What if Turner hadn't bought Hanna-Barbera?

[harry580]

@F150Dog​

well actually loreal is the one who closed filmation, they only wanted the filmation library, loreal sold the filmation library to hallmark in 1995 where they destroyed the show masters then to entertainment rights in 2004 and again to classic media in 2009​

 

[Moe]

@F150Dog​

well actually loreal is the one who closed filmation, they only wanted the filmation library, loreal sold the filmation library to hallmark in 1995 where they destroyed the show masters then to entertainment rights in 2004 and again to classic media in 2009​

I fixed it by removed Filmation part on picture, but just want to make relevant about what OP thought.

I thought Westinghouse Broadcasting shut it down earlier because they don't want to comply with new federal regulation - called WARN Act.

I believe that most Filmation contents (excluding Star Trek, Gilligan and DC Comics) are owned by NBC under DreamWorks Classic now.

 

[Nexonius]

Universal was in the running to buy Hanna-Barbera in 1991. Fitting, since they had distributed Jetsons: The Movie and had dedicated a ride at Universal Studios to the H-B properties. So was Hallmark, apparently.

If Turner hadn't made the winning bid, how much do you think that would have effected things? I can think of a few things.

If Universal had bought them:

- There wouldn't have been a Cartoon Network. CN's reason for being was to be an outlet for Turner's vast animation library.
- Related to the above, Dexter's Lab, The Powerpuff Girls, et al. wouldn't have made it to being full series or would have gone to Nickelodeon.
- The other H-B properties wouldn't be obscure today. WB infamously let most of the H-B properties fall out of pop-culture memory in order to go all in on Scooby Doo, but if Universal had bought them, the Flinstones, The Jetsons and Yogi Bear would have continued to be big franchises.
- The Funtastic World of Hanna Barbera would probably still be at Universal today.

If Hallmark had bought them:
- Hallmark would have shut down H-B and destroyed all their master film elements, like they did to Filmation when they bought them out.
- H-B would be even less culturally relevant than they are today. I don't even think Scooby Doo would have been spared.

Nah, MCA owned USA Network with a then Viacom-less Paramount. USA Cartoon Express had many Hanna-Barbera shows airing until Cartoon Network came around in 1992. Yogi Bear, interestingly enough, reran on Nickelodeon.

Universal would've kept the studio alive as long as both of the founders were alive, and would then eventually rename it to Universal Animation. They would've used big merchandising and licensing for the H-B name ala Walter Lantz, its characters like Scooby Doo, The Jetsons, and The Flintstones. Uni would've definitely played around with the H-B superheroes giving it a few rebooted live action series and movies.

Hallmark, probably wouldn't be as easy to shut down a studio still churning out a few hits. People would've raised a big fit about that. They wouldn't care about the master film elements though, Hallmark could've figured out a way to get away with that. Classic Media would've had TWO big studios worth of cartoons (if all had went into play) and then DreamWorks and NBCU would've taken it for far less eventually.

 

[Moe]

I noticed some people complained about poor picture quality with 1983 He-Man shows on digital stores - it was on Hallmark who destroyed master tapes, not iTunes, Amazon, Google, Vudu, etc. Someone blame on iTunes for poor picture quality but Apple has no control with studio, beside comply with CVAA and NAD (National Association of the Deaf) settlement on closed caption requirement, so Apple will deny the contents if lacking of closed caption.

He-Man on Starz looks decent, IMO.

 

[harry580]

well I think Cartoon Network would still launch but without tom & jerry and looney tunes cartoons and run though usa networks with paramount and universal owning half of the channel, and instead of looney tunes and tom & Jerrys cartoons it would have been the filmation shows paramount has, maybe paramount will be inspired by the universal buyout of Hanna Barbera so they bought the filmation studio from loreal and reopen it as a animation studio for Cartoon Network, universal would bought paramount stake in the usa networks and Cartoon Network in 1996 and paramount's filmation will be folded into paramount animation and nickelodeon animation studios

as for Disney attempt to buy Hanna Barbera, will I rather have Disney buying ruby spears and use ruby spears to produce adult animated shows and sometimes movies

 

[Tacomaster]

Honestly, I think that due to the USA Networka thing, there wouldn’t have been a Cartoon Network… BUT, when Paramount(a part owner of USA) was bought by Viacom(owner of Nickelodeon), the Viacom networks could have been subsumed into the USA ones, and HB content could have aired on Nick.

 

[Otakuninja2006]

Honestly, I think that due to the USA Networka thing, there wouldn’t have been a Cartoon Network… BUT, when Paramount(a part owner of USA) was bought by Viacom(owner of Nickelodeon), the Viacom networks could have been subsumed into the USA ones, and HB content could have aired on Nick.

Well, I guess it could have worked...

We could have even gotten a Cartoon Express channel.

And Games Animation would have probably been absored into Hanna-Barbera.

You should see what I write about on the Alternatehistory.com forums. You'll LOVE it..

In fact, wanna team up and do a collab Imagine-Nation article together?.........

 

[Otakuninja2006]

You know, I just thought of something....

Maybe Universal would have eventually had Universal Cartoon Studios merged into Hanna-Barbera.

And with all that content, they'd have NO CHOICE but to expand Cartoon Express into its own channel, and it could lead to an American version of KidsCo or NBC taking control of Qubo......

I also wanted to imagine if NBC never cancelled their Saturday Morning block in favor of T-NBC, but rather, mixed the show together with the cartoons.....

I'll be back with a USA Cartoon Express Channel launch schedule.