WB Animation and Cartoon Network Studios merge; will remain as seperate labels

[LinusFan303]

To be fair, Cartoon Network's been stagnant since around 2016 or so, long before Discovery came into the picture.

It's been a mess since that was the AT&T purchase era and that was dragged out for about a year, then a judge allowed AT&T to buy Warner that was by 2018, and then they had to set in motions new plans then pandemic hits, then AT&T gives up and another sale happens, been hard for CN to do really do anything.

I know everyone hates him but the issue is AT&T has mismanaged this company so much. Zaslav is just tryna make sure that everything is in the green and doing damage control to what AT&T did.

AT&T was laying off people left and right too. they killed off Tru TV and everyone who worked there was laid off, they were dismantling TBS and TNT's structures.

 

[Silverstar]

It's a mess to be sure, but the first few months of a merger usually are.

I admit I was one of those people who allowed themselves to get really upset over this (as recently as this past Monday, to be exact!), but now I can see a lot of my angst had to do with constant doom-scrolling and the increasing amount of articles and videos stating that WBA and Cartoon Network were doomed and Zaslav was the devil out to destroy cartoons, diversity and goodness all over the world.

Now I see that the truth of the matter is that while his actions have indeed been rash and he clearly has no appreciation for fine art (he seems to view all forms of entertainment in the same vein as the cheap single camera shlock that he's used to making possible), in the long run, this could turn out to be a good thing for WB and CN. Zaslav is easy to dislike, but when all is said and done, he's trying to balance the books and clean up the mess that AT&T left behind, AT&T screwed Warner up and over big time.

Cartoon Network has been stagnant for a while, and for a long time one of Warner's biggest problems is that they were a fleet of ships all sailing independently with no captain at the helm giving them direction. With CN Studios and WBA now under one roof, WB may finally have some semblance of unity that can prevent a boondoggle like this from happening again, and if this actually manages to breathe new life into Cartoon Network and revitalize its' programming as well as WB's features, which have also been lagging, well that's a good thing, folks.

As for the "Zaslav's trying to kill diversity" thing, while Studio 13 will be shut down, its' TV Writer/Director Workshops will continue, just under the studio's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) unit.

Now that I've been able to sift through all the muck, I can say that while the actions thus far have been erratic and sudden, things aren't as bad as the internet and news media have been making them out to be. I'm still taking a "wait and see" approach, but now I'm trying to be cautiously optimistic.

 

[cartoonnetworkpoke]

It's been a mess since that was the AT&T purchase era and that was dragged out for about a year, then a judge allowed AT&T to buy Warner that was by 2018, and then they had to set in motions new plans then pandemic hits, then AT&T gives up and another sale happens, been hard for CN to do really do anything.


AT&T was laying off people left and right too. they killed off Tru TV and everyone who worked there was laid off, they were dismantling TBS and TNT's structures.

Yeah things have been really bad about WB. Really feel bad for all those workers.

 

[cartoonnetworkpoke]

It's a mess to be sure, but the first few months of a merger usually are.

I admit I was one of those people who allowed themselves to get really upset over this (as recently as this past Monday, to be exact!), but now I can see a lot of my angst had to do with constant doom-scrolling and the increasing amount of articles and videos stating that WBA and Cartoon Network were doomed and Zaslav was the devil out to destroy cartoons, diversity and goodness all over the world.

Now I see that the truth of the matter is that while his actions have indeed been rash and he clearly has no appreciation for fine art (he seems to view all forms of entertainment in the same vein as the cheap single camera shlock that he's used to making possible), in the long run, this could turn out to be a good thing for WB and CN. Zaslav is easy to dislike, but when all is said and done, he's trying to balance the books and clean up the mess that AT&T left behind, AT&T screwed Warner up and over big time.

Cartoon Network has been stagnant for a while, and for a long time one of Warner's biggest problems is that they were a fleet of ships all sailing independently with no captain at the helm giving them direction. With CN Studios and WBA now under one roof, WB may finally have some semblance of unity that can prevent a boondoggle like this from happening again, and if this actually manages to breathe new life into Cartoon Network and revitalize its' programming as well as WB's features, which have also been lagging, well that's a good thing, folks.

