Cartoon Network is adding to its anti-bullying campaign with a series of videos created by TikTok influencers who share their own experiences and provide advice for young viewers.

The new  “We Speak Up” initiative, starting Tuesday, is part of Cartoon’s "Stop Bullying: Speak Up" effort. It is also aligned with the channel’s “Redraw Your World” slogan.

The TikTok creators involved in the campaign include Charlie Curtis Beard, Nick Cho (known as “Your Korean Dad”), Justyn Gee, Johnny Ringer and Davante Wilson.

The videos appear on the creators’ TikTok pages.

“‘Stop Bullying: Speak Up’ and ‘Redraw Your World’ are rooted in the foundation that all kids should embrace their unique selves, feel empowered to make impactful change, and speak up without fear,” said Jill King, senior VP, marketing and partnerships at WarnerMedia Kids & Family. “This amazing group of TikTok creators was selected for their shared commitment to inclusion and acceptance and we’re inspired by their authentic voices that encourage and entertain millions of followers.”

The creators worked with the Anti-Defamation League, which provides expert resources to persuade viewers consider being more inclusive, accepting and to stop bullying before it starts.

"It is so important to help young people learn how to be an ally when others are targeted by bias or bullying. Speaking up like these TikTokers have done makes a huge difference in reducing bias and creating a better and more inclusive world,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO and National Director. “We commend Cartoon Network for its longstanding commitment to address bullying and hate and foster inclusion and equality.”

Launched in 2010, Stop Bullying: Speak Up empowers kids to speak up safely and effectively in the face of bullying, while helping them develop greater kindness, caring, and empathy. Recent partners include: Raising Good Gamers and The Cyberbullying Research Center, as well as PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center.  ■

Look out, Charles Barkley, Shaq, Kenny and Ernie. The Teen Titans will be providing analysis of the NBA’s All-Star Slam Dunk Contest in a special to air on Cartoon Network February 20.

Nike will present the half-hour special commercial free. 

WarnerMedia Kids & Family said Warner Bros. Animation is working with Turner Sports and the NBA. The result will be the Teen Titans—Robin, Raven, Beast Boy Cyborg and Starfire—providing their own comedic commentary on the dunkathon direct from TNT’s Inside the NBA studios.

“We had to think about what the Teen Titans have not accomplished yet. They’ve sung waffle songs, eaten burritos, starred in their own feature film, watched Space Jam, and now they get to take part in one of the most iconic sporting events,” said Tricia Melton, chief marketing officer, Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics. “As their popularity continues to skyrocket, this groundbreaking partnership with the NBA and Turner Sports allows us another fun and innovative storytelling opportunity to bring our Super Heroes back into the real world.”

The Cartoon Network Special Edition: NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest will appear less than 24 after the original full-length AT&T Slam Dunk Contest airs on TNT on Saturday night and just before the The NBA All-Star Game presented by Kia appears on TNT.

Cartoon Network will be running a Teen Titans Go! Marathon over All-Star weekend leading up to and following the special. The Super Hero weekend will culminate with a new episode of Teen Titans Go! titled The Drip on February 21 at 5 p.m. ET/PT. ■

WarnerMedia’s Kids & Family unit said it was expanding its Craig of the Creek franchise by giving the green light to an original Craig of the Creek movie and a preschool spinoff series, Jessica’s Big Little World.

The company also renewed Craig of the Creek for season five, which will appear on Cartoon Network and HBO Max.

“In Craig of the Creek, Matt Burnett, Ben Levin, Tiffany Ford, and the entire crew created a charming, imaginative, and inclusive world that represents the best in kids animation,” said Sam Register, president, Cartoon Network Studios and Warner Bros. Animation. “We could not ask for a better foundation as we expand the stories of the Creek into preschool and long-form projects ensuring that Craig of the Creek is well on its way to becoming our studio’s next big kids franchise.”

Also: Cartoonito Preschool Block Launching Sept. 13 on HBO Max, Cartoon Network

Jessica’s Big Little World is set to debut in 2023. Jessica is the littlest sister at the Creek and she’s inspired by grown up and bigger kids as wills herself to create a bedtime routine or say hello to a new classmate.

Craig of the Creek: The Movie will provide the origin story of the Creek’s bravest explorer. His adventure features a treasure map, pirate chips and a villain who wants to destroy the Creek. The movie is expected to premiere in 2023.

Season five of Craig of the Creek promises more adventures for Craig and his friends.

Craig of the Creek, Craig of the Creek: The Movie and Jessica’s Big Little World are executive produced and co-created by Emmy-nominated Steven Universe writers Matt Burnett and Ben Levin. Jessica’s Big Little World is executive produced and co-created by former Craig of the Creek supervising director, Tiffany Ford.

