SB-06: Cartoon Network 2.0 | Step Five: Take Over The CW's Saturday Morning Block

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A complete takeover of the Saturday morning lineup currently operated by 4Kids Entertainment wouldn't be a complete surprise. Until 2008, Kids' WB was programmed largely by Warner Bros. Animation. For the brief moment The WB and Cartoon Network were under the Turner dominion as well as the CW years, the block was co-managed by Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network. Together, the two units co-produced Teen Titans, The Batman, What's New Scooby-Doo, and Legion of Super Heroes for both Kids' WB and Cartoon Network, though the latter never aired on Cartoon Network. When 4Kids took the reins of the CW's block, they filled it with products 4Kids owned or managed, most notably Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Sonic X, and Yu-Gi-Oh. It had, in essence, lost a lot of what made Kids' WB stand out and too dependent on unfamiliar brands and lots of toyetic productions.

Cartoon Network Entertainment needs to take over the CW's Saturday morning block once again. I know there are some people who would want The CW to just give up like Fox did and just go away. The CW remains the strongest Saturday morning brand on broadcast television because it is an alternative to what's on, not to mention there are millions of viewers without cable in their households. Plus, cable networks have used broadcast networks in the family to expand their brands even further. When CBS was part of the Viacom family, Nickelodeon took over the broadcaster's Saturday morning block. By the turn of the century, Disney Channel took over operations of ABC's Saturday morning lineup, and at the time of this writing, they still do. So, it's not that unprecedented for a cable network to take over a broadcast block.

Cartoon Network Entertainment would be in a great position right now.

CN on The CW would be a vital part of Cartoon Network's expanded empire. Its core mission would be to present a diverse, entertaining animated lineup filled with action, comedy, and adventure. Operations managed by Cartoon Network Entertainment (CNE) North America. The Vice President, Scheduling and New Media, CNE North America operates and oversees program scheduling for The CW block.

In the first year of operation, you show off the strengths of the combined libraries of Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network. In the process, you're getting goot use ouf of the library as well as introducing (or reintroducing) brands to a new group of consumers As a result, brands long dormant would find new life.

Among highlights from the first year:

- Powerpuff Girls Z: The heroic superpowered girls from the classic Cartoon Network series have been revamped as a team of tweens taking on powerful villains, terrible gangs, and monsterous creatures in this anime twist on a fan favorite. Powerpuff Girls is a CN on CW exclusive series supported by ads, multinetwork promotions, and merchandising deals TBA.

- The Bugs and Daffy Show: What's up, Doc? The wascally wabbit and that screwball duck are the stars of this weekly series featuring classic Looney Tunes shorts as well as clips and scenes from the Cartoon Network original series The Looney Tunes Show. By the end of the season, an expansion from 30 minutes to an hour will be a reality. Woo hoo!

- This Week on CN: At the top of every third break on CN on CW, a minute-long look at what's new this week on Cartoon Network, including new episodes and teasers for new shows coming soon to Cartoon Network.

- Cartoonito: The entertaining block of preschool programming from Cartoon Network brings a whimsy environment and fun-filled cartoons including Krypto the Superdog, Firehouse Tales, Baby Looney Tunes, Flintstone Kids, and more. Limited commercial interruptions and it qualifies under the FCC Children's TV Act under the classification of E/I. One less hour affiliates would have to program.

- No cross-contamination of lineups: The CN on CW lineup is structurally different from the Cartoon Network lineup, so there is no brand confusion. none of the shows featured on either Saturday morning lineup will appear on the other quarterly.For example, when Ben 10: Ultimate Alien or Generator Rex are on The CW, they won't appear on Cartoon Network's Saturday Powerpuff Girls Z will be a CN on CW exclusive for at least one season.

Beyond Season One:

The CN on CW block will prograssively add exclusive programming on a yearly basis as time progresses. Within five years, the block will be 50% originals and 50% classic programming from the Cartoon Network/Warner Bros. Animation libraries. Of the originals, 50% will remain exclusive to the Saturday morning block for a period of one season. All will eventually find homes on the Cartoon Network family of channels down the line.

Summer

7 AM - Cartoonito (E/I) - One Hour
8 AM - The Bugs and Daffy Show
8:30 AM - Tom and Jerry Tales
9 AM - Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends
9:30 AM - Johnny Test
9:45 AM - Codename: Kids Next Door
10 AM - Ben 10: Alien Force
10:30 AM - Powerpuff Girls Z
11 AM - Generator Rex
11:30 AM - Batman: The Brave and the Bold

Fall

7 AM - Cartoonito (E/I) - One Hour
8 AM - Tom and Jerry Tales
8:30 AM - Chowder
8:45 AM - Flapjack
9 AM - Codename: Kids Next Door
9:15 AM - Mucha Lucha
9:30 AM - Johnny Test
9:45 AM - Adventure Time
10 AM - Generator Rex
10:30 AM - Powerpuff Girls Z
11 AM - Batman: The Brave and the Bold
11:30 AM - The Bugs and Daffy Show

Winter

7 AM - Cartoonito (E/I) - One Hour
8 AM - Chowder
8:15 AM - Flapjack
8:30 AM - Tom and Jerry Tales
9 AM - Codename: Kids Next Door
9:30 AM - Johnny Test
10 AM - Batman: The Brave and the Bold
10:30 AM - Powerpuff Girls Z
11 AM - Ben 10: Ultimate Alien
11:30 AM - The Bugs and Daffy Show

Spring:

7 AM - Cartoonito (E/I) - One Hour
8 AM - Tom and Jerry Tales
8:30 AM - Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends
9 AM - Adventure Time
9:30 AM - Johnny Test
10 AM - Teen Titans
10:30 AM - Powerpuff Girls Z
11 AM - The Bugs and Daffy Show - One Hour

The CW block should be treated as a mini-network of sorts. In a way, it's the fifth Cartoon Network and the one that's probably in more households across the country. In fact, North America is all but completely covered by Cartoon Network Entertainment's influence and reach. Only one part of North America is uncovered by their hand: Canada, home of the world's second all-cartoon channel, Teletoon.

Perhaps a joint venture would combine their forces and create a brave new animated world.