When will Cartoon Network become a household name?

[Gorbash]

We know that Cartoon Network has been going through very low ratings this past year and I think it's because Cartoon Network shattered many of their chances at becoming a household name by playing some of the most lackluster titles during their 05-09 run and bringing live action to the network. Now they are going through 2.0-1.anything ratings.

If Cartoon Network does manage to survive though, chances are is that they'll grow on the viewers much like Nickelodeon did back in the day. So when do you think Cartoon Network will become a household name?

I give it 20 years when a good chunk of the 90's kids are out of college and on the verge of raising family.

[Checkerboard]

I'm sorry, but isn't Cartoon Network a household name already?

- They have been on the air for more than 18 years
- They have come up with dozens of popular original shows (World Premiere Toons -> What A Cartoon Show -> Cartoon Cartoons -> Cartoon Cartoon Fridays)
- They have aired literally hundreds of shows over the years
- They have had many memorable blocks over the years (Toonami, Boomerang, Super Chunk, Super Adventures, Power Zone)
- They have an HD version of the channel available.
- They are global with many international/local feeds (Europe, Latin America, UK, Australia, Spain, Germany, France, India, Japan, etc.)
- They have Boomerang (also worldwide) and Adult Swim.
- They are still producing original shows to this day (Adventure Time, Regular Show, Robotomy, Flapjack, Chowder, etc.)
- Cartoon Network is more known/famous than Nickelodeon or Disney Channel, eventhough Disney and Nick have better ratings. If you ask people, you will see what I mean.

So tell me again, how is Cartoon Network not a household name?

[josie]

Well in Europe Cartoon Network is a household name and the channel that comes to mind when you think about cartoon channels. In the UK it's the most watched children channel (along with Boomerang), it's probably the same in the rest of the continent. Disney, Nick etc don't come close.

[CartoonNetRulzz]

In Bulgaria Cartoon Network has been airing since the mid-90s and is well known, now it is available in almost every operator and is known well, but now Disney Channel is more popular than CN. In 2007 Jetix (now Disney Channel) started broadcasting in Bulgarian, this actually made it gain more viewers than CN, because CN started broadcasting in Bulgarian 2 years later. Disney is also usually in the Top 10 most watched channels in Bulgaria (it was once in 5th place).

[Silverstar]

Cartoon Network has been around for nearly 2 decades. It has channels all over the world, has spawned numerous iconic shows and programming blocks, and if you mention 'CN', 'Boomerang' or '[adult swim]' to most people, they'll know what you're talking about. So I'd say that Cartoon Network is a household name already.

[cuzin34]

I'm sorry, but isn't Cartoon Network a household name already?

- They have been on the air for more than 18 years
- They have come up with dozens of popular original shows (World Premiere Toons -> What A Cartoon Show -> Cartoon Cartoons -> Cartoon Cartoon Fridays)
- They have aired literally hundreds of shows over the years
- They have had many memorable blocks over the years (Toonami, Boomerang, Super Chunk, Super Adventures, Power Zone)
- They have an HD version of the channel available.
- They are global with many international/local feeds (Europe, Latin America, UK, Australia, Spain, Germany, France, India, Japan, etc.)
- They have Boomerang (also worldwide) and Adult Swim.
- They are still producing original shows to this day (Adventure Time, Regular Show, Robotomy, Flapjack, Chowder, etc.)
- Cartoon Network is more known/famous than Nickelodeon or Disney Channel, eventhough Disney and Nick have better ratings. If you ask people, you will see what I mean.

So tell me again, how is Cartoon Network not a household name?

I have to agree but CN's ratings are terrible when you compare them to nick and disney.

[Daxdiv]

Considering that you can get Cartoon Network in most basic cable packages rather than premium packages, I'd say it's a pretty common household name. Cartoon Network just had to deal with being in 3rd place behind Nick and Disney.

