Weekday cartoon

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A weekday cartoon is an animated television programming block for children and later teens during the weekday mornings and afternoons.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] 1960s and 1970s

Weekday cartoons began as far back as the early 1960s on non-network independent commercial stations in large television markets. On such stations, cartoon blocks would occupy the 7-9 a.m. and the 3-5 p.m. blocks, with some stations (such as WKBD-TV and WMYD in Detroit having cartoon programming in 6-9 a.m. and 2-5 p.m blocks). In smaller markets, network affiliates sometimes filled the 3 or 4 p.m. hour with such programming. Cartoons broadcast in the 1970s consisted of:

In the 1970s, more independent stations signed on running such programming. Examples included WNEW-TV and WPIX in New York City; KTTV and KCOP-TV in Los Angeles, California; WMYD-TV and WKBD-TV in Detroit; CHWI-TV (briefly) in Windsor; WUAB and WOIO in Cleveland; WGN-TV and WFLD in Chicago, and WSBK-TV, WLVI-TV, and WXNE-TV, in Boston, WKBS, WTAF and WPHL in Philadelphia, WPMT in York; KVVU, KRLR and KFBT in Las Vegas; KWGN, KTVD and KDVR in Denver and among others. The programming blocks did not have an official name such as "Fox Kids" or "Kids' WB."

[edit] 1980s

In the 1980s, independent stations signed on in medium and many small markets. The market for made-for-television cartoons grew as a result. Many of these stations were beginning cartoon blocks on weekdays as early as 6 a.m. and as early as 2 p.m. in the afternoon. Some stations ended weekday cartoons as late as 6 p.m. The older Bugs Bunny and Popeye cartoons made way for first-run syndicated cartoons such as He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Rambo: The Force of Freedom, ThunderCats, Dennis the Menace, My Little Pony, The Transformers, Voltron, and reruns of Scooby Doo, Garfield and Friends, and The Pink Panther, among many others. Most large and medium markets had at least two local stations running such programming in the 6-9 a.m. and the 2:30 to 5 p.m. slots. Some markets had as many as three.

In 1987, The Walt Disney Company tried its luck at syndication; DuckTales went on the air that September and lasted 100 episodes. The success of DuckTales paved the way for a second series two years later, Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers. The following year, the two shows aired together under the umbrella title The Disney Afternoon. In 1991, Disney added another hour; the block aired in syndication until 1999.

[edit] 1990s

In 1990, The Fox television network began running a weekday afternoon cartoon called Peter Pan and the Pirates. In 1991, they added another hour; this block would be known as Fox Kids. In some markets one show was run in mornings and the other two in afternoons, while in others the entire block was on in afternoons. [1]

In 1992, Fox Kids added Warner Brothers-produced cartoons like Batman: The Animated Series, Merrie Melodies reruns, Tiny Toon Adventures, Tom and Jerry Kids Show, and others. Some of these were previously syndicated. Disney continued its Disney Afternoon block. Fox affiliates primarily aired Fox Kids and other syndicated cartoons while independents aired Disney cartoons along with other syndicated shows. By now many markets had three stations running such programming. In 1993, Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers premiered on Fox. By this point, the network had a three-hour block of such programming. Beginning at the end of 1994, some Fox affiliates declined to run Fox Kids programming, replacing them either with talk/reality shows or with additional newscasts. These included stations that formerly had ABC, CBS, or NBC affiliations. In such markets Fox Kids would run on an independent station. Many of these stations would affiliate with The WB or UPN.

The popularity of the weekday cartoon lineup climbed from the mid-1980s to mid-1990s. As a result, The WB began an afternoon cartoon block called Kids' WB! in the fall of 1995. At that point, Looney Toons characters would move off Fox Kids and onto Kids' WB. This block was initially one hour long, and at the end of 1996, expanded to three hours—two in the afternoon and one in the morning. By then, The Disney Afternoon was airing mostly on UPN affiliates but in some markets aired on WB and even a handful of Fox stations. In 1996, weekday cartoons would reach their peak with no decline seemingly in sight.

[edit] Decline

That year, Congress passed—and then-President Bill Clinton signed into law—the Telecommunications Act of 1996, relaxing radio and television ownership limits. But it would regulate children's television substantially. All television stations would be required to air three hours of educational and informative ("E/I") children's programming. With a few exceptions, however, the weekday cartoons were not considered E/I under the requirements. Also, the Federal Communications Commission regulated content in advertising, making selling such programming difficult on over-the-air stations. Cable channels would not be as regulated. In 1997, the decline of the weekday cartoon began. FCC regulations in children's programming resulted in complaints from local affiliates in terms of ability to make money airing cartoons.

