If WB and CN read this board...

[Brandon Pierce]

Why do they act like nobody cares about classic animation anymore? They say the classic animation gets low-ratings, but when you think about it, we all still watch Looney Tunes, add that with any other people who watch Looney Tunes, but don't post here, and I'd say that's good ratings. So, does WB and CN have PLEASURE torturing us?!

Oh, btw, did LT: Back in Action ever win that Annie Award?

[Cartman]

My theory is that even though there are lots and lots of us on this forum alone, CN still sees the majority of their viewers as kids who would rather watch shows like "Dexter's Lab",:dexter: :deedee: "Ed, Edd, and Eddy," and "The Powerpuff Girls.":bubbles: :bcup: :blossom:

Of course, there is the great adult market who wants to see shows on Adult Swim.

So I'm pretty sure we classic animation fans are still in the minority.

[nakak]

Yeah.

I do like some of the newer cartoons though, but most are from Adult Swim (I like "Futurama", "Family Guy", and believe it or not, "Home Movies". I remember watching "Lupin III" here in Japan when I was 6. It's considered classic here now)

[Jon Cooke]

It all comes down to money. Don't believe the "low ratings" myth. Looney Tunes and classic cartoons still do fine in the ratings. The reason is that these days Cartoon Network would rather run shows that they own outright like the Cartoon Cartoons.

Matthew pretty much summed it up on Jerry Beck's board recently: CN has to pay to air Looney Tunes, and have no incentive to air them. Warner Bros. just expects them to, while any money for character merchandising goes to WB and CN sees none of it.

So, in CN's eyes, what's the point of running Bugs and Daffy cartoons when they could run Powerpuff Girls or Scooby Doo in those slots? Properties they own 100% of, including any profits to be had from merchandising. Notice that the only classic cartoon show on the normal schedule, Tom and Jerry, is one that CN owns completely: films, characters, and merchandising rights.

It's sad, but that's how CN programmers and executives think these days.


-Jon

[Thad Komorowski]

Notice that the only classic cartoon show on the normal schedule, Tom and Jerry, is one that CN owns completely: films, characters, and merchandising rights.
Jon, I had no idea about that! Then again, it's the only worthy or believeable theory I've heard on the major overdoseage of Tom & Jerry on CN ...


-Thad

[Ben]

It's sad, but that's how CN programmers and executives think these days.

It's how any business would think. It seems to me that the fault lies with the internal organization of AOL/Time Warner, not necessarily with CN.

[Corrado]

"Oh, btw, did LT: Back in Action ever win that Annie Award?"

Finding Nemo won.


"The reason is that these days Cartoon Network would rather run shows that they own outright like the Cartoon Cartoons."

I'd have to agree with you on that. They and the Kids-WB acquistions (Mucha Lucha) are the ones heavily pushed in the commercials. In fact, "Mucha Lucha" is being promoted more than "Johnny Bravo" at the moment but that's other story.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, just be glad the classics are on DVD.

[Thad Komorowski]

It's how any business would think. It seems to me that the fault lies with the internal organization of AOL/Time Warner, not necessarily with CN.
That may be true, but does it really make it right, or excuse CN from denying us of watching our favorite cartoons?

CN is beyond from saving, folks. Boomerang doesn't look much better ... They're at least doing the right thing by restoring the cartoons for DVD release...


-Thad

[Boy Wonder]

Well, here is my theory:

Most of the viewers are interested in the badly animated crap.
Adult Swim thrives (thats not a bad thing)
Boomerang: Put everything over there
Thats what I think.

[Daniel P]

Well, here is my theory:

Most of the viewers are interested in the badly animated crap.
Adult Swim thrives (thats not a bad thing)
Boomerang: Put everything over there
Thats what I think.Did you not see Jon's post? It explains the real reason classic cartoons besides Tom and Jerry aren't shown... It's not because of ratings or other programming "thriving."

It makes perfect sense. I didn't know that CN owned the complete rights to Tom and Jerry, but now it seems obvious. Why else would cartoons that Cartoon Network is still able to show are neglected? If Cartoon Network wanted to, they could show Underdog, Rocky and Bullwinkle, The Harveytoons Show, and other shows in the Program Exchange, as well as classic MGM and Warner Brothers cartoons from the 1930s and early 1940s, the classic Hanna-Barbera shows, and as we all know, Popeye...

Cartoon Network isn't seen in my household anymore, though (and this includes several people in Cartoon Network's key demographics -- I get to control what is watched). It's not just because they neglect classic cartoons -- most of the programming that can be seen otherwise isn't worth watching and the programming that is has been repeated countless times.

The bright side of this can be found simply by looking at a DVD release schedule. In one week and one day The Flintstones: Complete First Season will be released, and Jetsons, Walt Disney Treasures, Tom and Jerry, and more Looney Tunes and Rocky and Bullwinkle follow... :D


-Dan

[Nelson]

Cartoon Network is beyond saving, as the channel is offically out of the classic cartoon business and focusing more on Cartoon Cartoons, Adult Swim and anime for their audience.True to form, CN has left their classic cartoon audience left out in the cold, as this network thinks of themsleves as a kids network.CN feels that a character like Scooby Doo is more marketable and can make the company more money than a character(s) such as Popeye or Bugs Bunny in today's market.

I would be in favor of seeing Cartoon Network launch a third all toon channel strictly devoted to the classic theatrical cartoons, but I don't see that happening at all.One reason, is that the company would have to dish out millions of dollars and try to sell the channel to cable retailers across the country.It took me three years just to get Boomerang and just imagine on how long a new channel would take to reach all households across the country.

I see that Turner Classic Movies are slowly becoming the great savor of the theatrical classic cartoons and with the slow decline with the classics being shown on CN, more and more of the classics have been popping up on TCM, in the last year or so than ever before.Some of the cartoons that TCM has shown in recent months, has never seen the light of day on CN and to me, is the step in the right direction on TCM's part.

With the classic toon library that TW owns(Warners, MGM and Paramount) I don't think it would be enough to cover an entire week, as they would have to aquire the other studios(Sony, Viacom and Universal) to cover a seven day program roster and that alone would cost millions, just to do that.