Teletoon Brings Cartoon Network and Adult Swim to Canada in 2012

[James Harvey]

The following press release was just issued (via The World's Finest):

TELETOON Canada Inc. and Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. Bring Cartoon Network and Adult Swim to Canada in 2012

Canadian Broadcaster launches new ad-supported channel with a platform-integrated and portable approach​

TELETOON Canada Inc. and Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. today announced a partnership that will bring Cartoon Network and Adult Swim to Canadian television later this year. This new digital specialty network is a complementary, ad-supported channel with a built-in fan-base. Canadian audiences can expect to see shows such as The Amazing World of Gumball, Adventure Time and Regular Show during the Cartoon Network block between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. ET/PT, followed by an Adult Swim late-night lineup commencing at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

"We are honored that Cartoon Network has entrusted TELETOON to manage these two great brands in Canada," said Len Cochrane, President, TELETOON Canada Inc. "This marriage between TELETOON and Cartoon Network will grant us the opportunity to offer more cartoons, more stories and more excitement to everyone, everywhere."

This partnership, arriving on the eve of TELETOON's 15th anniversary and Cartoon Network's 20th anniversary, includes a programming, trademark and branding deal that will bring the best of Cartoon Network's exclusive first-run content that has never been seen before in Canada, in addition to almost 2,000 half-hours of vintage Cartoon Network and Adult Swim library selects.

"Cartoon Network and Adult Swim are beloved brands with programs that have a large and loyal global audience," said Stuart Snyder, President and COO, Turner's Animation, Young Adults & Kids Media Division. "We are looking forward to extending the reach of both of these brands in the Canadian marketplace with our new partnership with TELETOON."

The deal will allow TELETOON to launch the Cartoon Network brand in Canada in both standard and high definition across linear television, Video on Demand, broadband and mobile platforms. TÉLÉTOON will serve its French audience by launching a Cartoon Network programming block, along with making programming available online, through mobile and Video on Demand.

Cartoon Network (www.cartoonnetwork.com), celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2012, is currently seen in more than 99 million U.S. homes and 168 countries around the world, and is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.'s U.S. ad-supported cable service now available in HD offering the best in original, acquired and classic entertainment for youth and families. Recognized as a top destination for boys 6-11 for all broadcast and cable television in the U.S., the network recently finished 2011 with ratings up in all key kids and boys demos in both daytime and early evening prime time over the previous year.

Adult Swim (Adultswim.com), launched in 2001, is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.'s network offering original and acquired animated and live-action series for young adults. Airing nightly from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. ET/PT. Adult Swim shares channel space with Cartoon Network and for the sixth consecutive year has ranked as the #1 basic cable network for adults 18-34, 18-49 and men 18-34.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news; entertainment; animation and young adult; and sports media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

TELETOON Canada Inc. brings kids, youth, young adults and families the best in animated and animation-related entertainment with four nationwide specialty television channels - TELETOON, TÉLÉTOON, TELETOON Retro and TÉLÉTOON Rétro - and select programming available through On Demand, Mobile TV, iTunes and TELETOON.com. Through its English and French networks, TELETOON reaches more than 7.7 million Canadian homes and TELETOON Retro is in more than eight million homes. Founded in 1997, TELETOON is a proud supporter of the Canadian animation industry, investing over $245 million in homegrown content to date. TELETOON Canada Inc. is owned by Astral (50%) and Corus Entertainment (50%). For more information, please visit www.teletoon.com. TELETOON: It's Unreal!

Minor additional details available at The World's Finest.

 

[Sketch]

Wow CN and Adult Swim for real in Canada this year. That's quite a surprise. I wonder what action animation will air on AS if any and I also wonder what shows will be exclusive to CN and which will also air on Teletoon.

It also sounds like they'll be making use of the backlog for CN and AS which could mean a solid mix of old and new. Given that I'm a little dissapointed to see AS will start at 9pm. It should really start no earlier than 10pm or even 11pm but their AS might actually not be overrun by FOX reruns and that's an interesting prospect.

 

[Takao]

I expanded a bit over on my blog.

I'm not a fan of this idea. It's basically an admission that the Canadian Teletoon branding is worthless, and should be replaced by big US branding. It's a failure of Corus Entertainment, and Astral Media (whom have separately launched Nickelodeon Canada, Disney XD Canada, and Playhouse Disney Canada) to not extend their own branding, and assimilate this programming properly.

Edit: This should also be mirrored in the [Adult Swim] forum as well.

 

[Mohji]

Interesting news, I wasn't expecting this at all. I don't want to make any early judgments, so I'll try to stay optimistic about the channel bringing something unique to Canadian TV, as opposed to becoming a dumping ground for the shows Teletoon doesn't want as Nick Canada and Disney XD Canada have turned out for YTV and the Family Channel, respectively.

On the bright side, it's great that we'll finally get more Adventure Time, as well as Regular Show and Gumball. Hey, we might also get more Generator Rex (Teletoon cancelled it after the first season) or maybe even Sym-Bionic Titan. CN Canada could complement Teletoon nicely, freeing up some time slots for more original or acquired programming. I'm interested to see how this will turn out.

 

[simpsonsfan]

Edit: This should also be mirrored in the [Adult Swim] forum as well.

Good idea. I'll mirror it right now.

About the topic I don't understand why Canadian companies keep making Canadian versions of American channels. Another thing I don't understand is why aren't these other channels being renamed as in YTV would be Nick Canada and Family Channel would become Disney XD.