“Seeing how viewers automatically fell in love with Jessica, the littlest member of the Williams family, and her big belief that she can do what everyone else does, developing Jessica’s Big Little World was a natural next step in the Craig universe,” said Matt Burnett and Ben Levin, executive producers and co-creators, Craig of the Creek. “Tiffany has been part of the Craig of the Creek family since the beginning and there isn’t a better voice to bring our pint-sized heroine’s journey to preschoolers.” ■

Cartoon Network will launch the animated comedy We Baby Bears with 10 episodes starting at 10 a.m. ET on New Year’s Day.

The animated series is a spinoff of the network’s We Bare Bears, featuring younger versions of the characters.

The show’s original theme song is performed by K-Pop group TRI.BE, which released its first mini-album, Veni, Vidi, Vici in October.

After the New Year’s Day debut, a pair of new episodes will premiere Saturday mornings at 9 a.m.

Also: WarnerMedia Redraws Kids Business at Upfront

We Baby Bears stars the voices of Connor Andrade, Amari McCoy and Max Mitchell. Guest stars include Anjali Bhimani, Rhys Darby, Janeane Garofalo, Young M.A., Jason Mantzoukas, Stephen Oyoung, Willow Smith and Bernardo Velasco.

“We Baby Bears is the first original Cartoon Network series to kick off our 'Redraw Your World' campaign and there isn’t a better, more authentic representation of our new brand promise than these baby bears looking for the place they fit in,” said Amy Friedman, head of kids and family programming, Warner Bros. “Partnering with TRI.BE on the original theme song, their message, ‘We are perfect as we are,’ doubles down on themes of inclusivity and acceptance which we think kids everywhere will be drawn to.”

The series will roll out globally on Cartoon Network starting with Latin America on Jan. 2, followed by Asia Pacific on Jan. 8 and across Europe, the Middle East and Africa in March.

Produced by Cartoon Network Studios, We Baby Bears is executive produced by Daniel Chong and Manny Hernandez. ■

Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses debuts on TBS and Cartoon Network Nov. 28. Helen Mirren hosts the competition series. There are four episodes. 

TBS and Cartoon Network shared a trailer Oct. 28. The networks promise “more Harry Potter magic than you could find on a day trip to Diagon Alley.”

The show will see fans compete for their Hogwarts house, be it Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin or Hufflepuff, in teams of three. Houses go head to head in four battles, answering hundreds of Wizarding World trivia questions. Winning teams of each round advance to the grand finale Dec. 19. 

The winning team gets a shopping spree at Harry Potter New York, tickets to the Broadway show Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, a trip to Harry Potter: The Exhibition in Philadelphia, an advanced screening of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore and a three-day trip to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando. 

Harry Potter cast members Tom Felton, Simon Fisher-Becker, Shirley Henderson, Luke Youngblood and others will make cameos in the series, along with superfans Pete Davidson and Jay Leno.

TBS and Cartoon Network are part of WarnerMedia. Warner Bros. owns the Wizarding World brand. 

There have been eight Potter movies, based on the J.K. Rowling book franchise. 

Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses is produced by Warner Bros. Unscripted Television, in association with Warner Horizon alongside Robin Ashbrook and Yasmin Shackleton of theoldschool. 

The series will premiere on HBO Max early next year.

Cartoon Network today launched its Redraw Your World slogan with a music video featuring 11-year-old musician in residence Nandi Bushell.

The video, using animation and live actions features a drum solo by Bushell. Parent company Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics unveiled the slogan during its upfront presentation. 

“Nandi personifies Redraw Your World in every way possible – she’s fearless, passionate, and quite literally marches to the beat of her own drum,” said Tricia Melton, chief marketing officer, Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics. “Redraw Your World is our ethos in everything that we do, and these are the words we hope that our audiences can be inspired by to redraw their world.”

Original music for the Redraw Your World promo featuring Bushell is entitled, Drawsticks, and was written, produced, and engineered by composers and artists, Brain and Melissa.

Those meddling kids from HBO Max and Cartoon Network will be launching Scoobtober, which will run from Oct. 1 through Halloween with new episodes of Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? and 28 Scooby Doo movies from the Warner Bros Home Entertainment library.

The Cartoon Network premiere of the theatrical film Scoob! will also occur during Scoobtober on Oct. 31.

Among the guest stars in new episodes of Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? are Cher, Sean Astin, Jessica Biel, Terry Bradshaw, Lucy Liu, Jason Sudeikis and Run DMC. The episodes will stream on HBO Max.

Consumers can also watch episodes of Scooby-Doo in the CN app and collect Scooby-Doo figures through the CN Arcade app.

Famed actress Helen Mirren has signed on to host Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses, the upcoming competition show that will appear first on Cartoon Network and TBS, and then stream on HBO Max.

