SB-03: Cartoon Network 1.0 | Step 2: Give Williams Street Management of 9 PM and Later

Originally Posted by Jeff Harris

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Checkerboard, the channel formerly known as Cartoon Network, is first and foremost a kids' network.

Where does a block like Adult Swim fit in the grand scheme of Checkerboard? After all, it's aimed towards older audiences, and not the youthful crowd the network wants to attract. However, it still brings in a significant audience every week, which is something the network can't truly ignore. At times, Adult Swim feels like the odd man out in the hearts of the network. With shows like Family Guy, Boondocks, Venture Bros., Robot Chicken, Morel Orel, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Frisky Dingo, Bleach, Inu-Yasha, Blood+, and others, Adult Swim has become a valuable brand within itself.

So, what should they do with Adult Swim when the former Cartoon Network becomes a full-fledged kids' network?

Expand it. Kind of. Let me explain.

Adult Swim is a great block, but there's only so much you can do with it, and Cartoon Network knows it. Cartoon Network's ratings tend to drop after 9 PM for most of their kid-friendly fare. So, a compromise can be made between Checkerboard and Adult Swim's operator, Williams Street Productions. Checkerboard gives Williams Street free reign to program and manage the following time periods:

Sundays through Thursdays: 9 PM - 6 AM
Fridays: 11 PM - 6 AM
Saturdays: 8 PM - 6 AM

Of the 161 hours in every week, Williams Street has free-reign of 62 hours to operate without Checkerboard's management breathing over their necks. They'll air TV-PG programming in the earlier hours on weeknights and Saturdays with ease. They could also air uncut classic cartoons, something Checkerboard has been hesitant to do in recent years. Checkerboard gets all of prime-time Friday and most of prime-time Sundays as a result of this compromise. The downside is ratings from those hours will be lost. However, ratings from older viewers will actually be counted in the shows in the later time slots.

Whoa, back up a minute. Williams Street has completely taken over Saturday nights? What will that mean for Toonami? Big time changes. Allow me to continue.