Wedgies (Cartoon Network)

Cartoon Network is an American basic cable and satellite television channel that is part of The Cartoon Network, Inc. unit of the Warner Bros. Discovery Networks division of Warner Bros. Discovery which primarily focuses on animated programs.

1986–1992: Development

On March 25, 1986, Ted Turner's Turner Broadcasting System acquired Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists from Kirk Kerkorian. However, due to concerns over the debt load of his companies, Turner was forced to sell MGM/UA back to Kerkorian on August 26, 1986, after just 75 days of ownership. However, Turner kept much of MGM's film and television library made before May 1986 (as well as some of the United Artists library) and formed Turner Entertainment Co. and created Turner Network Television from it, which involved film preservation and restoration. The pre-May 1986 MGM library also included animated shorts from United Artists' acquisition of Associated Artists Productions.

In 1991, Turner acquired Hanna-Barbera's animation library for $320 million, outbidding MCA Inc. (Universal Studios) and Hallmark Cards. Because of this, Turner had a 8,500-hour cartoon library based on Warner Bros. cartoons (the pre-1948 Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies), 1933–1957 Popeye cartoons, MGM cartoons, and Hanna-Barbera productions. This acquisition enabled Turner to establish its own network in the 'kidvid' market, based on their substantial cartoon library. Hanna-Barbera was also still actively producing new animated content, giving Turner the advantage of not relying on programming licenses like other kids' networks, while also having an established brand to build upon.

Ted Turner selected Betty Cohen, then Senior Vice President of TNT, to develop a new network to showcase these animated programs. Several potential names, such as Toon City and Cartoonia, were considered before the decision to name it Cartoon Network. On February 18, 1992, Turner Broadcasting announced plans to launch Cartoon Network as a platform for its animation library.

1992–2004: Checkerboard and Powerhouse eras

1992–1994

On March 12, 1992, The Cartoon Network, Inc. was founded. Seven months later on October 1, 1992, its namesake television channel was launched, with the first program being ''Droopy's Guide to the Cartoon Network'', hosted by MGM cartoon character Droopy, featuring the first cartoon to air on the network, '' Rhapsody Rabbit''. At first, cable providers in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Columbus, Ohio, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Dallas, and Detroit carried the channel.

Cartoon Network was not the first cable channel to have relied on cartoons to attract an audience, however, it was the first 24-hour single-genre channel with animation as its main theme. At the time, Nickelodeon was the primary option for basic cable children’s programming, but even with its new cartoon block, Nicktoons, it accounted for only a portion of total cartoon viewership, giving Cartoon Network the advantage with it focused exclusively on animation. Turner Broadcasting modeled Cartoon Network after CNN, aiming for a profitable single-genre channel. The concept was initially thought unlikely to attract a sufficient audience, but the achievements of CNN and the broad appeal of animation led Turner to believe that Cartoon Network could also achieve prominence.Mittell (2004), p. 80 Cohen, the network's first president, also saw its potential not just as an outlet for Turner's animation library, but as a brand that could showcase animation as a platform in its own right. In the following years, she made Cartoon Network's appeal fit more of a psychographic, rather than a standard demographic like with most basic cable channels.

Initially, the channel aired a continuous schedule of classic cartoons, organized into themed blocks such as ''Down Wit' Droopy D'' (Droopy Dog shorts), ''The Tom and Jerry Show'', ''Bugs and Daffy Tonight'' (Looney Tunes classics), ''Late Night Black and White'' (1930s black-and-white cartoons), and ''ToonHeads'' (similar-themed shorts with trivia). The majority of the classic animation that was shown on Cartoon Network no longer airs on a regular basis, but ''Tom and Jerry'' and ''Looney Tunes'' continued to air up until 2017. Cartoon Network also promoted various aspects of animation, such as supporting ASIFA-Hollywood and advocating for the preservation of animation history. They recruited animation historians like Jerry Beck to join their advisory board and showcased international animation, including Canadian animated shorts under the O Canada block, as well as independent student films from the ASIFA-East Animation Festival. A challenge for Cartoon Network was to overcome its low penetration of existing cable systems. When launched on October 1, 1992, the channel was only carried by 233 cable systems. To grow its audience, the network used package deals, offering access alongside sister channels TNT and TBS. By 1994, ratings increased significantly, and the channel ranked as the fifth most widely distributed U.S. cable network. Early on, first-run programming on Cartoon Network, including ''The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest'', ''Cartoon Planet'', '' SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron'', and ''2 Stupid Dogs'', also aired on TBS and TNT to increase exposure.