“We’re creating an arena for the leagues of Harry Potter film fans to flex their knowledge of the Wizarding World, and there’s no one better than Dame Helen Mirren to add some British grandeur to this event that will debut across our WarnerMedia brands and platforms,” said Tom Ascheim, president of AT&T’s Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics.

The series appears as the film Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone marks its 20th anniversary.

“I knew someday I’d get a Harry Potter role, and I’m so pleased to take part in the 20-year film celebration,” said Mirren. “The films inspired such enchantment and wonder for so many of us, and it will be such a treat to reignite that magic for the countless fans who continue to revel in this spellbinding world.”

On Cartoon Network, the Wizarding World competition will be part of the new ACME night for family viewing.

Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses is produced by Warner Bros. Unscripted Television, in association with Warner Horizon and Robin Ashbrook and Yasmin Shackleton of theoldschool.

Cartoon Network will launch Acme Night, a Sunday night block featuring movies, specials and series for family viewing, on Sept. 19 at 6 p.m. ET.

Acme Night programming will also be available on HBO Max, another WarnerMedia property next year. 

AT&T is in the process of selling WarnerMedia to Discovery.

Cartoon Network and HBO Max will be launching Cartoonito, a preschool block, on Sept. 13.

Also Read: WarnerMedia Redraws Kids Business at Upfront

The first Acme Night will feature the Warner Bros D.C. superhero movie Shazam. In future weeks, movies including Man of Steel, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Sherlock Gnomes, Detective Pikachu and Scoob! will be shown.

WarnerMedia's Kids and Family unit is creating original animated movies and specials that will appear during Acme Nights.

Newly greenlit movies from Warner Bros. Animation include Merry Little Batman, Did I Do That to the Holidays? A Steve Urkel Story (Jaleel White provides Urkel's voice and is a producer) and an untitled Looney Tune Cartoons Movie featuring Porky Pig and Daffy Duck.

Specials and series previously announced by WarnerMedia that will find their way to Acme Nights include Aquaman: King of Atlantis, Batman: Caped Crusader, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, a Harry Potter Wizarding World competition event series, and Unicorn: Warrior Eternal.

“In the world of Acme anything, and I do mean anything, is possible,” said Tom Ascheim, president of Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics. “We know families want to spend time together, so we’ve created a destination for multigenerational stories that pull families together through the power of imagination.”

The Acme Night block comes from the classic Road Runner cartoons. Wile E. Coyote, super genius, would order gadgets from Acme to catch Road Runner, but they would backfire spectacularly.

WarnerMedia Kids & Family said that its new Cartoonito preschool programming block will have its debut on HBO Max and Cartoon Network Sept. 13 as older children around the country return to the classroom.

Cartoonito will appear on Cartoon Network Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. through 2 p.m. Series will include Mush-Mush & The Mushables and Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go. It will also appear Saturdays and Sundays from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m., with more shows including Lucas the Spider.

HBO Max will have a page dedicated to Cartoonito. Shows include Little Ellen and season two of The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo.

“Cartoonito’s offerings on HBO Max and Cartoon Network will reflect a wide array of diverse content that connects kids and their caregivers through relatable stories, lovable characters and meaningful social emotional learning both in and between the shows,” said Amy Friedman, head of kids & family programming, Warner Bros. “We are now in the homestretch and we can’t wait for our four hosts Nito, Glob, Wedge, and Itty to take preschoolers and their families into the expansive world of Cartoonito.”

Also Read: WarnerMedia Redraws Kids Business at Upfront

Cartoonito said its programming is guided by a framework it called Humancentric Learning. Humancentric Learning was developed by WarnerMedia with educational psychologist Dr. Lauren Brown. It aims to help children develop their unique potential and encourage them to treat others with compassion, respect and fairness.

“The preschool years are a crucial time for development as children begin to identify, manage and communicate their emotions, build a positive self-image, and begin to make friends,” said Brown. “This learning framework aims to support these important skillsets through fun, engaging and relevant storytelling that empowers kids to feel comfortable in their own skin, believe anything is possible, treat others with kindness, and stand up to unfairness.”

For example, Little Ellen models optimism and resilience to build courage and Lucas the Spider explores his world to encourage curiosity, the company said.

Cartoonito will offer resources to help parents and caregivers understand each show’s curriculum. Each show will feature a learning badge­—a short phrase and an icon that describes what Humancentric Learning goals the show teaches. The Cartoonito parent website will have information about the curriculum and supplemental learning activities children and adults can play together.

WarnerMedia Kids & Family started promoting the Cartoonito preschool block that will launch this fall on HBO Max and Cartoon Network with a trailer.

