The Ameobazation of Cartoon Network

Time Warner Needs To Show More Love To Cartoon Network

There's a perfectly good reason why Nickelodeon is successful.

Viacom loves this network.

It's not just the money thing. It's not even the large audience the network brings in. Viacom shows Nickelodeon much love by allowing the network that began life as a small Ohio-based local network owned by Warner Amex (a group owned by American Express and Warner Communications, which later became . . . Time Warner [I'll talk about that connection in a future article]) to grow into a global powerhouse. When Nickelodeon wanted to launch spinoff networks, Viacom let them (TV Land, Noggin/The N, Nickelodeon GAS, and Nicktoons). Nickelodeon has access to the entire Paramount Studios library at any time, which is how TV Land aired animated versions of Paramount shows years ago. As a result, Nickelodeon shows growth in all aspects and remains the most-watched cable network in the US.

Time Warner really doesn't have the same love or reverence for Cartoon Network that Viacom has for Nickelodeon. Cartoon Network have to virtually beg to accomplish things. They have to pay to acquire programming from the Warner Bros. library, which is mindboggling. They can't air the restored Looney Tunes cartoons on their network. They have to manage aspects of the Kids' WB block and conform their own lineup to not compete with Kids' WB's. That's how Toonami lost its 4 PM starting time twice in three years and that's why Looney Tunes disappeared from Saturday mornings. And even though Cartoon Network's highest rated shows are aimed towards older kids, teens, and young adults, Time Warner still has this belief that Cartoon Network is, like Nickelodeon, a kids network even though from day one, that was never the case.

Did I mention that Time Warner hasn't done much to convience cable and satellite operators that both Cartoon Network and Boomerang are extremely different, yet very marketable networks. When DirecTV threatened to not renew the Turner networks, they ignorantly said that their customers don't need them because, and I'm not making this up, Cartoon Network is interchangable with Nickelodeon and CNN is interchangable with Fox News and MSNBC.

Cartoon Network isn't exactly in high esteems within Time Warner even though the network is the company's most-watched basic cable network (when you don't count sporting events). It's a shame really since Cartoon Network has also brought in a lot of ad revenue for the company, which helped them make a significant profit unseen since before the merger with America Online.

Cartoon Network is a unique entity within the Time Warner company with a strong legacy to uphold. Since Turner/Time Warner has the libraries of numerous animation studios of the past and two major studios that can produce original cartoon series, you'd think that Time Warner would be more celebratory of this part of the studio's history. Cartoon Network is, believe it or not, the torchbearer of the animation industry, bridging together classic theatrical and television animation, retro television favorites, modern American cartoons, and international animation from Japan, France, and Canada. There is a wealth of animation experts that should have a place within Cartoon Network that could guide the network to further greatness.