What do you think the future of (CN, Cartoonito, and AS) will be (2022 to beyond)?

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In 2021, Cartoon Network has started to make some changes: adding a preschool block again, greenlighting live-action shows for the first time since 2013, as well as adding a family movie night block (ACME Night). In the Tom Ascheim era, it seems that one thing will be very important: targeting everyone.

Cartoonito - preschoolers
Cartoon Network - school-aged children
Toonami - teens & young adults
Adult Swim - adults
ACME Night - families

Do you think Cartoon Network’s future is bright and if so, what do you think we should expect in the coming years?
 

Darklordavaitor

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I think Cartoon Network doesn't have important individual years persay, like how Nickelodeon has years you can single out as significant for them- 84, 86, 91, 96 for instance. But rather, CN has cycles of around 18 months to 2 years of significance. For instance, 1995-96, somewhere around late 98-early 2000, 03-04, around 09-2011. And I think we're in the middle of that kind of period now.

Like that last period, we're just getting over a dry moment for original series on Cartoon Network. Cartoonito has dropped and has shaked up the lineup, while Acme Hour has shown that they're interested in appealing to the whole family again. We seem to be getting some more new series soon, some of which seem to involve synergy with HBO Max. And before King of the Hill's return, it did seem like CN would need to find ways to utilize the 8 PM hour. But who knows, maybe they still will even after the holidays...

How will all of this play out next year? It remains to be seen, but after a lull in the past year or two, it's nice to have some new things to look forward to.
 

Silverstar

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No one can predict the future, but Cartoon Network seems to be on a promising path. The networks is at least trying to go beyond its' "just for boys" phase and include a wider range of programming that's more inclusive to more sub-groups of viewers, and they're reinstituting the Cartoon Cartoons shorts initiative in order to audition potential new shows, which is also good since their lineup over the past few years has been a bit stale overall.

Their new slogan being "Redraw Your World" suggests that they're still interested in being an animation channel and have no plans to abandon cartoons, which should hopefully put some peoples' minds to rest. It remains to be seen how much of this is going to pay off, but I think CN is heading in a decent direction.
 
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jokerbeans2091

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honestly cn has a bright future ahead CN was pretty much just a forbidden wasteland once HBO launched and once cartoonito launched the channel became watchable again especially with acme night.. one beef i have with this is that CN only has 6-7 hours a day on weekdays i don’t see why they can’t just make each 8 hours each but oh well.
as for the live action i don’t really care if cn does live action again and i don’t know why people are angry they have been airing live action movies for a while if adult swim can do live action why can’t CN?


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Silverstar

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as for the live action i don’t really care if cn does live action again and i don’t know why people are angry they have been airing live action movies for a while if adult swim can do live action why can’t CN?

I think a lot of the vitriol towards live-action on CN stems from how a) unlike [adult swim] CN literally has the word 'cartoon' in its' name, and it initially pledged to show "cartoons and nothing but cartoons, all day, every day, until the end of time", and a lot of folks took that to heart and see anything less than that as a betrayal, and b) most of CN's previous live-action outings (Out of Jimmy's Head, CN Real, Level Up, Incredible Crew, Hall of Game Awards) have been less than stellar. However, I counter with the fact that live-action takes less time and is less expensive to produce than animation (though I love animation and prefer it overall) and I contend to this day that the idea behind CN Real wasn't bad, though the shows were; instead of quasi-reality type shows, they should've invested in "cartoon adjacent" shows like The Aquabats Super Show, The Banana Splits, The Super Mario Bros. Super Show, Video Power, H. R. Pufenstuf/Lidsville/The Krofft Superhsow, Masked Rider/VR Troopers/Big Bad Beetleborgs, Saved by the Bell/Hang Time/City Guys, 2HIP4TV, etc. and didn't try to promote the live-action shows as the future replacements for the cartoons, but rather as something folks could enjoy alongside the cartoons.

Here's hoping that Tom Ascheim has learned from CN's past mistakes and takes a different approach to the live-action entries; they seem to be doing a decent job (so far) with ACME Night, it manages to be cartoonish enough and not too intrusive.
 