The trailer--running on HBO Max and Cartoon Network--features a mnemonic slogan: “Oh! Oh! Oh! Cartoonito!”

It shows scenes from some of the shows that will be part of the block, including Sesame Street and Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go, Mush-Mush & the Mushables, Bing, Dylan, Odo and Pocoyo.

Cartoon Network viewers will also get a preview of upcoming Cartoonito series Little Ellen, which looks at life through the eyes of a 7-year-old Ellen Degeneres, and Lucas the Spider.

WarnerMedia said that Cartoonito will feature four animated hosts who will appear during interstitials. Their names are Nito, Glob, Wedge and Itty and they each have a unique personality, WarnerMedia said.

WarnerMedia Kids & Family said it added four animated shows to its upcoming Cartoonito preschool lineup. 

One of the new shows, Dylan was recently greenlit. The other shows, Bing, Odo and Pocoyo are acquisitions.

The preschool block is expected to launch this fall on HBO Max and Cartoon Network.

Also Read: Nickelodeon Shows Off Giant Slate of Original Content

WarnerMedia previously announced the series Batwheels, Little Ellen projects based on books by Mo Willems would be part of Cartoonito. 

Also Read:‘Marvel’s Spidey’, ‘Mickey Mouse Funhouse’ on Disney Channel and Disney Junior in August

Dylan is based on the book series by Guy Parker-Rees and will be an interactive comedy about an imaginative multi-colored striped dog. Dylan is developed by 9 Story Media Group and produced by its Brown Bag Films.

Bing is a preschool bunny who is navigating the world with a menagerie of other little animals. Based on books by Ted Dewan, Bing is broadcast in 130 territories worldwide. It is produced by Acamar Film in association with Brown Bag Films.

Odo the owl is the littlest camper at the Forest Camp for Young Birds. The series was created by Colin Williams and produced by Sixteen South and Letko.

Pocoyo is about a curious little boy discovering the world around him with his friends. Pocoyo was created and produced by Zinkia Entertainment.

Superman and Batman will be the stars of new series greenlit by HBO Max and Cartoon Network, WarnerMedia announced at its upfront presentation Wednesday.

Both superheroes come from DC Comics, another property of AT&T's WarnerMedia unit. AT&T agreed to sell WarnerMedia to Discovery after discovering the media business was like Kryptonite to a phone company.

WarnerMedia Kids & Family is also conjuring up two specials marking the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. One special is a quiz competition, the other a retrospective look at the boy wizard.

Batman: Caped Crusader is an animated series produced by Warner Bros. Animation, Bad Robot Productions and 6th & Idaho.

“It is always fun to feed the insatiable appetite fans have for all things Batman. Batman: Caped Crusader will entertain first time and die-hard fans alike and, with such an impressive creative team in place, we know we have another future Batman classic in the making,” said Tom Ascheim, president, Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics.

Bruce Timm, who created the Emmy award winning Batman: The Animated Series, is returning to Gotham City 30 years after that series premiered. Executive producing along with Timm are JJ. Abrams and Matt Reeves.

“Batman: The Animated Series was a masterpiece that shaped the perception of the character for an entire generation of fans. It is in that spirit that we are bringing together three master storytellers in J.J., Matt and Bruce – each with their own intuitive understanding and affection for the character – to create a new series that will continue in the same groundbreaking legacy,” said Sam Register, president of Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios.

My Adventures With Superman stars Jack Quaid as a 20-something Man of Steel, with his co-workers Lois Lane, played by Alice Lee, and Jimmy Olsen. The show is produced by Warner Bros. animation

“Superman has remained one of the most iconic and beloved Super Heroes in the world,” said Amy Friedman, head of kids & family programming at Warner Bros. “This fresh take from the Warner Bros. Animation team delivers a modern, relatable Clark Kent alongside a fearless, whip smart Lois Lane who are navigating the small tasks of both becoming adults and trying to save the world.”

My Adventures with Superman is produced by Warner Bros. Animation. Sam Register serves as executive producer. Jake Wyatt and Brendan Clogher are on board as co-executive producers with Josie Campbelas as co-producer.

The Harry Potter fan quiz competition will be a four-episode limited series. A play-along component will allow viewers to don their Hogwarts robes and wave their wands from home. The competition will be followed by a film retrospective.  

The whole package will premiere on HBO Max, Cartoon Network and TBS later this year in the U.S.

“To celebrate the dedicated fans old and new who have passionately kept the Wizarding World magic alive in so many forms for decades, these exciting specials will celebrate their Harry Potter fandom in a must-see multiplatform TV event,” said Ascheim. “All Potter fans can gear up for this ultimate one-of-a-kind celebration by embracing their inner Hermione Granger and studying their Wizarding World knowledge. For fans who have always wanted to discover what it might be like to take the O.W.L. exams, this is as close as they are going to get!"