As for the "Zaslav's trying to kill diversity" thing, while Studio 13 will be shut down, its' TV Writer/Director Workshops will continue, just under the studio's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) unit.

Now that I've been able to sift through all the muck, I can say that while the actions thus far have been erratic and sudden, things aren't as bad as the internet and news media have been making them out to be. I'm still taking a "wait and see" approach, but now I'm trying to be cautiously optimistic.

Yeah same here maybe with all the fat being trimmed they can focus on other things.

 

[Florida Jones]

Well, the good news at least, is that this should curb any rumor of Cartoon Network being shut down. I'll admit, I've been feeling a bit more pessimistic about Cartoon Network's future recently than I have been in the past, but I think Silverstar made some great points. Cartoon Network and Warner Bros Studios being together can help streamline the process and help bring a sense of unity and, potentially, more quality content. Something we haven't consistently seen in recent years. Hopefully, that's what Zaslav had in mind, but we'll have to see.

With that said, I would like to say that I am disgusted that Cartoon Brew would try and spread this alarmism that because of this merge, Cartoon Network is on borrowed time, or worse, on it's last legs. I'm even more disappointed that there are people spreading this around like it's fact (looking at you Valiskibum). We know the reality here, we know what's going on. Yet using hyperbole to light a match on bad news always profits. It's sickening and it's a warping of the truth.

 

[Ghoster1987]

I'm even more disappointed that there are people spreading this around like it's fact (looking at you Valiskibum).

Valiskibum just cares about the clicks and youtube revenue

 

[nick p]

Cartoon Network has gone downhill since 2013

 

[cartoonnetworkpoke]

Well, the good news at least, is that this should curb any rumor of Cartoon Network being shut down. I'll admit, I've been feeling a bit more pessimistic about Cartoon Network's future recently than I have been in the past, but I think Silverstar made some great points. Cartoon Network and Warner Bros Studios being together can help streamline the process and help bring a sense of unity and, potentially, more quality content. Something we haven't consistently seen in recent years. Hopefully, that's what Zaslav had in mind, but we'll have to see.

With that said, I would like to say that I am disgusted that Cartoon Brew would try and spread this alarmism that because of this merge, Cartoon Network is on borrowed time, or worse, on it's last legs. I'm even more disappointed that there are people spreading this around like it's fact (looking at you Valiskibum). We know the reality here, we know what's going on. Yet using hyperbole to light a match on bad news always profits. It's sickening and it's a warping of the truth.

I'm sorry but Valiskibum, The roundtable, and co are just looking for clout. In my view they are just to blame for the decline of CN as much as anybody. They never wanna talk about other CN shows besides TTG and they don't even have the experience in knowing how to run a company or business.

 

[lowell]

Well, the good news at least, is that this should curb any rumor of Cartoon Network being shut down. I'll admit, I've been feeling a bit more pessimistic about Cartoon Network's future recently than I have been in the past, but I think Silverstar made some great points. Cartoon Network and Warner Bros Studios being together can help streamline the process and help bring a sense of unity and, potentially, more quality content. Something we haven't consistently seen in recent years. Hopefully, that's what Zaslav had in mind, but we'll have to see.

With that said, I would like to say that I am disgusted that Cartoon Brew would try and spread this alarmism that because of this merge, Cartoon Network is on borrowed time, or worse, on it's last legs. I'm even more disappointed that there are people spreading this around like it's fact (looking at you Valiskibum). We know the reality here, we know what's going on. Yet using hyperbole to light a match on bad news always profits. It's sickening and it's a warping of the truth.

It's eventually going to have to follow Disney Channel and Nickelodeon who do have some migration to streaming.

WarnerDiscovery should realize Cartoon Network is basically their kids brand at this point.

 

[StellaMagic]

Okay. So what you are saying about New Line Cinema is kinda like Hanna Barbara did back in 2001; HB properties are moved over to WB Animation(and CN Studios for its originals), but the HB name still exists.

I can see the same thing happened with CN Studios at that point.


Similar to what happened with Hanna Barbara. I'm sensing a deja vu.