Cartoon Network's first exclusive original show was ''The Moxy Show'', an animation anthology series first airing in 1993, used as an attempt to create a mascot for Cartoon Network. Its first produced series, ''Space Ghost Coast to Coast'' in 1994, used recycled Hanna-Barbera animation to parody a talk show, featuring live-action guests, including niche celebrities and figures from counterculture movements. The series was based on various inexpensive programming stunts to pull in viewers because of the lack of original programming to air, which led to the creative decision to repurpose existing content from the Turner library to make the series more cost-effective. The show attracted a young adult audience and helped broaden the network's appeal to older viewers, which supported Cohen's goal on making Cartoon Network a brand with broad appeal.Mittell (2004), p. 82-83 This marked one of the network's early instances of reviving a 'classic animated icon' in a new comedic context. The first international feed of Cartoon Network launched on April 30, 1993, in Latin America. Additional feeds followed across Europe and other regions on September 17, 1993, as part of Cartoon Network Europe, thus founding Cartoon Network Worldwide the following year, to further brand growth.

1994–2001

In 1994, Hanna-Barbera's new division, Cartoon Network Studios, was founded and started production on ''What a Cartoon!'' (also known as ''World Premiere Toons'' and ''Cartoon Cartoons''). This show debuted in 1995, offering original animated shorts commissioned from Hanna-Barbera and various independent animators. The network marketed the series as a way to offer more creative control to animators, higher budgets, and a break from limited animation. The project was spearheaded by Cartoon Network executives, as well as John Kricfalusi and president of Hanna-Barbera, Fred Seibert.

Cartoon Network was able to assess the potential of certain shorts to serve as pilots for spin-off series and signed contracts with their creators to create ongoing series. ''Dexter's Laboratory'' was the first spin-off of ''What a Cartoon!'' in 1996 after winning a 1995 viewer vote. Between 1997 and 1999, more series debuted, including ''Johnny Bravo'', ''Cow and Chicken'', '' I Am Weasel'' (later spun off), ''The Powerpuff Girls'', ''Courage the Cowardly Dog'', and ''Mike, Lu & Og''. The unrelated series ''Ed, Edd n Eddy'' also premiered in 1999. Many of these series premiered bearing the "Cartoon Cartoons" brand, airing throughout the network's schedule and showcased during ''Cartoon Cartoon Fridays'', which launched on June 11, 1999, as the main night for premieres. Cartoon Network's original programming aimed to support Cohen's 'broad appeal' vision to the network, and moved beyond the constraints of traditional Saturday morning cartoons. Around this time, more on-air promotions and interstitials took on a comedic, tongue-in-cheek style. Many of these segments were created by Ghost Planet Industries, under the Cartoon On Air brand, in order to continue the writing style of ''Space Ghost Coast to Coast''. In 1995, Cartoon Network launched "Cartoon Network Online" as an AOL-exclusive site, later rebranded as CartoonNetwork.com. The website offered games, videos, shopping, Cartoon Orbit (introduced in 2000), and promotions for movies, video games, toys, and more. It also featured the network's first online original series, Web Premiere Toons, which ran interactive web cartoons from 1999 to 2002. Starting in 1996, Cartoon Network aired 2 Sunday morning preschool programs: ''Big Bag'' (live-action/puppet show with animated shorts by Children's Television Workshop) until 2001, and ''Small World'' (animated series from abroad) until 2002.

In 1996, Turner Broadcasting merged with Time Warner, consolidating Cartoon Network's access to Warner Bros. cartoons, including the post-July 1948 and black-and-white cartoons. These cartoons were still licensed to Nickelodeon and ABC, until they began airing on Cartoon Network in 1999 and 2000, respectively, however, the majority of the post-July 1948 cartoons that were shown on its now-sibling broadcast network The WB's Kids' WB block began airing on Cartoon Network in March 1997. Newer animated productions by Warner Bros. Animation also started appearing on the network – mostly reruns of shows that had aired on Kids' WB and some from Fox Kids, along with certain new programs such as ''Justice League''. In 1997, Cartoon Network launched a new action block entitled Toonami. Its lineup initially consisted of 1980s reruns of ''Robotech'' and ''ThunderCats''. However, as time progressed, anime such as ''Sailor Moon'', ''Tenchi Muyo!'', ''Mobile Suit Gundam Wing'', and ''Dragon Ball Z'' would come to dominate the block. Toonami was hosted by Moltar from the ''Space Ghost'' franchise until 1999, where Toonami was later hosted by its own original character, a muscular teenage robot named TOM. On March 2, 1998, a series of bumpers featuring the instrumental Powerhouse were introduced. These bumpers lasted from 1998 to 2004.