Robin Ashbrook and Yasmin Shackleton of The Old School will produce the four Wizarding World one-hour quiz competition shows. Casey Patterson of Casey Patterson Entertainment will executive produce the anniversary retrospective special.

AT&T's WarnerMedia, looking to revitalize its kid and family business at a time when young viewers have turned to streaming, told ad buyers it is expanding its Cartoon Network brand with additional content aimed at reaching preschoolers and girls.

At its kids and family upfront Wednesday, it said it would be creating more than 300 hours of original series specials and acquisitions that will appear on Cartoon Network and HBO Max beginning later this year.

WarnerMedia last year combined its kids assets, including Cartoon Network, Warner Bros. animation, D.C. Comics and Harry Potter. The kids assets will operate under the Cartoon Network brand.

Cartoon Network will face off against ViacomCBS’s Nickelodeon and The Walt Disney Co.’s Disney Channel. All three companies are using kids programming to boost their streaming business, where Netflix is the big player.

Also Read: Apple Makes Deal for Kids Programming with Skydance

Tom Ascheim, the former Disney exec who was named president of Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics last year, said the Cartoon Network brand was picked because despite falling cable viewership it still enjoys worldwide recognition both on TV and online. 

“We like to say Cartoon Network is always animated, but it’s not just cartoons,” Asheim said. 

He said the brand’s strategy could be summed up in the acronym H.U.M. H stands for history, with Looney Tunes going back nearly 100 years, od Hanna-Barbera 70 years od and Cartoon Network turning 30. U is for unified, with assets combined, including the Warner Bros. and Cartoon Network studios. And M is for Modernity, as in keeping up with young people, who are both making the future and changing the way they consume content.

In addition to appearing on cable and HBO Max--including eventually the ad-supported version of HBO Max--Cartoon Network content will appear on YouTube and social channels. 

A windowing strategy hasn’t been fully worked out yet in terms of where content will appear first and for how long, Ascheim said.

The brand will use the new tagline Redraw Your World, and Cartoon Network has made a musician-in-residence deal with10-year-old Nandi Bushell to create multi-platform promotional content.

A big initial push will be with preschool kids. Cartoon Network will launch a Cartoonito block in the fall that will air weekdays from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aschiem said the company was making "its biggest commitment in a hundred years” to new content for preschoolers. Cartoonito  will launch with 20 new series and will have 50 new series within its first two years.

Cartoonito programming will include Bugs Bunny Builders, Mush-Mush & The Mushabiles, Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go. and Batwheels, featuring vehicles from the D.C. universe.

Cartoon Network, long more popular with boys, will also try to balance appeal with more live-action programming aimed at girls.

“Girls find their interest in live-action earlier than boys developmentally," Ascheim said.

Research indicates that while these days everyone has their own screen, parents and children are increasingly looking for more time together, particularly around entertainment, Ascheim said.

Cartoon will court family co-viewing with a movie block of Warner Brothers films including Gremlins and Back to the Future on the weekends, he said. “We will add original movies, original series, original specials there over time,” he added.

For advertisers, the new Cartoon Network “gives us scale, and when we add to that our digital presence on HBO Max you have a platform for connecting with audiences in a way we haven’t in the past,” said JP Colaco, head of ad sales for WarnerMedia.

Clients will be able to reach young and old consumers and the family members who influence and make decisions about purchases.

“We’re going to invest so much in the content that you’re going to see tremendous return in terms of increase in the efficacy of the advertising,” said Colaco, adding that “in a world where kids GRPs [gross ratings points] have moved to non-ad-supported environments like Netflix, Apple TV Plus, et cetera, we offer a bastion of glory for advertisers where they can actually interact and get their messages across.”

While many advertisers will buy kids programming as part of an overall upfront deal with WarnerMedia, Colaco said that there remains a distinct kids market for toy makers and other kids brands.

Last year’s upfront market was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and deals were completed in September, just before the start of the fall season.

“The overall market is definitely stronger than last year, Colaco said. “We see a lot of positive momentum. We think a lot of folks want to move earlier even than the May time frame,” he said.

After last year, advertisers negotiating upfront deals still “value flexibility, because we’re not through the storm yet,” he added

“So we will remain flexible and maximize our relationships with our partners through this process,” Colaco said. “We’re trying to grow our business and they’re trying to protect theirs as well. We’ll work in concert together to make an impact moving forward. But we do see a robust demand and I think once we announce our new positioning, people will be fighting to be on our platform.”

“When Kids and Family is healthy, companies do better. This has been a sleeping giant for a long time,” Ascheim added.

