Comments on: Merlin Returns in Cartoon Network’s Live Action Reborn http://blog.newsarama.com/2009/04/16/merlin-returns-in-cartoon-networks-live-action-reborn/ The Blog@ Team and prominent comics personalities share what’s on their minds. Wed, 22 May 2013 09:13:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: MrWesley http://blog.newsarama.com/2009/04/16/merlin-returns-in-cartoon-networks-live-action-reborn/comment-page-1/#comment-462313 MrWesley Thu, 16 Apr 2009 14:43:52 +0000 http://blog.newsarama.com/?p=11468#comment-462313 While I don't like the live-action direction for CN, I can understand it. Cartoons are expensive to produce and/or buy, and the audience isn't as large as it needs to be to 1) compete with other kidworks, and 2) keep up with the other TW cable networks. Cartoons simply can't pay the bills. And we've seen this kind of thing before, where a network establishes itself by creating niche programming, then expands their programming to include other things, and maybe they even abandon what got them so popular in the first place. We saw it with MTV, then VH1 and M(TV)2, where they were based on music videos, then expanded their programming and eventually dropped music videos from their pallet. And you know what, they're more popular now than ever. We've seen it with Court TV/TruTV, now with SyFy and CN. Heck, even Toon Disney just rebranded itself to Disney XD, and I didn't see anyone blink at that. And Cartoon Network itself has been expanding it's brand for years. It was originally conceived as a place to rerun old WB/HB/MGM cartoons, then expanded to new projects, dropped the older cartoons altogether, THEN expanded past its kids' demographic (the horror!) to include the Adult Swim block. Cut CN a break. While I don’t like the live-action direction for CN, I can understand it. Cartoons are expensive to produce and/or buy, and the audience isn’t as large as it needs to be to 1) compete with other kidworks, and 2) keep up with the other TW cable networks. Cartoons simply can’t pay the bills.

And we’ve seen this kind of thing before, where a network establishes itself by creating niche programming, then expands their programming to include other things, and maybe they even abandon what got them so popular in the first place. We saw it with MTV, then VH1 and M(TV)2, where they were based on music videos, then expanded their programming and eventually dropped music videos from their pallet. And you know what, they’re more popular now than ever. We’ve seen it with Court TV/TruTV, now with SyFy and CN. Heck, even Toon Disney just rebranded itself to Disney XD, and I didn’t see anyone blink at that.

And Cartoon Network itself has been expanding it’s brand for years. It was originally conceived as a place to rerun old WB/HB/MGM cartoons, then expanded to new projects, dropped the older cartoons altogether, THEN expanded past its kids’ demographic (the horror!) to include the Adult Swim block.

Cut CN a break.

]]> By: Lumpmoose http://blog.newsarama.com/2009/04/16/merlin-returns-in-cartoon-networks-live-action-reborn/comment-page-1/#comment-462307 Lumpmoose Thu, 16 Apr 2009 14:07:07 +0000 http://blog.newsarama.com/?p=11468#comment-462307 Cartoon Network is just noticing the success of Hannah Montana, Jonas Bros., High School Musical, Aaron Stone, et al on Disney. They've learned how to create popular live action acts that kids eat up and Cartoon Network wants in on it. Cartoon Network is just noticing the success of Hannah Montana, Jonas Bros., High School Musical, Aaron Stone, et al on Disney. They’ve learned how to create popular live action acts that kids eat up and Cartoon Network wants in on it.

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