Daily post 21 Apr 2006 07:30 am
Cartoon Network/No mo’
– The Cartoon Network concern seems to be building. Yesterday’s post on Cartoon Brew appropriately called the reason for the problem, as if it weren’t obvious.
MONEY. That’s what makes the world go ’round.
When the Network started up, Ted Turner sought an outlet to capitalize on the Hanna-Barbera library he’d bought. He brought in Betty Cohen from TNT to run it, and she brought in Linda Simensky to program shows. Within a relatively short time, for a new cable network, they rose to the number one basic cable station in the US.
Programming cartoons – #1 !
Then Turner made the mistake of his career; he sold out to Time Warner. Idiots that they are, Time-Warner opened the goose that layed the golden egg. Gone were the people who made the Network a success; in were the new cool/hip people with their anime-all-the-time bent. They could get lots of cartoons from Japan for a song and dump it on the kids. Cheap programming brought no audiences.
(They forgot to buy Hello Kitty.)
The new classics that brought us live-action.
How to get cheaper programming? Cartoons difficult; live-action easy. The Cartoon Network is now showing Dumb and Dumber (I guess Dumber and Dumberer was too expensive!) and Saved by the Bell. Unfortunately they won’t be saved by any bell. These live-action shows will tank, and the elite Cartoon Network will become obso-lete before long.
No, I don’t think I’m being pessimistic; just realistic. Human Nature and Greed has a way of turning in on itself. Still and all, it’s entertaining to watch.
on 21 Jul 2006 at 10:39 pm 1.courtne said …
hey!!! you guys took off some really good shows!!!!! please bring back, tenchi muyo, and outlaw star and all the old anime. thank you