New series greenlights to reach all kids and families include:

Ben 10 specials – Produced by Man of Action, three 44-minute specials based on the Cartoon Network series Ben 10 are set to premiere in April 2021.

Craig of the Creek – Created by Steven Universe writers Matt Burnett and Ben Levin, season four of the Emmy-, GLAAD- and NAACP Image Award-nominated series is back.

Gremlins Season 2 – A season two greenlight of this animated prequel to the beloved film franchise doubles down on the yet-to-be aired series from Warner Bros. Animation and Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Television. The first season, Gremlins: The Secrets of the Mogwai, is currently in production and features a voice cast including Izaac Wang, Ming-Na Wen, BD Wong, James Hong, A.J. LoCascio, Gabrielle Green, and Matthew Rhys.

Infinity Train: Book Four – created by Owen Dennis and produced by Cartoon Network Studios.

Jade Armor – In production with TeamTO and featuring a talented all-female creative team, Jade Amor centers around the martial arts-loving Lan Jun, an unlikely teenage heroine who must learn the ancient secrets of her family and uncover the unexpected, all while navigating life as a teen.

Total Drama Island – The hilarious reality show is back with two new seasons. Total Drama Island is produced by Fresh TV for Cartoon Network and HBO Max, and distributed internationally by CAKE.

Victor and Valentino – In its third season, the series is created by Diego Molano and produced by Cartoon Network Studios.

New projects in development for kids and families include:

The Amazing World of Gumball Movie (working title) – Produced out of EMEA, the upcoming TV movie is based on the hit Cartoon Network series The Amazing World of Gumball.

Family Mash-Up (working title) – A modern day The Brady Bunch meets Pitch Perfect when a single mom and three sons and a single dad with three daughters fall in love and get married despite their kids being in two fiercely competing acapella groups. The live-action comedy is created by Michael Poryes.

Gross Girls – From Cartoon Network Studios with producers Adam Scott and Naomi Scott alongside creators Daniela Hamilton and Scott Yacyshyn, Gross Girls is an animated comedy about Chuck and Zoey, two best friends trying to survive middle school without losing any of their trademark stinky, hairy, mad science-y grossness.

Teen Titans Go! The Night Begins to Shine – In this spin-off series of Teen Titans Go!, Robin, Raven, Cyborg, Beast Boy and Starfire journey back to the world of Night Begins to Shine. Teen Titans Go! Night Begins to Shine is produced by Warner Bros. Animation.

Tweety Mysteries (working title) – Tweety Mysteries is a hybrid live-action/animated adventure from Warner Bros. Animation and Warner Bros. Television that follows a curious tween investigative journalist and podcaster named Sydney and her sidekick Tweety bird.

The company previously announced two-season greenlight of Tiny Toons Looniversity from Warner Bros. Animation, Amblin Television and returning executive producer Steven Spielberg, as well as the inclusive family co-viewing slate that includes Genndy Tartakovsky’s supernatural family series Unicorn: Warriors Eternal.

New series greenlights for Cartoonito:

Bea’s Block – Debuting on HBO Max, Sesame Workshop’s newest animated preschool comedy series centers on bold and curious 5-year-old Bea as she and her friends.

Bugs Bunny Builders (working title) – Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, Bugs Bunny Builders brings the wackiness, humor and slapstick we’ve grown to love to a new preschool audience.

New projects in development for Cartoonito:

Jessica's Big Little World (working title) – From Cartoon Network Studios, this spin-off from Craig of the Creek follows Craig’s bright, independent, spirited little sister, Jessica. The series is created by Craig of the Creek executive producers and creators Matt Burnett and Ben Levin, and Craig of the Creek supervising director, Tiffany Ford.

Tom and Jerry Junior (working title) – Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, Tom and Jerry Junior is a series of animated musical shorts introducing the beloved cat and mouse duo to preschoolers with an educational twist.

Newly acquired and coproduction series for Cartoonito:

Ladybird Lu – Produced by 9 Story’s Brown Bag Films, Ladybird Lu explores everyday dramas in the world of a three-year-old with a brand-new social life. The new series is created and directed by Nicky Phelan and inspired by his mother’s experience running a preschool.

Mush-Mush & the Mushables – Produced by France’s La Cabane and Belgium’s Thuristar in coproduction with CAKE, the series follows the endearing Mushable community. Produced by Perrine Gauthier, Mush-Mush & the Mushables is created by Elfriede de Rooster and directed by Joeri Christiaen.

Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go! – From Mattel Television, Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go! Is produced in 2D-animation in partnership with Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana Studio.