Between 1997 and 1998, Cartoon Network's viewership rose from 38 million to 54 million households, and it became the second-most popular network in its demographic of 6–11-year-olds in basic cable after Nickelodeon. In 1999, Cartoon Network introduced interstitials under the Groovies and Shorties labels. These segments featured characters from both original programming and the classic Turner animation library, reimagined by guest music artists and animators in styles distinct from the original shows, and also would have original songs. On April 1, 2000, Cartoon Network launched a digital cable and satellite channel known as Boomerang, which was spun off from one of their programming blocks that featured retro animated series and shorts, as more original programming and imports from other animated outputs of Time-Warner started to fill the main lineup of Cartoon Network.

2001–2004

On June 18, 2001, Betty Cohen, who had served as Cartoon Network's president since its founding, left due to creative disagreements with Jamie Kellner, then-head of Turner Broadcasting. On August 22, 2001, Jim Samples was appointed general manager and Executive Vice President of the network, replacing Cohen. Cartoon Network decided to create an entirely adult-focused block after the benefit of latter attempts on producing content appropriate for adult audiences from Williams Street. Adult Swim debuted on September 2, 2001, with an episode of ''Home Movies''; the block initially aired on Sunday nights, with a repeat telecast on Thursdays. The initial lineup consisted of ''Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law'', ''Sealab 2021'', ''Cowboy Bebop'', ''The Brak Show'', ''Aqua Teen Hunger Force'', and ''Space Ghost Coast to Coast''. With Adult Swim now intending half of Cartoon Network's audience, Cartoon Network now sought to aim to more younger viewers under Samples, and where Cartoon Network's psychographic approach became diverged. This decision led to Nielsen measuring Adult Swim's viewership separately, due to varying demographics between the two dayparts. Because of this, Adult Swim is now promoted as a separate network that shares channel space with Cartoon Network.

The first theatrical film based on an original Cartoon Network series, ''The Powerpuff Girls Movie'', was released on July 3, 2002. Although it was a commercial failure at the time of its release, grossing $16.4 million worldwide on a budget of $11 million, it did receive positive reviews from critics. The network started to drop the "Cartoon Cartoons" brand from its original programming and ended the Cartoon Cartoon Fridays block on May 16, 2003. On October 3, 2003, the Cartoon Cartoon Fridays block was rebooted in a live-action format as "Fridays", hosted by Tommy Snider and Nzinga Blake, the latter of which was later replaced by Tara Sands in 2005. It aired episodes of Cartoon Network original series and acquired shows alongside movies and specials. Toonami would later move to Saturday evenings permanently, after programs under the block started to contain more material deemed less appropriate for Cartoon Network's core audience. A new programming franchise to fill its original weekday afternoon slot, Miguzi, launched on April 2004.

2004–2009: CN City, Yes, Fall, and Noods eras

2004–2007

On June 14, 2004, Cartoon Network rebranded, which included an updated logo (retaining the checkerboard motif) and a new slogan, "This is Cartoon Network!" New bumpers and on-air packaging to coincide with this rebrand were produced by Animal Logic, which showed characters interacting in a CGI city built from their shows. Most classic programming moved to Boomerang to make space for new content, as older Cartoon Cartoons original programming could be viewed in segments on a half-hour block known as ''The Cartoon Cartoon Show''.

In August, Cartoon Network premiered ''Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends'', which became the network's most-viewed original series premiere (until ''Class of 3000'' in 2006). Consistently ranking #1 among viewers aged 6-11, the show prompted an order of 26 additional episodes and quickly became a flagship program. Alongside ''The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy'', ''Ed, Edd n Eddy'', and '' Codename: Kids Next Door'', it set a high standard for future programming aimed at young audiences. As comedy programs thrived, action-oriented shows or those ascend the TV-Y7 rating were increasingly moved to Toonami or canceled, though popular ones remained if they performed well in key demographics. Cartoon Network would also start the ''Get Animated'' initiative the following year, which encouraged healthy lifestyles towards children.