Yeah same here. It sucks that these animators are gonna be losing their jobs over this, but hey, at least one studio is better than none.

After all the removals, layoffs, and cancellations for the past couple of months, at least I'm glad that Zaslav didn't go to extreme lengths to kill off Cartoon Network like many people are fearing (though that theory is a bit of a reach).

Well, CN Studios announced 3 new originals are coming up very soon (Invincible Fight Girl, Unicorn Worlds Eternal, and Adventure Time with Fiona and Cake), so we'll see what WBA can do.

I hope they're good and the people behind those shows get proper treatment, but yeah, it's gonna be hard for the animators to get back to WB after all this mess.


Who knows? Anything can happen.


And that's why I really hate Twitter in the first place.


Well, you're not wrong.

Well, to be fair, I wouldn't even hate Zaslav so much if he actually cares about kids and family entertainment way before he got his hands at Warner Bros.

He’s keeping the animation studios, isn’t he. Blame the inflation on paper, ink, pens, and paints

 

[Leviathan]

Zaslav and WBD really suck at PR

Now I see that the truth of the matter is that while his actions have indeed been rash and he clearly has no appreciation for fine art (he seems to view all forms of entertainment in the same vein as the cheap single camera shlock that he's used to making possible), in the long run, this could turn out to be a good thing for WB and CN. Zaslav is easy to dislike, but when all is said and done, he's trying to balance the books and clean up the mess that AT&T left behind, AT&T screwed Warner up and over big time.

And that justifies cutting Craig of the Creek's episode order in half.... how?

It's their biggest non-Teen Titans Go show. It would not be unlike Nickelodeon doing the same to The Loud House or Disney Channel doing it to Big City Greens.

If Zaslav is NOT gearing up to sell WB for scrap, he and his goons are doing a piss-poor job of communicating that, either to pink-slipped artists or outsiders

As for the "Zaslav's trying to kill diversity" thing, while Studio 13 will be shut down, its' TV Writer/Director Workshops will continue, just under the studio's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) unit.

The union had to twist WBD's arm for that. The backlash was just that severe, so don't give your precious Zaslav credit for that.

 

[Checkerboard]

I am worried what effect this will have on the international channels once he is done streamlining the US. Disney has shut down a dozen feeds after launching Disney+ and Paramount despite not even having a VOD service in most countries for MTV/Nick/Comedy Central has been shutting down feeds in the past years as well. For example MTV and Nick have several global feeds covering literally over ten countries. Cartoon Network has several European feeds, but they might merge them into one since HBO Max is go.

 

[R Lopez]

And that justifies cutting Craig of the Creek's episode order in half.... how?

It's their biggest non-Teen Titans Go show. It would not be unlike Nickelodeon doing the same to The Loud House or Disney Channel doing it to Big City Greens.

Well, maybe Craig isn't actually that big a hit?

 

[Checkerboard]

Maybe it is, but five seasons, a movie and spin-off is more than enough for any show I think.

 

[cartoonnetworkpoke]

I am worried what effect this will have on the international channels once he is done streamlining the US. Disney has shut down a dozen feeds after launching Disney+ and Paramount despite not even having a VOD service in most countries for MTV/Nick/Comedy Central has been shutting down feeds in the past years as well. For example MTV and Nick have several global feeds covering literally over ten countries. Cartoon Network has several European feeds, but they might merge them into one since HBO Max is go.

Nah don't think so. I think one thing people need to understand is that CN has been doing pretty well internationally. CN in Spain, Latin America, Asia, and etc are WAY better when compared to its American counterpart.

 

[Checkerboard]

Popularity wise maybe, but technically and presentation wise they are an incoherent mess. Namely the feeds in Europe. Which to be fair was in a way always the case, but now with the internet to compare it's more apparent. It wouldn't surprise me and wouldn't make much of a difference in some cases. But HBO Max here is under scrutiny already, so maybe not.

It would be easier for everyone if the dude said what his endgoal is and what will go. But the communication is terrible. Yeah, huge company, new guy, I get it. Still, terrible.

 

[R Lopez]

Maybe it is, but five seasons, a movie and spin-off is more than enough for any show I think.