Previously announced preschool greenlights that will join Cartoonito’s programming line-up include: Sesame Street’s first CGI-animated spinoff Mecha Builders on HBO Max; Batwheels, an action-adventure comedy series from Warner Bros. Animation that will feature heroic and iconic vehicles from the DC universe; Little Ellen, a 2D animated series from Ellen Digital Ventures and Warner Bros. Animation exploring the world through the eyes of a seven-year-old Ellen DeGeneres; Lucas the Spider, a CGI-animated show from Fresh TV in association with WexWorks Media with CAKE handling international distribution and based on a viral YouTube hit that follows the adventures of an endearing young spider; and a collection of projects with bestselling children’s book author Mo Willems.

As part of its long-running anti-bullying campaign, Cartoon Network and the Cyberbullying Research Center released results of a study that found that 21% of tweens have experienced cyberbullying.

According to the survey of 1,034 tweens, 15% said they had witnessed cyberbullying, 15% have been cyberbullied themselves, and 3% said they had cyberbullied others.

Cartoon Network, part of AT&T, said the study is the first nationally representative survey of cyberbullying among tweens. The study is part of the channel’s long-running Stop Bullying: Speak Up initiative and the results will be used to anchor its 2021 campaign, which will include public service announcements.

“While there has been considerable research about cyberbullying among teens, there has been a huge gap in our understanding of these behaviors among tweens,” said Justin Patchin, Ph.D., professor at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and co-director of the Cyberbullying Research Center. “This is a critical development stage, yet it has been vastly understudied when it comes to cyberbullying.”

The study also found that of the 15% of tweens who said they have been cyberbullied, 94% said it had a negative impact on them, including on their feelings about themselves, their friendships and their schoolwork. About two-thirds of tweens said they were willing to step in to defend, support or assist when they see people being bullied at school or online. But about 35% said they were afraid that trying to help would make the bullying worse, 26.8% said they don’t know how to report it online and 18.3% said they were afraid other kids would make fun of them.

Having done the research, Cartoon Network has created social content with tips from the Cyberbullying Research Center aimed at parents to help their children identify and stand up to cyberbullying.

“It was especially important for us to collaborate with the Cyberbullying Research Center on this critical research as tweens head back to their virtual classrooms, spending more time on digital platforms than ever before,” said Tricia Melton, chief marketing officer of Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics. “Cartoon Network will use these findings to help equip kids, tweens and parents with the tools they need to stand up to cyberbullying.”

Cartoon Network wants to help kids and families as they head back to school with a new public service announcement campaign in which kids share their new school experiences with characters from the channel.

The "In This Together"  initiative launches Sept. 7.

In the spots, the kids talk about their experience, with some doing online classes and other venturing into school buildings. Characters from Cartoon Network’s Teen Titans Go! can certainly commiserate with the complications that come from wearing a mask.

The AT&T-owned channel also plans a monthly “Mystery Reader” series that will begin in mid-September featuring characters from shows reading to kids. The monthly segments will be available on YouTube. The first one features from Teen Titan Go!            

Ben 10 vs. The Universe: The Movie will have its debut on Cartoon Network on Oct. 10.

The TV movie will also be released digital on Oct. 11 on all major platforms. It will also come out on Oct. 13 via DVDs from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.

Ben 10 is currently in its fourth season. New episodes will begin appearing on Sept. 13 with a half-hour special that takes Ben to Tokyo. More new episodes will appear every day that week.

The show is also available on the CN App and via VOD.

The series is produced by Cartoon Network Studios and created, and executive produced by Man of Action Entertainment, with John Fang as executive producer.

AT&T’s Cartoon Network and Crunchyroll units said they are teaming up to return the anime block Toonami to Latin America starting Aug. 31.

Starting out, the block will run Monday through Friday from midnight to 1 a.m. and feature Dragon Ball Super and Mob Psycho 100. Each series will be dubbed into Spanish and Portuguese.

Cartoon and Crunchyroll are working together to create the original series Fena: Pirate Princess, which will air in 2021, Crunchyroll and Adult Swim are also teaming up for Blade Runner -- Black Lotus.

“The team at Cartoon Network have been incredible partners in helping us grow the love of anime around and their Toonami block has been the premiere television destination for the anime community,” said Brady McCollum, head of global operations and international, Crunchyroll. “By powering Toonami’s return to Latin America with series curated by Crunchyroll, we can’t wait to create even more fans of the medium we love.”

AT&T is reportedly in talk to sell Crunchyroll to Sony.

”We're excited to have Toonami back, along with a number one player such as Crunchyroll”, added Pablo Zuccarino, senior VP and channel manager, Cartoon Network, Boomerang & Tooncast Latin America. “In our successful history, anime has been part of our DNA, and thanks to this association we´ll be delivering a curated content selection to a whole new generation of fans."

Cartoon Network will be releasing its TV movie We Bare Bears The Movie via digital sales platforms on June 8, charging $14.99 for the animated film.