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Insidus

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My predictions (excuse me for thinking ahead of time)
1.1. Cartoon Network and Cartoonito produce factual/educational content thanks to the merger between WarnerMedia and Discovery Inc.
1.2. Reruns of Chopped Junior, How It's Made and Mythbusters Jr. air on Cartoon Network.
1.3. WarnerMedia International conjure up a Discovery Kids channel thanks to the programming seen and produced for Cartoon Network and Cartoonito.
2. Boomerang is replaced by Cartoonito in most if not all regions and the only thing different is the name...for now.
3. Adult Swim gets a standalone channel perhaps to replace an existing channel or moves out of Cartoon Network now that Cartoonito has a block there. Before you say not enough content this one will be like PBS Kids where they're even willing to air outdated programming.



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Silverstar

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Adult Swim gets a standalone channel perhaps to replace an existing channel or moves out of Cartoon Network now that Cartoonito has a block there. Before you say not enough content this one will be like PBS Kids where they're even willing to air outdated programming.
Cartoon Network and [adult swim] are never going to split; this is something you guys are just going to have to accept.

[adult swim] gives CN access to advertisers and sponsors that they'd never get as the kid-focused Cartoon Network. Furthermore, [adult swim]'s ratings are too good, and [as] can't run what it shows during the day any more than Warner Bros. wants CN to run all night, which is not at all. The 2 share a symbiotic relationship. If Warner wanted to split up CN and [as], they'd have done it by now. WB could just integrate [as] into TruTV if that were the case.

Someone else already said this, but as it is Cartoon Network is set up to cater to multiple audiences:

  • Cartoonito - Pre-schoolers
  • Cartoon Network - Older kids and families
  • [adult swim] - Teenagers 18 + and adults
 
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Realistically, I don’t think CN and [as] will ever split up. However, an alternative option can be where CN can be 24/7 on Fridays & Saturdays; meanwhile CN can run up from 2PM-10PM (1PM-10PM on certain holidays).
 

Tacomaster

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I think that:
  • ACME Night could expand to Saturdays, airing the series while Sundays would continue to air movies and specials.
  • Given the sudden return of classics to CN for the holidays and the fact that CN's 30th anniversary is coming up, a weekend afternoon block of classics could be in order. The more modern returning shows(like Uncle Grandpa, Chowder, and Steven Universe) could also help to fill up time outside of that block.
  • The schedule will have a HUGE boost in variety.
  • CN will keep the 8 PM hour, considering ACME Night, Cartoonito, CN becoming a family channel, and AS soon to be losing Bob's Burgers.
  • There is no way in the underworld AS is giving up 9 PM, though- it's too popular.
  • Cartoonito, despite lowering CN's ratings, will be here to stay- they're clearly investing in the brand, both on CN and on HBO Max. In addition...
  • Cartoonito will also become its own channel, replacing Boomerang. The brand's provisions will expand beyond the "human centric learning" business to better fit with the international Cartoonitos(especially the recently launched LA Cartoonito, which airs Tom and Jerry, Grizzy and the Lemmings, and Scooby-Doo). The block will continue to air on CN, much like how Cartoon
  • Some DF programming will move to either CN or Cartoonito(mainly Cartoonito, unless CN brokers a deal with Hasbro or airs some of the family programs on ACME Night).
  • Discovery Kids LA will shut down, and its programs will move to either Cartoonito or CN LA.
  • International Boomerang channels will become Cartoonitos, while the Italian and UK Boomerangs will just shut down.
 

harry580

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  • Discovery Kids LA will shut down, and its programs will move to either Cartoonito or CN LA.
  • International Boomerang channels will become Cartoonitos, while the Italian and UK Boomerangs will just shut down.
or discovery kids la and boomerang uk and Italian gets replaced by adult swim channel
 

