June Bugs - highest rated event ever for CN

[laugh4me]

http://tv.zap2it.com/images/people/50-80/b/bugsbunny80.jpg

It looks like June Bugs went over pretty well - here's an article about the ratings for the marathon...

The Cartoon Network’s June Bugs, an annual tribute to Bugs Bunny, set a record as the most-watched stunt in the network’s history, drawing over 29 million viewers for the month, with more than half of the viewers adults.

The three day marathon, which aired from 11 p.m. on June 1 to midnight Sunday, June 3, drew 6 million more viewers than the event did in 2000, and 8 million more than in 1999. The event also scored well in households, pulling an average 1.6 rating, up 14 percent from last year. The ratings for Kids 9-14 gained 21 percent, Kids 2-11 was up 15 percent, while Kids 6-11 grew 47 percent. In addition, Adults 18-34 were up 40 percent compared to last year.

The retrospective on the cartoon classic Bugs Bunny (modeled on Clark Gable's "It Happened One Night" character) was ultimately incomplete after the network decided to cut 12 cartoons for being possibly offensive. The racial stereotyping existent in the 12 "Bugs Bunny" episodes, many of which date back to WWII, were not unusual for the times. In 1941's "Hiawatha's Rabbit Hunt," Bugs outsmarts a bumbling Indian and in the '50s he sells tickets to "Uncle Tom's Cabinet," a parody of Harriet Beecher Stowe's antislavery novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin."



How about that final paragraph? :rolleyes:

Here's the article this came from. (http://tv.zap2it.com/news/tvnewsdaily.html?18292)

[William Padron]

Yes, even this morning's New York Post (Wednesday, June 6) also told the story that CN's "June Bugs" marathon, or as I personally liked to referred as the cartoons were being shown (in Elmer Fudd's terms) "wall-to-wall Wabbit" style, was viewed by 29.3 million different viewers during this past weekend. I am pretty sure that, even with the much attention made by the press on the censored 12 Bugs titles not being aired, there was more than just one factor which drew huge cable TV audiences (particularly the adults) actually watching CN at some point in time during this marathon.

[mmv3000]

between the Censored 11/12 hoopla and the fact they were showing 50 or so ABC cartoons, there's the factors. Plus, it was just Bugs :p

The only question is, how are they going to follow it up next year?

[Jon Cooke]

That's great to hear JUNE BUGS got such impressive ratings!


Originally posted by mmv3000
The only question is, how are they going to follow it up next year?

I have been thinking the same thing. HOW will they top this year's June Bugs? I think they should air some restored episodes of The Bugs Bunny Show. They could promote the marathon saying something like "featuring Bugs Bunny footage not seen on television for over 30 years!"


-Jon

[mmv3000]

maybe, just maybe, they can debut 1 or 2 brand new Bugs cartoons during the next marathon.

[Jack]

Do you mean from the "censored 12" list, or actually new cartoons. If they do, they will need someone who can actually do voices, someone with a good sense of timing, someone with a good understanding of the characters, someone who is EXTREMELY good with music, someone who can design great looking backgrounds and characters, and someone who isn't affraid of putting them into situations that are different. This will be hard, but if they could do that, and make cartoons that live up to the standards of the old ones, then it would be worth it. I would never want to see a bunch of From Hare To Eternitys or a bunch od Box Office Bunnys..


Jack:D

[mmv3000]

I meant brand new ones.

As far as getting the various talents, the first place I'd look is the staff of the Animaniacs/Pinky and the Brain shows. They've proven to be able to stay out of the ruts.

[Rob]

I hope CN takes note of the large number of adult June Bugs viewers, and realizes that it ain't just for kids!

As for next year (as Jon alluded to earlier), how about airing some old episodes of THE BUGS BUNNY SHOW or THE BUGS BUNNY-ROAD RUNNER SHOW? If not entire episodes, maybe some bumpers here and there. MAYBE (and this would be cool) CN could get Kool-Aid to sponsor June Bugs, and they could show some vintage Bugs commercials from the '60s.

[lislebartman]

I for one am glad that CN's JUNE BUGS marathon registered high ratings. Maybe this will open the eyes of those at Warners & maybe, just maybe, they will see that adults still love the classics! Hopefully they will begin showing at least some of the Censored 11 during the late hours more often. WE THE ADULTS HAVE SPOKEN!!!