 

[Astrolupine]

Definitely. DEFINITELY for it.

It means being up to date with America with Regular Show, Thundercats, possibly SBT, maybe some anime that's not toy-oriented, new AT, new YJ and most of all, proper treatment for the AS programs after Teletoon phased most of them out over the years, save Robot Chicken and the FOX shows.

I know it may sound a little pointless with Corus' YTV and Teletoon networks still around, but I've found their schedules becoming more and more limited by the years, that all I watch on the latter now is just Clone Wars, BATB reruns and Futurama. It might mean a decline in demand for original Canadian series, but honestly, if they're not named Johnny Test or Total Drama, they end up short-lived nevertheless.

 

[ToonsLover]

Now Turner needs to bring Teletoon to the U.S.

 

[Zanneck]

Now Turner needs to bring Teletoon to the U.S.

I second this notion - especially if to bring some more variety to American programming in general... There are some great shows from Canada that need to be on American airwaves that isn't Johnny Test, if you get what I mean.

 

[Jeff Harris]

Now Turner needs to bring Teletoon to the U.S.

Sounds like a good equivalent exchange to me. A bunch of classic and modern Canadian animation, 3/4 of which has never aired in the US or at least on an outlet worth mentioning (Jacob Two-Two, which aired on qubo, and Ruby Gloom, which hasn't aired here at all, would be great acquisitions). Heck, a Teletoon weekend block would suffice at this point.

 

[The Talon]

I'll try to say this as least offensively as possible, but as an American, i'm not really sure why I should care about this.

 

[Jeff Harris]

I'll try to say this as least offensively as possible, but as an American, i'm not really sure why I should care about this.

You probably shouldn't even have made a post about it.

At all.

But considering there is a significant number of Canadian forum members and moderators around these parts and the fact that this is a deal between a Canadian network and a network whose very existence was the inspiration of the forum space you're reading these words on, the Cartoon Network Canada news is a pretty big deal.

Just saying.

 

[RSNaco]

Now Turner needs to bring Teletoon to the U.S.

This. Exactly this. If they're going to work together up north, then they need to team up down here in the states. Premiere Total Drama and things like that on the same day so we don't have to wait or be tempted to be spoiled, bring some more of Canada's original animation over (such as Detentionaire and others) and we'll be a lot better off. I've always said i'd trade most of what's on CN for most of what's on Teletoon pretty much every time, so hopefully we can be a step closer to having both.

 

[The Talon]

You probably shouldn't even have made a post about it.

At all.

But considering there is a significant number of Canadian forum members and moderators around these parts and the fact that this is a deal between a Canadian network and a network whose very existence was the inspiration of the forum space you're reading these words on, the Cartoon Network Canada news is a pretty big deal.

Just saying.

I'm just trying to say that the news doesn't really even affect or interest me. I can still see that this isn't a good thing for the Canadian members of ToonZone at all, I'm just saying it affects them, not me.

 

[Jeff Harris]

I'm just trying to say that the news doesn't really even affect or interest me. I can still see that this isn't a good thing for the Canadian members of ToonZone at all, I'm just saying it affects them, not me.

Okay, so it doesn't affect you. So why did you spend 65 words to say you don't care? You could have just said nothing at all, let it go, and comment about something else, like ponies or something.

But since you did bring it up, why do you think this isn't a good thing for the Canadian members of Toonzone? Why are you against it?

I'm curious.

 

[The Talon]

Okay, so it doesn't affect you. So why did you spend 65 words to say you don't care? You could have just said nothing at all, let it go, and comment about something else, like ponies or something.

But since you did bring it up, why do you think this isn't a good thing for the Canadian members of Toonzone? Why are you against it?

I'm curious.

Because I think it makes the whole Canada branding of channels like Nick & Disney & etc. kinda worthless.

 

[Dr.Pepper]

Now Turner needs to bring Teletoon to the U.S.

Yes. If they have both in Canada then we should have both in America. It's only fair.

 

[Jazz1000]

it is rather nice that CN and AS are join Canada(Even Tho I Live In US), i think people who likes watch johnny test, on teletoon can watch it on what they been missing

 

[Jeff Harris]

Because I think it makes the whole Canada branding of channels like Nick & Disney & etc. kinda worthless.

You are aware Cartoon Network Canada isn't replacing either Teletoon or Teletoon Retro, right? It's a stand-alone network.

Is it unnecessary? Of course. But you can't really fault the companies for expanding their brands in a country where they're popular but not seen. Canada's the last frontier and the only place they don't have a foothold.

It would be nice if Turner brings a Teletoon-branded network stateside in an equivalent exchange of sorts, and who's to say they won't? But it's not a bad thing to bring another outlet to Canada. Variety is a good thing and not worthless at all.

 

[Kaljinyu]

I'm... curious... about what this means for us Americans. Giving the Teletoon brand a rest? Picking allies when YTV is left sitting in the barn? What will this mean for all of the Canada-managed programming we enjoy over here?

Especially if this hypothetical Teletoon network was to premiere someday in America. Basically, I like it the way it was. Do I think much of anything will change? Not really, but the potential is there, I'd like to know what these guys are thinking.





EDIT: According to The World's Finest, there's not gonna be very much overlap between networks. Which to me, sounds good. No moving things around, just adding things.

 

[Sketch]

I'm all for Teletoon US because at the very least it could mean regular slots for 6Teen and Stoked and potentially could bring Ruby Gloom and other Canadian shows to the US for the first time.

But people expecting Turner to do that? Good luck with that.