Cartoonito - News & Discussion Thread

[JTOONSAnimation]

A few days ago it was announced that Cartoon Network and HBO Max have picked up the new preschool series Batwheels. In the same article, president of Cartoon Network, Tom Ascheim stated:

“Batwheels is the perfect show to headline our new foray into preschool.”

From the sound of it, Cartoon Network is gonna try doing preschool shows again. They've done it twice to no success, with Big Bag and Small World in the late 1990's, and TickleU in the mid 2000's. But at the same time the current president of CN also helped get the Noggin network (now Nick Jr.) up and running successfully/

So...third time's the charm?

 

[EdCNPowerpuffDrama]

Nobody was asking for another pre-school block. Cartoon Network was always a channel known for cartoons with raunchy humor and action cartoons targeted for kids 6-11. There's a reason as to why Tickle U, Big Bag and CN Real failed. None of these belonged to Cartoon Network. Kids don't watch CN for pre-school or live action shows, they watch CN for cartoons that entertains them and makes them laugh after an exhausting day of school. I know cable is dying, and CN's numbers are now worse than ever before, but that doesn't excuse them trying to do something that already failed many times before. What's next, are they going to try airing live action shows again?

 

[JMTV]

Nobody was asking for another pre-school block. Cartoon Network was always a channel known for cartoons with raunchy humor and action cartoons targeted for kids 6-11. There's a reason as to why Tickle U, Big Bag and CN Real failed.

Don't forget Fried Dynamite...

 

[Mostezli]

Cartoon Network was always a channel known for cartoons with raunchy humor and action cartoons targeted for kids 6-11.

CN has already been infantilized. There's a reason DC on CN only works as Go! or as all the adult heroes as school kids. There's a reason they had to reboot Scooby Doo & Looney Tunes the way they did. There's a reason Ben 10 is the way it currently is. The list goes on.

 

[Red Arrow]

Also don't forget that Warner Bros Animation and Cartoon Network Studios now belong together, so it makes sense to start targeting a new audience.

 

[RainbowCupcake]

Isn't the new We Baby Bears cartoon going to be a preschool show? I don't think it's been confirmed yet, but it sure sounds like it is.

 

[Daikun]

CN is going to skew young while Boomerang will skew even younger.

 

[superkeegan9100]

I wouldn't be surprised if Sesame Workshop fare such as Sesame Street and Esme & Roy will end up on Cartoon Network seeing as how the latter's "Elmo's Playdate" special was simulcasted on Cartoon Network and Boomerang...

 

[Red Arrow]

Guys, let's be honest here, Christina Miller also mostly targeted 6-11. The 12-14 target audience has been gone for a while now. Steven Universe Future and Infinity Train are the exceptions that prove the rule.

However, 6 years old is not really "pre-school". Maybe CN's pre-school block will be called Boomerang?

 

[ToonsJazzLover]

Hopefully this means CN's morning/schooltime block will be less bland. I remember when it used to be Scooby-Doo, Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry, and the ended CN shows (during the early 2010s) and we would saw those shows during sick days or on holidays.

 

[Red Arrow]

Like that won't be confusing...

Does it confuse you that Nickelodeon has a Nick Jr. block and Disney Channel has a Disney Junior block?

 

[CNC]

So what.....they're gonna bring Cartoonito to the U.S.?

 

[Tacomaster]

I guess it'll kind of be preschool on CN and Boomerang, but older skewing at the same time. I think CN preschool is best when it does skew slightly older than traditional preschool programs(Mr. Men and Krypto come to mind).

 

[ToonDude03]

CN is going to skew young while Boomerang will skew even younger.

Oh dear, that doesn't sound good for CN and ESPECIALLY not for Boomerang...

 

[Tacomaster]

Oh dear, that doesn't sound good for CN and ESPECIALLY not for Boomerang...

Why not? Is it because of your personal biases toward 9-14 for CN and classics for Boomerang?

 

[EdCNPowerpuffDrama]

CN is going to skew young while Boomerang will skew even younger.

CN's main demo was always kids 6-11 except maybe in 2008-2012 where you can argue they were trying to appeal to teens more with shows like Regular Show, Star Wars and Total Drama Island. Boomerang has become a preschool channel in most countries by now, so if the US will try doing the same, I won't be surprised.

 

[Red Arrow]

CN's main demo was always kids 6-11 except maybe in 2008-2012 where you can argue they were trying to appeal to teens more with shows like Regular Show, Star Wars and Total Drama Island. Boomerang has become a preschool channel in most countries by now, so if the US will try doing the same, I won't be surprised.

The change has been a lot more gradual than that.
Until 2001 (before the launch of Adult Swim), Cartoon Network was still for adults as well.
Until 2008, Cartoon Network at least still had Toonami.
Until the mid 2010s, Cartoon Network at least still had Star Wars, Regular Show, DC Nation...

Boomerang has become a preschool channel in most countries by now, so if the US will try doing the same, I won't be surprised.

Kids 4-7 is really the target audience of the current international Boomerangs. (4-8 is stretching it in my opinion)
Boomerang is for children that are outgrowing Nick Junior.

 

[Tacomaster]

Boomerang is for children that are outgrowing Nick Junior.

Pretty much, as well as CN's preschool offerings, which seem to be reflected in Batwheels, We Baby Bears, and Boomerang's existing offerings so far. In fact, a ton of Boomerang shows air on a Cartoonito block on CN in the Middle East.

 

[ToonDude03]

Why not? Is it because of your personal biases toward 9-14 for CN and classics for Boomerang?

What biases? I never said anything like that. I'm saying that Boomerang and CN shouldn't be trying to target preschoolers. Remember Tickle U?

 

[JTOONSAnimation]

I wouldn't surprised if daytime Boomerang ended up being preschool and evening/late-night Boomerang contained all the classics/slightly older stuff.