[Dr.Pepper]

I would say it's a household name now. Sure it doesn't have the best ratings out of the big three kids' channels, but I think anyone with a TV knows about it.

[ToonsLover]

We know that Cartoon Network has been going through very low ratings this past year and I think it's because Cartoon Network shattered many of their chances at becoming a household name by playing some of the most lackluster titles during their 05-09 run and bringing live action to the network. Now they are going through 2.0-1.anything ratings.

If Cartoon Network does manage to survive though, chances are is that they'll grow on the viewers much like Nickelodeon did back in the day. So when do you think Cartoon Network will become a household name?

I give it 20 years when a good chunk of the 90's kids are out of college and on the verge of raising family.

Well compared to its previous years, I'm pretty sure CN's ratings are better and better each year. CN has always been #3 when it came to Nick and Disney.

[Silverstar]

We know that Cartoon Network has been going through very low ratings this past year and I think it's because Cartoon Network shattered many of their chances at becoming a household name by playing some of the most lackluster titles during their 05-09 run and bringing live action to the network. Now they are going through 2.0-1.anything ratings.

If Cartoon Network does manage to survive though, chances are is that they'll grow on the viewers much like Nickelodeon did back in the day. So when do you think Cartoon Network will become a household name?

I give it 20 years when a good chunk of the 90's kids are out of college and on the verge of raising family.

Cartoon Network will probably always be 3rd behind Disney and Nick; the former 2 have been around longer and have secured a lock on the kids' entertainment franchise.

CN just needs to land on a solid identity and start marketing themselves as the alternative to Nick and Disney rather than trying to follow in their footsteps.

But just because CN isn't #1 doesn't mean that the network is struggling to survive nor does it mean that they're not internationally known, because they most certainly are. Cartoon Network is an internationally recognized brand name, and practically everyone with a TV knows about CN, so it's already a household name now. It doesn't need to try and become one.

[Manga4life]

I would say that Cartoon Network is most definately already a household name, especially with homes that have children and teenagers who like to watch cartoons. Just because Nickelodeon and Disney are more popular does not mean that people are clueless about Cartoon Network, afterall, we all know what Taco Bell is despite the fact that more people eat at McDonalds and Burger King, don't we?

[Checkerboard]

I think that Cartoon Network's position on the market is becoming more secure thanks to the fact that basically ALL of the CN channels around the world are now sharing the almost exact 'Check it' identity. They are all very similiar to each other, even with CN in the US. I think that was a good idea. It's something MTV has done with their channels abroad around the world - they all look more less the same. That makes the brand stronger as a whole.

[DELETED]

CN just needs to land on a solid identity and start marketing themselves as the alternative to Nick and Disney rather than trying to follow in their footsteps.

Why? CN has always been the 'alternative' to Nick and Disney, and that's gotten them nowhere. See "Unnatural History" and "Tower Prep". Those live-action shows are definitely in the opposite vein (i.e. an alternative) of iCarly and Suite Life, but kids sure as heck didn't show up for those shows.

I mean, when iCarly and Victorious get higher Boys ratings than Adventure Time and Ben 10, something is wrong.

[firefoxprime]

Why? CN has always been the 'alternative' to Nick and Disney, and that's gotten them nowhere. See "Unnatural History" and "Tower Prep". Those live-action shows are definitely in the opposite vein (i.e. an alternative) of iCarly and Suite Life, but kids sure as heck didn't show up for those shows.

I mean, when iCarly and Victorious get higher Boys ratings than Adventure Time and Ben 10, something is wrong.

duh. Pretty girls with humor vs. heavy plot driven drama

[Kiddington]

Why? CN has always been the 'alternative' to Nick and Disney, and that's gotten them nowhere. See "Unnatural History" and "Tower Prep". Those live-action shows are definitely in the opposite vein (i.e. an alternative) of iCarly and Suite Life, but kids sure as heck didn't show up for those shows.

