The Ameobazation of Cartoon Network

Let Creators Rule Cartoon Network

The problem with executives who often work with animation is that they feel that they have to run the network like a live-action network.

Cartoons are seen through those individuals eyes as children's entertainment and only children's entertainment. This mentality has been seen throughout the decades, and even with the inroads made by the likes of MTV, Fox, and the execs behind Adult Swim, it's still in place. The thing that makes Nicktoons popular is the fact that many of them are cross-generational. Kids, tweens, teens, and young adults are all drawn to shows like Spongebob Squarepants and The Fairly Oddparents. Cartoon Network's executives are well-meaning, but there are those who are a bit uneducated about the animation industry.

Sure, they work for Cartoon Network, but I get the feeling some of them would rather be working at HBO or The WB than CN. Those folks continue to program Cartoon Network as if its Kids' WB, relying on quantity rather than quality, and thinking they know what kids like by mimicking what other networks are doing. The thing is Cartoon Network needs people who understand animation from a creative and historical perspective rather than folks who just look for "the next big thing."

Cartoon Network needs animation historians who appreciate what came before and can appreciate those that adhere to those traditions. Jerry Beck, one of the most-respected animation historians the world has to offer, has already contributed his talents to numerous specials and series on Cartoon Network. His expertise is in classic animation. Sean Akins and Jason DeMarco are the creative directors of a pair of action franchises, Toonami and Miguzi and a vital component of the action/anime side of Adult Swim. They not only created brands out of nothing, but they also created relationships with numerous distributors and international studios, helping make Cartoon Network an even more global powerhouse. Mike Lazzo and the rest of Williams Street have also become influential parties in the animation industry, resurrecting "failed" properties like Home Movies and Family Guy, working with top-notch creators within and outside Williams Street, and taking on late night talk shows and dominating all but a few (the only broadcast talk show not to get totally dominated by Adult Swim is Late Night with Conan O'Brien, who actually appeared on several AS shows and is an admitted fan of the block) as well as an appreciation for the golden age of animation. Craig McCracken and Genndy Tartakofsky could be considered the William Hanna and Joseph Barbera of the 21st century, creating successful, marketable franchises and creating animation with influences from pop culture and Asian influences as well as influencing current and future animators. The tandem of Bruce Timm, Paul Dini, Alan Burnett, Glen Murakami, and Dwayne McDuffee have found a way to combine traditional comic book storytelling with numerous visual types ranging from traditional to anime-influenced to even silver age Hanna-Barbera-influenced and succeeding in all of them. These are the people that any other company would kill to have. Cartoon Network has them, but they won't let them completely decide the direction of the network.

Instead, Cartoon Network has people that are either former Kids' WB execs, current Kids' WB execs, or people who would rather be working in primetime television. People that actually appreciate animation should actually be in charge of a channel whose first name is "Cartoon."

For those that want to turn Cartoon Network into a Nickelodeon-like network, give them their own network that would directly compete against Nickelodeon.