On August 22, 2005, Cartoon Network launched a block aimed at the preschool demographic known as ''Tickle-U,'' which was largely unsuccessful and was discontinued on January 13, 2006. In October 2005, Cartoon Network launched ''Sunday Pants'', a short-lived anthology series showcasing a mix of animated shorts from various creators and countries, created by on-air creatives Stuart Hill, and Craig Sven-Gordon. It featured 1–3 minute shorts in different styles like hand-drawn, Flash, and CGI, and contained more mature material than most series under the Cartoon Network brand. The show included live-action segments with the band The Slacks and animated transitions by WeFail. ''Sunday Pants'' aired for less than a month, ending on October 30, 2005. Plans for a return in 2006 were announced but never happened, and the show was ultimately canceled.

In 2006, ''Re-Animated'' was premiered, the network's first live-action TV movie, blending live-action and animation. This movie was intended to launch the network's foray into scripted live-action programming. In April 2006, the "YES" ad campaign debuted to advertise their growing lineup of animated comedy programs. The network's on-air branding was later modified with similar design elements from the campaign. Under Jim Samples’ leadership, the network emphasized comedy and kid-focused content while experimenting with live-action shows, to create a broader multi-platform entertainment brand. A proposed new logo with a green long-shadow text design was tested but not adopted. However, Samples resigned from his post on February 9, 2007, following a bomb scare in Boston caused by packages left around the city that were part of an outdoor marketing campaign promoting the Adult Swim series ''Aqua Teen Hunger Force''.

2007–2009

On February 14, 2007, Cartoon Network announced several of the remaining series greenlit by Samples, '' Mask of Santo'' (later scrapped), ''Out of Jimmy's Head'' (spin-off of ''Re-Animated''; first live-action series), ''Chowder'', ''The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack'', and ''The Secret Saturdays''. On May 2, 2007, Stuart Snyder was named Samples' successor, following the restructuring of the Animation unit of Turner to add brands such as GameTap, Super Deluxe, and Adult Swim to become the unified Animation, Young Adults, & Kids Media unit. The network continued to target younger audiences with programming and changes initiated under Samples. The Friday night block Fridays was revamped into Fried Dynamite with younger hosts, paired with a Saturday morning lineup called Dynamite Action Squad, which was quickly replaced the following year. In May 2007, the network's broadcast package was changed seasonally during both the Summer and Fall seasons, with songs from Cee-Lo Green and The Hives, respectably. However, the Fall design package lasted after its intended season until July of next year, because of development for a new strategy surronding the network.

Snyder realized that while Cartoon Network performed well, its ratings were lagging behind rivals like Disney Channel and Nickelodeon. To boost engagement, he aimed to expand the audience to include older viewers, particularly boys aged 9-14, and reduce the network's reliance on comedy animation. This led to a strategic plan to begin in 2008 to mature the brand and attract a wider audience. The plan introduced programming blocks like Har Har Tharsdays for comedy animation, You Are Here for action and fantasy, as well as Flicks, which featured movies that are suitable for family co-viewing.

It was also announced that a new initiative called ''The Cartoonstitute'' was launched, aiming to create up to 150 pieces of programming over 20 months. This initiative served as a think tank for new animated content, led by veterans of Cartoon Network, Craig McCracken and Rob Renzetti, who created content in past similar development programs for the network. The program was eventually cancelled, after plans for the program grew difficult. Out of all the shorts, ''Regular Show'', ''Secret Mountain Fort Awesome'', and later ''Uncle Grandpa'', were selected for full series production. In July 2008, a refreshed branding style featuring "Noods"—blank, rounded figures that transform into characters of Cartoon Network shows—was introduced, as a collaboration with Kidrobot's Tristan Eaton. The bumpers were produced by motion design studio Capacity, animated by Crew972, and intend to be in a temporary period of time before a more permanent brand image took place. On September 20, 2008, Cartoon Network ended Toonami after its 11-year run to make room for the upcoming You Are Here lineup. From 2008 to 2011, Cartoon Network aired animated shorts that served as interstitials between programs, called ''Wedgies'', which included ''Big Baby'', ''The Bremen Avenue Experience'', ''Calling Cat-22'', ''Nacho Bear'', ''Roller Squirrels'' and ''The Talented Mr. Bixby''.

