SB-03: Cartoon Network 1.0 | Step Zero: Refining Warner Cartoon Group

Originally Posted by Jeff Harris

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As mentioned earlier, I believe that animation should be a self-contained unit in the scheme of Time Warner, independent from both Warner Bros. Entertainment and Turner Broadcasting, based on both coasts with large facilities housing broadcast and animation studios, co-existing with one another and united to celebrate the spirit of animation.

That company, built from the inner-company merger of Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Productions, is Warner Cartoon Group.

Warner Cartoon Group's primary functions are to develop, produce, license, and broadcast animated productions for traditional and new media outlets. WCG is the owner of the combined animation libraries of Warner Bros. Animation, Hanna-Barbera Productions, Cartoon Network Studios, Williams Street Production, and the Turner-owned MGM/Fleischer shorts (now called WCG Legacy Holdings). Originally, I had intended on WCG having a minor stake in the Kids' WB block on the CW. However, the idiotic decision to have a competitor program the entire block, and that's for five years. Stupid.

While Warner Cartoon Group is the umbrella name, the output from each studio will have its own exclusive branding. The Warner Bros. Animation brand will be exclusive to WCG West and Cartoon Network Animation brand will be exclusive to WCG East. Productions from either studio using Hanna-Barbera characters will be officially branded Hanna-Barbera Productions. All Williams Street animated productions on either coast and non-WCG-owned studios will be called [adult swim] cartoons.

The unit also has a minor stake in DC Comics, owners of Superman, Batman, Teen Titans, and other properties whose animated productions are produced at WCG. This stake allows the animation division to get a small, yet sufficient share of all merchandising and licensing shares from animated works created by Warner Cartoon Group. The DC Comics productions will be co-branded with the studio brand responsible for the series. The East Coast operations manage and operate Cartoon Network and a relocated Cartoon Network Studios, a new facility where Williams Street Productions also produces their animated productions. The West Coast operations manages and operates Warner Bros. Animation, WCG Legacy, and the Boomerang classic animation channel.

WCG also has a 50% management/ownership stake with Turner Broadcasting in the network formerly known as Cartoon Network, not to be confused with the new network called Cartoon Network, which is 100% managed/owned by Warner Cartoon Group and operated in Atlanta at the new broadcast/animation studio facilities of WCG East.

It seems that I might have confused a number of you. Let me explain.