Every time one of those was announced, I thought "Is there really that much demand for Craig stuff?"

I guess my thing is, maybe it's a hit for current-day CN standards... but that's not saying much. That's not a cartoon that "everyone" knows. CN hasn't had an unqualified hit in years (even TTG is about as divisive as a hit show can be), and that is part of the reason why it feels so vulnerable in this new era, with unpredictable management.

 

[Silverstar]

Zaslav and WBD really suck at PR

I never said they didn't.

And that justifies cutting Craig of the Creek's episode order in half.... how?

It's their biggest non-Teen Titans Go show. It would not be unlike Nickelodeon doing the same to The Loud House or Disney Channel doing it to Big City Greens.

I like Craig of the Creek, but is it really that big a hit? I don't hear many people talking about like that. The fact is CN hasn't had a breakout hit in a while outside of Teen Titans Go!. Anyways, I don't recall ever saying the move was justified; I didn't mention CotC at all, actually. I just finished dinner, so kindly don't put words in my mouth.

If Zaslav is NOT gearing up to sell WB for scrap, he and his goons are doing a piss-poor job of communicating that, either to pink-slipped artists or outsiders

Again, I'm not arguing that point. Their methods of just doing whatever they choose to at any given moment without so much as informing people of their plans is really crappy and unprofessional; again, never said it wasn't.

The union had to twist WBD's arm for that. The backlash was just that severe, so don't give your precious Zaslav credit for that.

"My precious"? So I'm Gollum now?

It's weird; I re-read my previous post a few times now, and I didn't spot where I said that Zaslav should be credited for that, or anything else for that matter. I just said it happened and we should be grateful for it.

But I forgot, everyone here has to think of Zaslav as Satan or else he's our Bestie. That's it. Period. There's no neutral ground, nothing in between, no shades of gray. I've stated multiple times now that I don't approve of his recent actions, that I stand firmly with the artists and creators and that I'm not a big reality TV fan, but just because I don't want the man's head on a pike in your mind that means I must be in love with the guy. Got it. Nothing simplistic or childish about that mindset at all.

You want to super-angry about all this, go ahead, be my guest, have fun with that, but don't take your frustrations out on me or anyone else here. I didn't put David Zaslav in charge of Warner Bros. Furthermore I'm not the only one who's not screaming that the sky is falling or saying that all of this gloom-and-doom talk is a) overblown and b) being at least partially fabricated by YouTubers and media articles in order to generate clicks and clout, so again, why are you singling me out? Am I somehow not allowed to be cautiously optimistic? Am I only supposed to be miserable? Sorry, but I've done miserable, I prefer the opposite, thanks.

You'd think people would at least be happy that Cartoon Network isn't shutting down and that we're still getting new shows for it, but I guess not. Forgive me for trying to see a slight silver lining here. (And again, I'm not the only one here doing so; why not rag on them once in a while?) BTW, little secret: CN US wasn't doing all that spectacularly before all this. Or am I not supposed to say that either?

 

[Zanneck]

Going thru this whole thread so far, I only have this to say..... UGH.

Zaslav is a hate-sink and so are his mostly money-grubbing (not purely money-saving like he wants to lead people onto thinking he is, if hes wasting money on reality TV junk, for example!) actions to so-called save WBD, honestly enough. Seeing one of the few shows I like, Craig of the Creek, get hurt like this - as well as seeing Final Space and Close Enough get canned so unfairly? Yeah, I'm not holding out hope for CN nor Adult Swim and anything else under this umbrella to truly get better until I see a little more love and respect for animation in general from this regime.

NO JUST NO HELL NO to any and all reality TV crap. Barely anyone likes reality TV in general/unironically and most people only watch it to make fun of those participating in such noise, at the end of the day. We need more serious shows to be made and those that are still proven hits to stay around, not less, whether live-action or animated (especially).

Even if CN is still alive and kicking after all this..... I'm not holding out much hope for their future outputs like I want to. They need to do better by those making these shows, more than anything.

 

[Eldorado]

What if instead of working in a studio, crewmembers can just work from home now and use Zoom and other stuff for staff meetings? That way they won't have to pay a thing for a new building.