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 | It has been suggested that List of international Cartoon Network channels be merged into this article. (Discuss) Proposed since October 2023. |
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| Cartoon Network | |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Entertainment |
| Founded | March 12, 1992[1] |
| Founder | |
| Headquarters | , U.S. |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people |
|
| Products | |
| Brands | |
| Services | |
| Parent | Warner Bros. Discovery Networks |
| Website | www |
The Cartoon Network, Inc. is an American multinational entertainment company operating as a unit of Warner Bros. Discovery.
Founded by Ted Turner and based out of Atlanta, Georgia, its main properties include its flagship service, Cartoon Network and Boomerang as well as programming blocks Cartoonito and Adult Swim. It is a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery Networks.
History
On August 9, 1986, Turner Broadcasting System acquired Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists. On October 18, Turner forcibly sold back MGM. However, Turner kept much of the film and television library made before May 1986 (including some of the UA library) and formed Turner Entertainment Co.[2] On October 8, 1988, its cable channel Turner Network Television was launched and gained an audience with its extensive film library.[3] In 1991, Turner also purchased the library of animation studio Hanna-Barbera.[4][5] Ted Turner selected Betty Cohen (then-Senior Vice President of TNT) to devise a network to house these programs.[6] On February 18, 1992, Turner Broadcasting announced its plans to launch Cartoon Network as an outlet for an animation library.[7] On March 12, 1992, The Cartoon Network, Inc. was founded one month after Turner's plan was announced.[1] On October 1, 1992, its namesake TV channel officially launched as the first 24-hour single-genre cable channel with animation as its main theme.
In 1994, Hanna-Barbera's new division Cartoon Network Studios was founded and started production on What a Cartoon!. This show debuted in 1995, offering original animated shorts. In 1996, Cartoon Network aired two preschool programs: Big Bag, a live-action/puppet television program with animated short series produced by Children's Television Workshop, and Small World, which featured animated series aimed at preschoolers imported from foreign countries. Turner Broadcasting System merged with Time Warner,[8] which consolidated/reverted ownership of all the Warner Bros. cartoons. The network could then continue more original productions.
From January 4, 1999, Cartoon Network aired Ed, Edd n Eddy until its finale on November 8, 2009, making it the longest running standalone original series in rank.
Acquisition by AT&T
On October 22, 2016, AT&T disclosed an offer to acquire Time Warner for $108.7 billion, including assumed debt held by the latter company. The merger would bring Time Warner's various media properties, including The Cartoon Network, Inc., under the same corporate umbrella as AT&T's telecommunications holdings, including satellite provider DirecTV and IPTV/broadband provider AT&T U-verse.[9][10][11][12] Time Warner shareholders approved the merger on February 15, 2017.[13] On November 20, 2017, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against AT&T and Time Warner in an attempt to block the merger, citing antitrust concerns surrounding the transaction.[14][15][16] U.S. clearance of the proposed merger—which had already received approval from European, Mexican, Chilean and Brazilian regulatory authorities—was affirmed by court ruling on June 12, 2018, after District of Columbia U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Leon ruled in favor of AT&T, and dismissed antitrust claims asserted in the DOJ's lawsuit. The merger closed two days later on June 14, 2018, with Time Warner becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of AT&T, which renamed the unit WarnerMedia. The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington unanimously upheld the lower court's ruling in favor of AT&T on February 26, 2019.[17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24]
WarnerMedia-Discovery merger
On May 17, 2021, AT&T and Discovery, Inc. reached a definitive Reverse Morris Trust agreement, in which AT&T would spin out WarnerMedia into an independent company (unwinding the prior 2017 acquisition of the former Time Warner) that would concurrently acquire Discovery's assets, for $43 billion in cash, securities and stock plus WarnerMedia's retention of certain debt. Under the transaction, which was expected to be finalized by the second quarter of 2022, The Cartoon Network, Inc. and all other assets of WarnerMedia would be combined with the assets of Discovery, Inc. (such as Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, Discovery+, All3Media, Eurosport, GolfTV, Golf Digest, Golf World, Really, Motor Trend Group, Food Network, Discovery Family, HGTV, Asian Food Network, Travel Channel, TVN Group, Frisbee, K2, Discovery New Zealand, Tele 5, TLC and many more). AT&T shareholders would own 71% of the company's stock and Discovery shareholders would own the remaining 29% share, with each shareholder group appointing representative board members; David Zaslav, President and CEO of Discovery, would head the new company, replacing WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar.[25][26][27][28]
On June 1, 2021, it was announced that the merged company would be known as Warner Bros. Discovery; Zaslav explained that it would reflect "the combination of Warner Bros.' fabled hundred-year legacy of creative, authentic storytelling and taking bold risks to bring the most amazing stories to life, with Discovery’s global brand that has always stood brightly for integrity, innovation and inspiration."[29] The merger was officially completed on April 8, 2022, with The Cartoon Network, Inc. becoming a subsidiary of WBD.