The You Are Here lineup received significant marketing support, anchored by the series premieres of ''The Secret Saturdays'' and ''Star Wars: The Clone Wars''. According to Snyder, ''Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' aligned well with the network’s audience and leveraged strong brand recognition. The series set a new ratings record, surpassing ''Class of 3000'' as the most-watched premiere in Cartoon Network’s history. Cartoon Network began greenlighting more projects based on various intellectual properties that appealed to their audience. Notable examples include a Scooby-Doo prequel and '' Firebreather'', an adaptation of the graphic novel of the same name. During this time, Cartoon Network increased fan engagement by launching an online community with Fan Talk message boards, game leaderboards, and virtual Badges.

2009 was a notable year in fact where Cartoon Network didn't premiere any original animated programming. Instead, the network launched CN Real, a block of live-action reality 'alternative' shows, after development of scripted live-action shows stalled during the 2007 Writer's Strike. Alongside this, limited sports programming was introduced, including basketball recaps and SlamBall games, during commercial breaks. Although scripted programming resumed the following year with the premieres of ''Tower Prep'' and '' Unnatural History'', the move to live-action faced criticism from audiences who felt it diverged too far from the network's initial cartoon-centric identity. Because of this and ratings of the block being lower than expected, most shows in the CN Real lineup were removed the year it debuted, with the exception of '' Dude, What Would Happen'' and '' Destroy Build Destroy''.

2010–2019: CHECK it, Dimensional, and Mashup eras

2010–2016

On March 22, 2010, a new logo for the network was registered with the USPTO. After being unveiled publicly at the network's upfront on April 21, it was introduced on-air on May 29, along with a new brand identity and tagline, "CHECK it". The new logo and branding paid homage to the black and white checkerboard that formed the network's first logo (and was carried over in a minimized form to the second logo), accompanied by various CMYK color variations and patterns. The rebrand was initially developed by Qube Konstrukt, but the channel later switched to Brand New School for the finalized version.

During that year, two original animated shows, ''Adventure Time'' and ''Regular Show'' premiered and became highly viewed towards Cartoon Network's key demos. Despite positive reviews, ''Tower Prep'' and '' Unnatural History'' struggled with ratings and targeted demographics outside the network’s core audience, leading to their cancellations after one season. The network premiered more live-action projects, such as '' Level Up'' and the ''Annoying Orange'' TV series, which were directed to align with the network’s animated shows. On December 27, 2010, Adult Swim expanded by one hour, moving its start time from 10:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET. In 2011, Cartoon Network joined the TV Everywhere model for their website and app, and the following year, introduced a live TV simulcast.

On October 2012, Cartoon Network celebrated its 20th anniversary, airing birthday and party-themed reruns of its shows for every weekend until November 4. Earlier in the year on March 30, 2012, the Cartoon Planet block was revived to air the channel's original programming from the late 1990s through mid-2000s. That same year, Cartoon Network launched the ''Cartoon Network Shorts Department'', a successor to the failed ''Cartoonstitute'' initiative, to greenlight more comedy animation programs. Additionally, the channel joined the anti-bullying initiative Stop Bullying Speak Up, which was created by its sister channel CNN in 2010. The network aired the documentary ''Speak Up'' (with special appearance by then-president Barack Obama) in 2012 and ''The Bully Effect'' the following year. On May 20, 2013, Cartoon Network updated its identity, by adding new bumpers, graphics, and sounds. A short animation (formatted as it were a GIF) was created for each show, and these animations were used when featuring the show in Next bumpers. The background used in its promos and bumpers was also changed from black to white. During this year, Cartoon Network would release various animated pilots out of their ''Cartoon Network Shorts Department'' program, such as '' Clarence'', '' Lakewood Plaza Turbo, Steven Universe'' and '' Tome of the Unknown''. All mentioned were greenlit with ''Tome of the Unknown'' turning into ''Over the Garden Wall'' and was the first series formatted as a limited miniseries on the network, which was proven a benefit, as each premiere of a new episode of the show grew more viewership. ''Lakewood Plaza Turbo'' also was changed into ''O.K. K.O.! Let's Be Heroes.''

