Kids' WB

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Kids' WB
Type Online Network Block. Defunct Saturday morning cartoon block (1995-2008)
Weekday afternoon cartoon block (1995-2006)
Weekday morning cartoon block (1997-2001)
Country Flag of the United States United States
Availability Flag of the United States United States
Flag of Canada Canada
Flag of Mexico Mexico
Flag of Puerto Rico Puerto Rico
Owner Time Warner
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc.
Launch date September 9, 1995 (Television)
April 28, 2008 (Online)
Dissolved May 17, 2008 (Television)
Former affiliations The WB (1995-2006)
The CW (2006-2008)
Website
KidsWB.com
KidsWB! Jr.com

Kids' WB is an online network that broadcasts Warner Bros. Animation series. It was formerly a Saturday morning cartoon block of The CW Television Network's weekend programming. The CW is the result of The WB's merger with UPN in 2006. On May 17, 2008, Kids' WB ceased broadcasting. The website debuted on April 28, 2008. The website allows viewers to watch shows of Looney Tunes, Hanna-Barbera and DC Comics. It has different zones where users are linked to Kids' WB, Kids' WB, Jr., and DC HeroZone.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Early years

Kids' WB debuted on The WB on Saturday, September 9, 1995, airing on Saturday mornings from 8 AM - 11 AM ET and weekday afternoons from 4 - 5 PM. On September 7, 1996, the Saturday block was extended by a full hour, airing from 8 AM - 12 PM ET. On September 1, 1997, Kids' WB started airing weekday mornings from 7 AM - 8 AM, and the weekday afternoon block was extended to 3 - 5 PM in most markets. Some stations, such as KTLA in Los Angeles, California, aired the weekday morning hour in conjunction with the weekday afternoon block, expanding it to 3 hours from 2:00PM - 5:00PM.

[edit] Changes At Kids' WB

In July 2001, Kids' WB's afternoon lineup was rebranded Toonami on Kids' WB extending the Cartoon Network action-cartoon brand Toonami to broadcast television bringing shows like Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball Z, and The Powerpuff Girls to network television. In addition, non-action programming like Scooby-Doo and The Nightmare Room were also branded as Toonami. The afternoon block was rebranded Kids' WB in June 2002.

On September 3, 2001, Kids' WB ceased airing weekday morning programming, and gave that slot to the local affiliates. On January 2, 2006 the weekday afternoon Kids' WB block was dropped, replaced by Daytime WB. As a result, the Saturday morning block was extended by an hour on January 7, 2006, running from 7:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., no longer affected by time zone "at the request of the local affiliates".

On January 24, 2006, The WB, Kids' WB's original broadcaster, announced they would merge with UPN to form The CW Television Network. The combined network utilized The WB's scheduling practices and brought the Kids' WB block, still run by Warner Bros. Television and still maintaining its name, to the new lineup.

[edit] The End and Rebirth of Kids' WB

On October 2, 2007, the network announced that due to a joint decision between Warner Bros. and CBS, (parent companies of The CW), it would suspend the Kids' WB programming block due to the effects of children's advertising limits and cable competition and sell the programming time to 4Kids Entertainment.[1] Their last day of broadcasting was on May 17, 2008 as Kids' WB ended broadcasting operations.

4Kids launched the The CW4Kids block in place of the Kids' WB! block on May 24, 2008. The lineup for the block consists of 4Kids produced shows such as Chaotic as well as new seasons of Yu-Gi-Oh! and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.[2] The official site, http://www.cw4kids.com, officially launched on April 20, 2008.

On April 28, 2008, Warner Bros. Entertainment announced that The WB and Kids' WB brands would be relaunched as online networks, with the Kids' WB network consisting of three subchannels: Kids' WB, Kids' WB, Jr., and DC HeroZone.[3][4][5]

[edit] Programming

See also: Kids' WB Specials
See also: Kids' WB Television Programming

[edit] Logos

The Original Kids' WB! logo, used from 1995-1997.

Kids' WB!'s logo, used from 1997-2008. It also appeared on the first three Pokémon movies.

The Kids' WB! logo seen on their new website on April 28, 2008.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ CW turns to 4Kids on Saturdays, Variety.com, October 2, 2007
  2. ^ Brands Old and New for 4Kids at Licensing Expo 2008, AWN Headline News
  3. ^ Online Kids' WB! Venture, DC Hero Zone Press Release, The World's Finest, April 29, 2008
  4. ^ WB Revived as Online Platform, Variety.com, April 28, 2008
  5. ^ Warner Moves Toon Content Online to KidsWB.com, KidScreen Magazine, April 29, 2008

[edit] External links

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Children's Television Blocks in the United States
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