I mean, when iCarly and Victorious get higher Boys ratings than Adventure Time and Ben 10, something is wrong.

I think he means alternative as in "all animation channel", instead of "animation/live-action hybrid" or "general kids network".

If CN were to go back to its roots as being an all animation network, that would be a real alternative to Nick and Disney. IMO, they are not so now. Yeah, they do have a lot more animation than either one of those networks, but they are still trying to follow in both of their footsteps by going ahead with these live-action projects (even if most of them are different in premise). They've been trying to morph themselves into a general kids channel for several years (which is exactly what Nick and Disney already are), and that, therefore, does not make them a true alternative.

[Silverstar]

Originally Posted by Moi

CN just needs to land on a solid identity and start marketing themselves as the alternative to Nick and Disney rather than trying to follow in their footsteps.

Why? CN has always been the 'alternative' to Nick and Disney, and that's gotten them nowhere. See "Unnatural History" and "Tower Prep". Those live-action shows are definitely in the opposite vein (i.e. an alternative) of iCarly and Suite Life, but kids sure as heck didn't show up for those shows.

I think he means alternative as in "all animation channel", instead of "animation/live-action hybrid" or "general kids network".

If CN were to go back to its roots as being an all animation network, that would be a real alternative to Nick and Disney. IMO, they are not so now. Yeah, they do have a lot more animation than either one of those networks, but they are still trying to follow in both of their footsteps by going ahead with these live-action projects (even if most of them are different in premise). They've been trying to morph themselves into a general kids channel for several years (which is exactly what Nick and Disney already are), and that, therefore, does not make them a true alternative.

That's precisely what I meant.


Cartoon Network was the alternative to Nick and Disney back when they were an all-animation channel for all ages, when their schedule ran the gamut between classic H-B cartoons to WB and MGM shorts to Toonami to the Cartoon-Cartoons to Space Ghost: Coast to Coast, O Canada and Sunday Pants. With this current trend of trying to market themselves as a boy-centric general kids' network they're clearly just trying to follow along the heels of Nick and Disney XD. In its' present day state, CN is more like a wannabe Disney/Nick channel than an alternative to it, though there are some bright spots.

[Spaceman]

Cartoon Network is a household name in the very broadest sense. When people think of Cartoon Network, they think of Scooby Doo or Tom & Jerry or Looney Tunes or some other icon from the WB/Hanna-Barbera archives. If you're lucky, maybe they'll think of Ben 10 or The Clone Wars.

I think what the OP wants is for Cartoon Network to become a household name on the strength of it's original properties.

[Kool345]

I know Cartoon Network is already a household name, even if its not as popular as Nick and Disney Channel. That doesn't mean kids hate CN, it means they would rather watch Nickelodeon and Disney Channel's tweencoms, than CN's cartoons. I'm sure, Cartoon Network will have more big moments where they beat Disney Channel and Nick, like with Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster and Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins. And, I'm sure one day, Cartoon Network could be a great alternative to Nick and Disney, and one day, Cartoon Network could be great competition with Nick and Disney, such as having similar numbers to Nick and Disney, and then, that would be interesting to see. As for the household name, kids do know about CN and they do think of Scooby Doo and Looney Tunes, and those shows when they hear Cartoon Network. Hopefully, one day, originals will fall into that place as well.

[miraimike]

...or they could, I dunno, just concentrate on airing good shows. That was the whole theory behind The Big Pick and Cartoon Cartoons: the best shows get greenlighted.

[ChildHood90s]

...or they could, I dunno, just concentrate on airing good shows. That was the whole theory behind The Big Pick and Cartoon Cartoons: the best shows get greenlighted.

Remember Cartoonstitute? The bad economy is what did that project in, even with Craig McCracken and Rob Renzetti at the helm. I don't think CN can have another "Big Pick" weekend until they have enough money in the bank.

http://comments.deviantart.com/4/6465375/1085753054 <-- Why Cartoonstitute was cancelled.