Units
Production studios
U.S. television channels
- Cartoon Network
- Cartoonito (block)
- Adult Swim (block)
- Toonami (block)
- Toonami Rewind (block)
- Checkered Past (block)
- ACME Night (block)
- Toonami (block)
- Boomerang
- Discovery Family
- Discovery Familia (Spanish-language counterpart)
International channels
Cartoon Network
| Region(s) | Launch date | End date | Language(s) | Coverage and availability notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arab World | October 10, 2010 (as an independent concurrent feed; via free-to-air TV) | Arabic | From Dubai, United Arab Emirates | |
| April 1, 2016 (a Hindi language channel feed; via subscription TV) | Hindi | |||
| Asia Pacific | October 6, 1994 | English, Indonesian, Thai, Malay, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, and Tamil | From Singapore and Jakarta | |
| January 1, 1995 (Taiwan) | From Taipei City, Taiwan | |||
| Australia and New Zealand | October 3, 1995 | English | From Sydney, Australia | |
| Canada | October 17, 1997 (as Teletoon) March 27, 2023 (as Cartoon Network) |
From Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Operated by Corus Entertainment. | ||
| Central and Eastern Europe | September 30, 2002 (as part of Cartoon Network Poland) | Romanian, Hungarian, Czech, and English | From Prague, Czech Republic[30] | |
| October 1, 2009 (as an independent feed) | ||||
| France | September 17, 1993 (as part of Cartoon Network Europe) | French and English | From Paris, France | |
| August 23, 1999 (as an independent feed) | ||||
| Germany | September 17, 1993 (as part of Cartoon Network Europe, in English) | German and English | From Munich, Germany | |
| September 3, 2005 (as an independent feed) | ||||
| India (South Asia) | May 1, 1995 | English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada | From Mumbai, Maharashtra, India | |
| Israel | 2000 (as part of Cartoon Network Europe, in English) | English and Hebrew | Airs as a VOD streaming channel on Yes | |
| June 20, 2011 (as a programming block on Arutz HaYeladim) | ||||
| 2019 (as a VOD streaming channel on Yes) | ||||
| Italy | September 17, 1993 (as part of Cartoon Network Europe) | Italian and English | From Milan, Italy | |
| July 31, 1996 (as an independent feed) | ||||
| Japan | September 1, 1997 | Japanese and English | From Tokyo, Japan | |
| Middle East and Africa | September 17, 1993 (as part of Cartoon Network Europe; via pay TV) July 1, 2016 (relaunched as an independent feed specific for the MENA region; via pay TV) |
English, Arabic, and Greek | From London, England | |
| Latin America | April 30, 1993 | Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, and English (translated continuity on SAP) | From Buenos Aires and São Paulo (Brazilian feed) | |
| October 1996 (as an autonomous Brazilian feed within the Latin American variant of the channel) | Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, and English (translated continuity on SAP) | From Atlanta, Georgia, United States | ||
| 1999 (as an autonomous Mexican feed within the Latin American variant of the channel) | Brazilian Portuguese and English (translated continuity on SAP) | |||
| South Atlantic (Latin America) |
April 30, 1993 (as part of the Latin American feed) | Latin American Spanish and English (translated continuity on SAP) | From Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Medellín, Santiago de Chile and São Paulo | |
| 2002 (as an autonomous feed within the Latin American variant of the channel) | ||||
| Pacific (Latin America) |