On March 6, 2014, Stuart Snyder was removed as president and COO of Turner's Animation, Young Adults & Kids Media division after a restructure. On July 16, Christina Miller was named his successor as president and general manager of Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, and Boomerang. At the end of the month, Cartoon Network's 8:00p.m. hour was given to Adult Swim, causing new episodes of the network's programming to change time slots. On October 21, 2014, Cartoon Network, along with CNN and Boomerang, were taken off-air from US-based TV provider, Dish Network, due to contract disagreements. However, the channels were restored a month later. Christina Miller's leadership at Cartoon Network focused on creating a digital-first, cross-platform strategy to adapt to the evolving media landscape. She launched various interactive apps from the Cartoon Network brand and as well as redeveloped its VOD (video-on-demand) app, which combined on-demand streaming with linear programming, offering personalized playlists and early premieres of new episodes. Miller also promoted a multiplatform approach, with shows like ''Mighty Magiswords'' transitioning from brief clips on the Cartoon Network Anything app to longer episodes. Miller also wanted to reintroduce older properties for multi-generational appeal, after ''Teen Titans Go!'' grew in popularity. This resulted in series such as the 2016 ''Ben 10'' and ''The Powerpuff Girls'' series, and ''ThunderCats Roar''. This process was first done by Miller's precessor, as he greenlit such projects as ''The Looney Tunes Show'', a ''Powerpuff Girls'' CG-animated special, and a ''ThunderCats'' prequel reboot.

2016–2019

On May 30, 2016, Cartoon Network refreshed its on-air presentation with a new graphics package based on previous rebrands in the CHECK It family. Known as "Dimensional", the branding was developed by Bent Design Lab and featured various Cartoon Network characters rendered in 3D CGI, stop-motion, and 2D animation. Branding and marketing agency Troika developed the Dimensional style guide, a set of channel-wide standards. On October 22, 2016, AT&T reached a deal to acquire Time Warner for $108.7 billion. The merger was approved by federal regulators on June 12, 2018, and the merger was completed 2 days later, with Time Warner's name changed to WarnerMedia.

To celebrate the network's 25th anniversary, Cartoon Network announced an exhibit called "Cartoon Network: 25 Years of Drawing on Creativity" in partnership with the Paley Center, with showings from September 16. 2017 to October 8, 2017, in their New York City location, and moved to their Beverly Hills, California location with showings from October 14 to November 19 of that year.

On October 29, 2018, Cartoon Network announced construction of its first amusement hotel in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, which opened on January 10, 2020. The company is working with Palace Entertainment to "offer fun and unexpected ways to experience the animated worlds of Cartoon Network from the moment of arrival," according to current president Christina Miller. On March 4, 2019, AT&T announced a major reorganization of WarnerMedia's Turner Broadcasting division, which involves Cartoon Network, Boomerang, Adult Swim and Turner Classic Movies being transferred to Warner Bros. Entertainment. Although AT&T did not specify any timetable for the changes to take effect, WarnerMedia had begun to remove all Turner references in corporate communications and press releases, referring to that unit's networks as "divisions of WarnerMedia". On November 27, 2019, it was announced that Christina Miller would be leaving WarnerMedia at the end of 2019. Michael Ouweleen served as interim president of Cartoon Network, with Miller helping with the transition. To include their content into the original programming slate of streaming service HBO Max, Cartoon Network would move various programs such as seasons of ''Summer Camp Island'' and ''Infinity Train'' and shows ''Tig n' Seek'' and ''The Fungies!'', which were originally meant for the channel.

2020–present: Warner Bros. Discovery/Rise of Streaming (Redraw Your World and Prism eras)

On April 7, 2020, it was announced that effective July 1, Tom Ascheim would become President of Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics, overseeing Cartoon Network, Boomerang, Adult Swim, and Turner Classic Movies. In February 2021, Ascheim announced plans to introduce new programming blocks for preschool and family audiences to expand its demographic reach. During the WarnerMedia upfronts, it was announced that the preschool brand Cartoonito would launch in the U.S. via a block on Cartoon Network and a branded hub on HBO Max. Over 20 series were expected to be featured at its launch. Cartoon Network also unveiled a new imaging campaign, "Redraw Your World". Cartoonito launched in September 2021, initially running for 8 hours on weekdays and 2 hours on weekends. Also launched that month was the Sunday evening block ACME Night, which would be dedicated towards family viewing with feature film airings and other. Original animated movies and series were announced for the block, although since then, most have been cancelled or moved to other platforms. On May 17, 2021, AT&T announced an agreement for WarnerMedia to be divested and merge with Discovery Inc., forming Warner Bros. Discovery under CEO David Zaslav. The merger was completed in April 2022. Cartoon Network has faced a number of cutbacks and reorganizations associated with the merger; in May 2022, Ascheim stepped down as president of Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics, which was subsequently shut down and folded into Warner Bros. Television. The Cartoon Network, Inc. channels would soon be placed under the refined Warner Bros. Discovery U.S. Networks division (succeeding the defunct Turner Broadcasting System).

