I thought some of you might find this interesting. This is an article from Newsarama about the cancellation of Krypto the Super Dog, the last remaining DC comics cartoon on Cartoon Network:

Full article, with pictures.

Now, why I bring this up here is that this would really help explain why Transformers has been treated so badly by CN. It's not because the shows are bad or because CN doesn't like action cartoons, it's because Hasbro gets the money from TF merchandise and CN doesn't. So if Cartoon Network can come up with a new show that they get primary licensing cash from, they'll drop show like Transformers or JLU that have an outside party getting most of the profit.

Just thought this would provide an interesting little glimpse at why we need to wake up before sunrise if we want to watch Transformers on television.

 

I remember when Cartoon Network was known for showing old cartoons. It was awesome to see old 70's Godzilla again. Now it seems no matter when I turn it on, it is always Fosters, KND, Ed Ed, or some other crap show they make. I know some of them have merchandise but not all (I've never seen Ed EDD & Eddy stuff anywhere).

There needs to be ANOTHER cartoon channel dedicated to showing old shows and no origonal programming. Its only allowed to be shown if production on new shows has stopped.

 

It's called Boomerang.

 

I would suggest to change the title of this thread. It's too interesting to fade onto page 2 due to lack of interest based on a nondescript topic title.

 

Yyyyyyyyyyup. And, unfortunately, it's not free with standard cable - at least to my knowledge.

So Cartoon Network can STILL make a few extra dollars off of the fact that you want to see nostalgic programming. :banghead

I want Boomerang too, but I can live without paying for the extra cable channels. It'd be nice to flip on the TV and just let old skool Hanna Barbera, Looney Tunes and 80's toons just play, but I'm not about to go pay extra for it.

 

Seconded. I prefer it when the title contains the subject of the post. I completely passed this thread over until someone in the thread in Games & Anime mentioned that there was a TFGD thread.

Back on topic, I'll say that I'm disappointed to hear this, but I can't blame CN too much, they are in it to make money, after all.

How is CN different from other networks though? If you look at the major broadcast networks, I don't think they produce any of their shows in-house (except their news shows, probably), and I'm pretty sure that they don't depend on merchandising to keep themselves afloat. I could be wrong though, I don't know much about the inner workings of television.

 

Posted this in the G&A thread, but i'll repeat it here:


I dont like this excuse at all. First and foremost, CN is a cable network. Just because they are kid-oriented doesnt mean they are a toy company. You dont see TLC cancelling "Trading Spaces" because they wont make any money selling the "Trading Spaces Toolbelt". WB still airs "Gilmore Girls", even though "Gilmore Girls Noise-Cancelling headphones" wont make any money. Of course every network would love the income of a hot property to market, but a network's product is its shows.

Good programming = advertising money, and this is where the money is made. Getting rid of good a show just because you arent seeing the profits of its toyline is a silly reason. How were the ratings for JLU & TT?

The idea to produce more of their own programming with revenue that it doesnt have to share is a good move for CN, however it doesnt preclude them from airing other shows. How many hours need to be filled in a week? Especially on CN, theres plenty of time for their properties as well as DC shows on a weekly schedule! Its silly to make it an either/or arguement. The more diverse the shows the more viewers. And for a TV network thats never a bad thing.

 

I had a feeling it was all about money. Everything's about money these days.

Hell, I have digital cable and I don't even get Boomerang! Apparently, our OnDemand service has it, but that's not quite the same as actually watching the channel itself.

 

It's partially that, but there's also the issue of CN being so bad at airing the episodes in order, which is probably just down to bad planning as much as anything...

Phazer

 

What can I say? I've always sucked at titles. It's my one great failing as a writer.  

 

I totally buy this article...

Cartoon network makes SQUAT off of Transformers except whatever commercials they can sell during the air-time.

But if they air another show like BEN-10... They can make money off:

*DVD boxed sets
*Tee-shirts
*Action figures

and so on.

Right now Hasbro and DC make all the money.

I think Cartoon Network is probably very smart for doing show... let other channels be the dumping ground for shows that are simply another companies toy commercials.

Sadly that is what Saturday morning cartoons are for.

 

This news upsets me, but it doesn't really surprise me. It's the eventually story of what happens when a cable network develops too much original programming. It's why they run the same stupid original show for three hours a day when they could be airing some old favorite instead. Oddly, Disney seems to be going in the other direction. Toon Disney is rapidly turning into the anime Jetix channel with little to no classic Disney cartoons anymore (and by classic I mean the Disney Afternoon). Meanwhile, CN goes the other direction with little to no good anime and action shows anymore. And the real losers in the deal are people like us who like quality animation shows we grew up with or the new rare gems that appeal to both adults and kids for their ability to have mass appeal to the animation lover in all of us, the young at heart. I guess what we need is "The Hasbro Channel" to solve all of our underaprecitated Transformers cartoon problems.

 

As far as I remember, JLU regularly scored the day's best ratings for the entire network even when being aired in abysmal timeslots.

That'd be like Hasbro marking up all Transformers to over 100 bucks a toy and releasing them in giant waves of 40 toys every six or so months, and even though they keep outselling all other Hasbro toys, Hasbro decides to cancel Transformers because they're a property shared with Takara.

 

Krusty the Clown calls merchandising "the sweetest plum." So I'm not at all surprised by this.

CN needs more competition from another network with quality shows to take their ratings and merchandising down a peg. They're acting like Walmart, trying to vertically integrate the whole thing.

Maybe CN should buy Hasbro. They'd run TF shows wall-to-wall. Hell, they'd make a Mr. Potato Head show too.

 

Doesn't really explain what happened to Megas though. You can't tell me a great toyline couldn't have come from that. With all the crazy stuff that comes out of Megas, they could have made 20 different versions of just that.

You know Super Destructor Mode Megas would have been a seller. lol

 

Next thing you know they'll be playing Saved by the Bell & PeeWee's Playhouse. Oh wait to late.

 

Sheer and utter depression...

 

You cant count Adult Swim, thats a whole separate beast entirely...they are only a couple steps shy of breaking off into their own network anyway.

 

Don't kid yourself. CN treated Energon/Cybertron badly because they were totally unwatchable crap.