Insidus

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I think that:
  • ACME Night could expand to Saturdays, airing the series while Sundays would continue to air movies and specials.
  • Given the sudden return of classics to CN for the holidays and the fact that CN's 30th anniversary is coming up, a weekend afternoon block of classics could be in order. The more modern returning shows(like Uncle Grandpa, Chowder, and Steven Universe) could also help to fill up time outside of that block.
  • The schedule will have a HUGE boost in variety.
  • CN will keep the 8 PM hour, considering ACME Night, Cartoonito, CN becoming a family channel, and AS soon to be losing Bob's Burgers.
  • There is no way in the underworld AS is giving up 9 PM, though- it's too popular.
  • Cartoonito, despite lowering CN's ratings, will be here to stay- they're clearly investing in the brand, both on CN and on HBO Max. In addition...
  • Cartoonito will also become its own channel, replacing Boomerang. The brand's provisions will expand beyond the "human centric learning" business to better fit with the international Cartoonitos(especially the recently launched LA Cartoonito, which airs Tom and Jerry, Grizzy and the Lemmings, and Scooby-Doo). The block will continue to air on CN, much like how Cartoon
  • Some DF programming will move to either CN or Cartoonito(mainly Cartoonito, unless CN brokers a deal with Hasbro or airs some of the family programs on ACME Night).
  • Discovery Kids LA will shut down, and its programs will move to either Cartoonito or CN LA.
  • International Boomerang channels will become Cartoonitos, while the Italian and UK Boomerangs will just shut down.
At least I'm not alone in the whole issue regarding Boomerang I don't know why people think Cartoonito will be less different from Nick Jr and Disney Junior. WarnerMedia did say that this rebranded version will focus more on entertaining than educating.

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themidnightlore

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The only thing I think will happen is that the Italian and the UK Cartoonito sooner or later will adapt the US graphics. And the US Cartoonito will end to become an indipendent channel.
Toonami could die, too. Adult Swim will remain, by the way.
 

Goldstar!

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The only thing I think will happen is that the Italian and the UK Cartoonito sooner or later will adapt the US graphics. And the US Cartoonito will end to become an indipendent channel.
Toonami could die, too. Adult Swim will remain, by the way.
Cartoonito won't be leaving Cartoon Network, not even if Warner Bros. launches a Cartoonito channel (which would most likely either be merged with or replace Boomerang), which definitely won't happen in 2022. Cartoonito doesn't have nearly big enough a library to be it's own channel, at least not yet. Plus, CN is WB's main kid's channel, and as such, it's the one that's in the most homes and gets the most viewers. WB wants as many people watching Cartoonito as possible. They won't exile the block to a zombie channel that just shows reruns of old shows. For better or for worse, Cartoonito is going to be part of CN for the foreseeable future.

I haven't been watching Toonami myself, but people still do. I don't think that Toonami will be going away either, at least not as early as next year.
 
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Silverstar

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Cartoonito doesn't have nearly big enough a library to be it's own channel, at least not yet.
Theoretically, if Warner were to add Cartoonito's roster to their Boomerang library (provided they utilized all or most of the shows available to them rather than just 3 to 5 like the current US Boomerang) then there would be enough shows for a rebranded Cartoonito/Boomerang channel, but even in the event of that happening, the Cartoonito block on CN wouldn't leave the main network. WB clearly has big plans for Cartoonito, they're banking on it becoming a mainstay of the CN brand, both domestically and internationally, and like with [adult swim], the Powers That Be clearly have no desire to program for CN during those hours, which is why they gave them up in the first place. Like you said, Cartoonito is going to stay a part of Cartoon Network, whether folks like it or not.
 

Insidus

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The only thing I think will happen is that the Italian and the UK Cartoonito sooner or later will adapt the US graphics. And the US Cartoonito will end to become an indipendent channel.
Toonami could die, too. Adult Swim will remain, by the way.
Possibly to kill off Boomerang, WarnerMedia did say Cartoonito would be more entertaining than educational and remember that upfront they hosted where Boomerang wasn't spoken of or mentioned than several months pass then it closes in Latin America.

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Sun Dash Note

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Some people would disagree with me, but I think there will be some Hasbro shows (like MLP, LPS...) coming to Cartoon Network and HBO Max (If WBD has a deal with Hasbro as such).
 

Goldstar!

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Some people would disagree with me, but I think there will be some Hasbro shows (like MLP, LPS...) coming to Cartoon Network and HBO Max (If WBD has a deal with Hasbro as such).
They don't. The merger is between Discovery and Warner Bros. Hasbro isn't involved. If Cartoon Network acquires any Hasbro shows in the future, they'll be new shows based on its current IPs, not reruns of the same shows that have already completed their run on The Hub. These canceled/finished Hub shows aren't the gold mines that you seem to think that they are, and with the many properties that WB already owns, it's not like CN needs to air reruns of Littlest Pet Shop 2012 (a series that Hasbro itself canceled because it wasn't selling enough toys).
 
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