April 30, 1993 (as part of the Latin American feed) | |||
| June 1, 2015 (as an autonomous feed within the Latin American variant of the channel) | ||||
| North Atlantic (Latin America) |
April 30, 1993 (as part of the Latin American feed) | |||
| June 1, 2015 (as an autonomous feed within the Latin American variant of the channel) | ||||
| Netherlands | September 17, 1993 (as part of Cartoon Network Europe, in English) | Dutch and English | From Amsterdam, Netherlands | |
| July 12, 1997 (as an independent feed) | ||||
| August 1, 2001 (as part of Cartoon Network Europe, in Dutch and English) | ||||
| November 17, 2010 (as an independent feed) | ||||
| Nordic | September 17, 1993 (as part of Cartoon Network Europe) | Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, and English | From London, England | |
| January 1, 2000 (as an independent feed) | ||||
| Pakistan | April 2, 2004 | English and Urdu | Controlled by Cartoon Network India | |
| Philippines | October 6, 1994 (as part of Cartoon Network Asia Pacific) | English | ||
| September 1, 1995 (as an independent feed) | From Singapore, Jakarta, Bangkok, Manila | |||
| Poland | September 17, 1993 (as part of Cartoon Network Europe, in English) | Polish and English | From Munich, Germany | |
| June 1, 1998 (as an independent feed) | ||||
| Portugal | September 17, 1993 (as part of Cartoon Network Europe, in English) | European Portuguese and English | From London, England | |
| December 3, 2013 (as an independent feed) | ||||
| CIS | September 17, 1993 (Cartoon Network Europe) | Russian and English | From London, England | |
| October 1, 2009 (Cartoon Network RSEE) | Russian, Bulgarian, and English | From Munich, Germany | ||
| Southeastern Europe | October 1, 2009 November 5, 2021 (launched in Croatian, Serbian and Slovene) |
Russian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, and English | From Munich, Germany | |
| South Korea | November 11, 2006 | Korean and English | From Seoul, South Korea | |
| Spain | March 4, 1994 (as part of Cartoon Network Europe) | July 1, 2013 (as a channel) | European Spanish and English | From London, England |
| August 23, 1999 (as an independent feed) | ||||
| September 3, 2013 (as a weekend afternoon block on Boing) | ||||
| Turkey | January 28, 2008 | Turkish and English | From Istanbul, Turkey | |
| United Kingdom, Ireland and Malta | September 17, 1993 | English | From London, England |
Adult Swim
| Channel name | Launch date | End date | Coverage and availability notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia & New Zealand | 2005 (original) 2016 (relaunch) |
2007 (original) 2019 (relaunch) |
Available as a block on Cartoon Network (Australia). |
| Canada | September 7, 2001 (as Showcase Action, later renamed Action) July 4, 2012 (as a block on Cartoon Network (now Boomerang)) April 1, 2019 (replaced Action) |
March 3, 2019 (as a block on Cartoon Network (now Boomerang)) | Canadian channel (24/7) operated by Corus Entertainment; successor to Teletoon at Night. |
| France | March 4, 2011 (as a block on Cartoon Network) July 24, 2019 (as a block on Toonami) |
2015 (as a block on Cartoon Network) | Airs from 11pm-2am on Warner TV Next. |
| Germany | January 28, 2009 (as a block on TNT Serie) 2016 (as a block on TNT Comedy) |
2017 (as a block on TNT Serie) | Available as a block on WarnerTV Comedy. |
| Latin America | October 7, 2005 (as a block on Cartoon Network) November 19, 2007 (as a block on I.Sat) November 3, 2014 (as a block on TBS) May 2, 2020 (as a block on Warner TV) October 31, 2023 (as a TV channel) |
