all the executive shifts.

Portugal, Switzerland, and France.

 

[JMTV]

I will be traveling to Europe this week. I'm interested to see how CN's schedule is and how it compares to the US. It might line up with my theory about CN being better outside America.

Alright, good luck on your trip.

 

[cartoonnetworkpoke]

Alright, good luck on your trip.

Thanks! I'll report my findings! From what I've seen CN is doing better oversees.

 

[J'onn J'onzz]

Things have changed a lot since the 90s and early 2000s. CN has been very obsessed with advertising and demographics for 20 years now. In the city era they became more clearly differentiated between Cartoon Network and adult swim. That isn’t changing any time soon.

If you want a general animation channel, go to Boomerang. There are commercials for tax preparation, Nickelodeon, toys, online school, and cleaning products all in the same break. Boomerang is as close as you will get to a channel that airs large amounts of TV-G cartoons that both nostalgic adults and kids can enjoy. Even many shows which originally had ratings like Y7 have been re-rated TV-G in recent months on Boomerang.

 

[Moe]

Of course, I was old enough to watch TV normally before Cartoon Network launched in Oct 1992 and remembered watch their channel in 1993, so it was almost entirely rerun, beside ToonHeads for few years. My grandparents watched Cartoon Network in the morning and they stopped watch in late 1990s or 2000s because Cartoon Network changed and not same anymore.

Now, rating demographic showed that most of viewers are adult and Cartoon Network is correcting, but it won't change overnight and it take more time for CN to be transitioned back to all age channel.

When CN was new channel, it wasn't carried by cable TV for few years and cable TV in my area added it in 1993, but military housing in NoVA didn't carry until 2-3 years later. Of course, I'm military brat because my dad served in Marines for 20 years.

 

[Late Noods Era Guy]

Yes, They Will

 

[Goldstar!]

Yes, They Will

Provided the higher-ups over at Warner Discovery began taking a renewed interest in the channel and begin greenlighting some shows over on the CN side and just on Adult Swim.

In any case, course correction of this magnitude will happen gradually, not abruptly. It potentially can happen and likely will happen, but it's going to take time. It won't happen right away, unless some crazy rich mogul who loves media decides to step in and pay WBD a boat load of cash.

 

[Late Noods Era Guy]

Provided the higher-ups over at Warner Discovery began taking a renewed interest in the channel and begin greenlighting some shows over on the CN side and just on Adult Swim.

In any case, course correction of this magnitude will happen gradually, not abruptly. It potentially can happen and likely will happen, but it's going to take time. It won't happen right away, unless some crazy rich mogul who loves media decides to step in and pay WBD a boat load of cash.

Maybe Elon Musk can buy it lol

 

[Elijah Abrams]

Provided the higher-ups over at Warner Discovery began taking a renewed interest in the channel and begin greenlighting some shows over on the CN side and just on Adult Swim.

Did that happen yet?

 

[Goldstar!]

Did that happen yet?

Switch over to Cartoon Network for about 20 minutes and you tell me.

 

[JUS28]

Switch over to Cartoon Network for about 20 minutes and you tell me.

I believe you, though! I wonder why the higher-ups changed their mind all of a sudden. By the way, do you remember Amy Friedman? She was the one who greenlit Iyanu: Child of Wonder and Invincible Fight Girl.

 

[J'onn J'onzz]

The lack of new shows in the 2020s is part of a broader context of a series of corporate mergers, Covid shutdowns, writers and actors strikes, and decades of accumulated debt. Less animation is being done even at streaming services and other tv channels. The current situation isn’t something exclusive to CN.

The channel doubled down on TTG and Gumball for years, and the audience moved on. New executives at WBD looked at a balance sheet and saw it’s not worth making and acquiring new shows that cost a lot of money only to get burned off at 6 am, something CN did for decades to more shows than I can count. Now the corporate owners are left looking at a channel that is hollowed out and unprofitable. They can’t even sell children’s advertising in the morning, so the 6-10 am hours will soon air without commercials.

CN schedulers are recently trying to make the best of their library, but it isn’t clear that reruns of other past CN shows have helped turn the ship around. The Sunday block of 2010s cartoons which Byer helped set up is being cut back to remove We Bear Bears and Steven Universe is being cut from an hour to a half hour. He has said that Boomerang shows (like modern iterations of Tom and Jerry, Looney Tunes, and Scooby Doo) do well on recent CN lineups though.

https://x.com/byerbethere/status/1773149797043548410?s=46

 

[JMTV]

The lack of new shows in the 2020s is part of a broader context of a series of corporate mergers, Covid shutdowns, writers and actors strikes, and decades of accumulated debt. Less animation is being done even at streaming services and other tv channels. The current situation isn’t something exclusive to CN.

Not only that, but streaming services removes shows and movies (originals or back catalog) in order to avoid paying royalties from talent, almost to the point of de-listing shows off of digital storefronts, or worse, getting a tax write-off.

 

[J'onn J'onzz]

Not only that, but streaming services removes shows and movies (originals or back catalog) in order to avoid paying royalties from talent, almost to the point of de-listing shows off of digital storefronts, or worse, getting a tax write-off.

Yeah, that is also a big problem. Most of the work that was being done under prior executives has been scrapped and written off. Many Cartoonito and CN shows were scrapped in production, or even written off without releasing. So I don’t see there being a particularly bright future for CN in terms of future animation. They could probably bring in an even more Boomerang like schedule and actually do better than currently.