Regardless of the new regulations, UPN attempted to run a teen sitcom block in 1997, only to end the following year. Warner Brothers would stop syndicating their vintage theatrical and made-for-TV cartoons to local stations in 1997, relegating those to cable. They still continued their Kids' WB! block for their affiliates.

In 1998, some UPN and WB affiliates would trim morning syndicated cartoons in favor of family sitcoms, newscasts, and/or court/talk/reality programming. Many Fox affiliates started morning newscasts. In 1999, the Disney Afternoon ended its run in syndication. Disney would then form an alliance with UPN, converting the block to UPN Kids under the Disney's One Too name. Still, a decent amount of cartoons were still available in syndication. That year, Fox Kids trimmed the block to two hours while syndicating The Magic School Bus, which occupied an hour.

[edit] 2000s

In 2000, syndicated cartoons continued to decline as more stations dropped weekday cartoons in the morning or afternoon, or both. By now UPN, stations ran Disney cartoons either during the morning or afternoon, dropping syndicated cartoons. Some WB and UPN stations continued running an hour or so of syndicated cartoons. Fox affiliates for the most part had morning newscasts and only had an afternoon block. Some affiliates no longer ran the afternoon block, but in most cases, UPN, WB or independent stations ran it during the morning or afternoon.

In 2001, the Kids' WB! block was trimmed to two hours. Syndicated cartoons lacked clearances. Fox also ended its weekday kids block at the end of that year. Just about every Fox affiliate would replace the cartoons with talk and reality shows. By 2002, most UPN stations ran Disney's One Too from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. or from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., while WB stations ran Kids' WB from 3 to 5 p.m. In most markets, these were the only cartoons available on local stations. Some ran a syndicated educational cartoon or program here and there in such blocks. Still, stations lost money on this programming.

In the fall of 2003, UPN ended the Disney's One Too block as well. Fox-owned UPN affiliates continued running cartoons from DIC Entertainment for two hours in the 7 to 9 a.m. slot. But most UPN affiliates still ran only one kid's show per day, if that. Some WB stations also aired a show or two produced by DIC. By 2003, The Daily Buzz, a three-hour national news program, would replace weekday morning cartoons on many UPN affiliates in some markets and on WB affiliates in others.

In 2004, Kids' WB still continued its weekday block. In most markets this was the only weekday cartoon block left on broadcast TV. In 2005, even the Fox-owned UPN stations decreased weekday cartoons to one hour. In January 2006, Kids' WB ended and was replaced with Daytime WB, a two-hour block of sitcom and drama reruns, which continued even after the WB and UPN merged programming into a single network, The CW. That fall, Fox-owned UPN affiliates, which became owned-and-operated stations of the News Corporation-owned MyNetworkTV, dropped weekday cartoons. Still, they run an educational kid's show per day on some stations.

[edit] On cable

On cable, non-children's channels also began dropping cartoons. In the late 1990s, the USA Network ended the USA Cartoon Express lineup. In the fall of 1998, WTBS replaced its cartoons with sitcoms. In September 2006, ABC Family dropped its Jetix lineup, making it exclusive to Toon Disney.

Today, weekday cartoons are relegated to basic cable networks like Nickelodeon, Disney Channel for much of the day along with educational and family programs, and Cartoon Network until 11 p.m. (10 p.m. on Sundays), prior to its Adult Swim programming block. Local PBS stations run plenty of educational children's programming on weekdays. In addition, there are digital cable channels that only offer children's programs. These are all available on DirectTV and Dish Network, as well as most digital cable packages. Cartoon Network has Boomerang, which runs primarily classic cartoons. Disney has Toon Disney, which only runs cartoons, while Nickelodeon has Nicktoons Network. There are also educational channels like PBS Kids, Noggin, and others.

[edit] Current state

Weekday children's blocks are now run only on PBS stations. The WB dropped its weekday block in January 2006 and other cable networks featuring family and children's programming have cut back. In addition, it is unlikely that The CW will air any children's programming on weekdays in the future. Its unclear if MyNetworkTV will eventually add cartoons on weekdays. That year, the qubo block of programming began airing on ION affiliates, targeting children ages 2-3, at Fridays 2:00 - 5:00 PM, following "Mustard Pancakes" at 1:30 Pm.

[edit] List of networks airing weekday cartoons

This is a list of television networks airing weekday cartoons as of January 2006

[edit] Broadcast

[edit] Cable and satellite

[edit] No longer airing weekday cartoons

[edit] Defunct weekday cartoons

This is a list of Weekday Cartoon line ups that are no longer on television.

[edit] Notable weekday cartoon shows

Main article: List of Weekday Cartoons

This is a list of weekday cartoon shows on broadcast and cable networks (both morning and afternoon).

[edit] See also

Cartoons on Television
Weekday cartoon | Saturday morning cartoon | Sunday morning cartoon | Prime time cartoon