Michael Ouweleen was then reinstated as president of Cartoon Network and its sister properties, under Kathleen Finch, CEO of the U.S. Networks division. In August 2022, a number of Cartoon Network-originated programs were removed from HBO Max and a few were abruptly cancelled by WBD as part of cost-cutting measures and write-offs of underperforming content, leading to criticism from fans and the animation industry (although they are still available on digital platforms). In October, Cartoon Network Studios merged its development and production operations into Warner Bros. Animation, while continuing to exist as an imprint.

Leading up to its 30th anniversary, Cartoon Network began a month-long "Birthday Bash" campaign: a Labor Day marathon, weeknight blocks, a October 1 marathon, a YouTube live-stream, and complete series releases of ''Courage'', ''Ed, Edd n Eddy'', and '' Foster's Home'' on DVD and digital. Following the celebration, Cartoon Network began to phase out the "Redraw Your World" branding in favor of a pastel-colored look, officially referred to as the "prism", a new visual device for the network.

On October 14, 2022, amidst growing uncertainty about the channel's future in the wake of its reorganizations and cutbacks, Cartoon Network took to social media to reaffirm that it would not be shutting down, stating " ehave been and will always be your home for beloved, innovative cartoons". In a December 2022 interview with ''Variety'', Ouweleen foretold Cartoon Network returning to its initial roots as an "animation network" rather than a "kid network", as well as the possibility of producing more programming that could appeal to both children and young adults. "We have to allocate the money we have in ways that we think are going to have the biggest impact and please the most number of people. You want to keep those creative relationships with people and see what else you can do", he explained. On March 29, 2023, it was announced that Adult Swim would move its start time from 8:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET starting on May 1; in justification of the block's expansion, Ouweleen cited ratings data showing that 68% of Cartoon Network's audience between 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. were over the age of 18. In May, it was announced that Adult Swim would further expand to 6:00 p.m. ET in September; in June, it was announced that the new hour would be occupied on weekdays by the sub-block "Checkered Past", which would feature airings of classic Cartoon Network original series. In August 2023, it was announced that the premiere date for Checkered Past had been moved up to August 28, and that Adult Swim would expand by two hours to 5:00 p.m. ET instead, with Checkered Past airing for the first two hours.

In May 2024, a ''Variety'' article revealed that Warner Bros. Television's animation labels (Cartoon Network Studios, Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe, and Warner Bros. Animation) will focus more on creating content based on established IPs, tailored to different age group demographics. That month, Adult Swim also announced that Checkered Past would be replaced on Fridays by "Toonami Rewind" beginning May 31, which would feature classic action and anime series. In August 2024, Cartoon Network closed its website to become a redirect to its hub on streaming service Max, ending after 26 years of service. Regarding the closure of the network's website, a Cartoon Network spokesperson stated "we are focusing on the Cartoon Network shows and social media where we find consumers are the most engaged and there is a meaningful potential for growth". In the same month, it was announced that Warner Bros. Television chairwoman, Channing Dungey, will also assume the role of chairwoman for the U.S. networks division. She will be replacing Kathleen Finch, who is retiring at the end of the year. On December 12, 2024, WBD announced that it would reorganize its assets into two main business units: "Streaming & Studios" and "Global Linear Networks" by mid-2025. This decision was made from the need to separate the company’s growing streaming business from its shrinking cable TV business in order to reduce debt and grow more revenue. The same month, Max announced that they are shifting more focus to programming meant for adults, as well as content suitable for family co-viewing, placing less emphasis on content exclusively for kids, specifically the Cartoon Network and Cartoonito brands, with many contents from its library set to leave the service by next year.

References

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