2008 (as a block on Cartoon Network) 2020 (as a block on TBS) April 16, 2020 (as a block on I.Sat) November 8, 2021 (as a block on Warner TV) |
|
| Russia | April 1, 2007 | 2021 | Available as a block in Russia on 2x2 channel. |
| Spain | May 5, 2007 (as a block on TNT) January 22, 2020 (as part of HBO) December 3, 2020 (as a premium pack with Toonami on Orange TV) |
2012 (as a block on TNT) | |
| UK & Ireland | July 8, 2006 (as a block on Bravo) June 5, 2010 (as a block on FX/Fox) January 4, 2012 (as a block on TCM) November 2016 (as a block on TruTV) February 15, 2019 (as a block on E4) |
July 7, 2008 (as a block on Bravo) August 2013 (as a block on TCM) December 2016 (as a block on TruTV) September 1, 2017 (as a block on FX/Fox) |
Available as a block on E4. |
Boomerang
| Region(s) | Launch date | End date | Language(s) | Coverage and availability notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia and New Zealand | October 3, 1995 (block on Cartoon Network Australia and New Zealand) March 14, 2004 (Australia channel) |
2005 (block on Cartoon Network Australia and New Zealand) | English | From Sydney, Australia |
| Canada | July 4, 2012 (as a Cartoon Network channel) March 27, 2023 (as a Boomerang channel) |
English | From Toronto, Ontario. Owned by Corus Entertainment. | |
| Central and Eastern Europe | June 5, 2005 (as part of Cartoon Network Europe) October 11, 2011 (relaunched as an independent feed) |
March 9, 2022 (Russia) March 18, 2023 (in whole CEE); replaced by Cartoonito |
English, Polish, Romanian, Hungarian, Russian, Bulgarian, Dutch, Czech, and German | From Munich, Germany |
| France | April 23, 2003 | French and English | From Paris, France | |
| Germany | June 1, 2006 | October 1, 2018 (closed down and replaced by Boomerang Central and Eastern Europe) | German and English | From Munich, Germany |
| India (South Asia) | September 5, 2005 (block on Cartoon Network India) | May 2009 | English | From Mumbai, India |
| Italy | July 31, 2003 | Italian and English | From Rome, Italy | |
| Japan | January 2018 | March 31, 2022 | Japanese | From Tokyo, Japan |
| Latin America | 1993 (block) July 2, 2001 (channel) |
December 1, 2021 (channel); replaced by Cartoonito | Spanish, English, and Portuguese | From Buenos Aires, Argentina; Santiago, Chile; São Paulo, Brasil; and Mexico City |
| Middle East and Africa | September 17, 1993 (as part of Cartoon Network Europe) July 1, 2016 (relaunched as an independent feed) |
March 25, 2023 (Africa) and September 4, 2023 (MENA); replaced by Cartoonito | English, Arabic, and Greek | From London, England |
| Netherlands | October 10, 2005 | 2017 (closed down and replaced by Boomerang Central and Eastern Europe) | Dutch and English | |
| Nordic | September 15, 2009 (as a block) September 30, 2010 (as a channel) |
September 30, 2010 (as a block) September 4, 2023 (as a channel); replaced by Cartoonito |
English, Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish | |
| Portugal | April 21, 2015 | March 23, 2023; replaced by Cartoonito | Portuguese and English | From Lisboa, Portugal |
| South Korea | November 14, 2015 | Korean and English | From Seoul, South Korea | |
| Southeast Asia | September 5, 2005 (original) January 1, 2015 (relaunch) |
December 1, 2012 (original) July 28, 2023 (relaunch); replaced by Cartoonito |
English and Mandarin | From Singapore |
| Spain | December 1, 2004 | September 1, 2011; replaced by Cartoonito | Spanish and English | From London, England |