The move comes as Comcast and The Walt Disney Co. have released some new films for home consumption, either view electronic sales or on streaming sites such as Disney Plus because theaters have been closed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The film was originally scheduled to run on Cartoon Network later this year.

“We hope that by accelerating the release of this wonderful, feel-good family TV movie, we can bring a little joy into homes sooner than originally planned,” Rob Sorcher, chief content officer, Cartoon Network,

Eric Edelstein, Demetri Martin and Bobby Moynihan star as bears Grizz, Ice and Panda. Recurring guest stars Cameron Esposito, Ellie Kemper, Jason Lee, Patton Oswalt, Mel Rodriguez and Charlyne Yi also have roles in the movies, along with special guest star Marc Evan Jackson and K-Pop’s Amber Liu.

In the movie, the Bears are chased from their home and move to Canada in a perilous road trip.  Along the way, they recall how they met and became brothers and decide not to break up their family.

Distributed by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, the movie will be available for purchase in the U.S. and Canada on platforms including iTunes, Google Play and Amazon.

AT&T’s Warner Bros. unit said it hired The Walt Disney Co. executive Tom Ascheim as president of global kids, young adults and classics at Warner Bros.

Ascheim, who had headed Freeform at The Walt Disney Co., will be responsible for global strategy for Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Boomerang, managing the Cartoon Network and Warner Bros. animation studios and overseeing Turner Classic Movies.

He will be assuming responsibilities formerly handled by Christina Miller, one of many former Turner executives who left after AT&T took over Time Warner last year.

Last week, AT&T's WarnerMedia unit named a new CEO, former Hulu founding CEO Jason Kilar. Warner Bros. is part of WarnerMedia.

RELATED: WarnerMedia Names Kilar CEO

“I am excited that Tom will be joining Warner Bros. He is an excellent executive and collaborative leader with an impressive track record and deep experience in the kids and young adult worlds. I had the benefit of seeing Tom’s skills firsthand when we were at Nickelodeon and really look forward to working with him again,” said Warner Bros. CEO Ann Sarnoff, to whom Ascheim will report.

Ascheim will join Warner Bros. this summer.

Ascheim was named president of Freeform in 2013, when it was still ABC Family. Before that he was chief strategy officer of Sesame Workshop. Earlier he was with Newsweek and Nickelodeon television.

"I am thrilled to be joining Warner Bros. and especially excited to be working with the deeply talented folks at Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Boomerang, TCM and Warner Bros. Animation,” said Ascheim. “I've been watching their work since I was a child and it's thrilling to be part of such a storied group. I'm equally excited to be working again with Ann Sarnoff who remains one of the best people I've ever had the privilege to work with."

Cartoon Network has released two videos with tips for kids on how to wash hands and stay healthy. The videos, titled “Wash Your Hands” and “Be Clean, Be Cool”, include characters from popular shows such as The Powerpuff Girls, Teen Titans Go!, We Bare Bears, and Steven Universe.

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the videos can be seen on YouTube, on Cartoon Network, on the CN app and the network's social platforms.

AT&T’s upcoming streaming service HBO Max has ordered four one-hour Adventure Time specials based on the Cartoon Network show.

The first two Adventure Time: Distant Land specials are scheduled to premiere exclusively on HBO Max in 2020.

“The enchanted world of Adventure Time has mesmerized viewers and critics alike as Finn and Jake right wrongs and battle evil,” said Sarah Aubrey, head of original content for HBO Max. “The addition of these specials to the HBO Max kids and family programming lineup is sure to make kids everywhere say ‘Slam-bam-in-a-can!’”

Created by Pendleton Ward and executive produced by Adam Muto, Adventure Time has won numerous entertainment awards and cultivated a generation of talent who have gone on to work on hits including Steven Universe, Over the Garden Wall, and Clarence.

Adventure Time: Distant Lands is produced by Cartoon Network Studios, part of AT&T.

“Adventure Time was a groundbreaking series and a creative playground for so many talented creative artists,” said Rob Sorcher, chief content officer, Cartoon Network Studios. “Producing Adventure Time: Distant Lands for HBO Max will allow our studio to explore this beloved world in an all-new format.”

The Science of Rick and Morty: The Unofficial Guide to Earth’s Stupidest Show, by high school science teacher Matt Brady, is published Oct. 1. Brady explores how close Rick’s wacky science experiments come to becoming reality. Like, can you really control a cockroach’s nervous system with your tongue?

Brady uses lots of pop culture in his chemistry and physics classes, which he said gives students “a sense of ownership.”

He’s “hooked” on Rick and Morty. Brady wrote about the Cartoon Network show on website thescienceof.org, and was contacted out of the blue by an editor in the U.K., wondering if he had a book in him.

He did.

Brady has always idolized those who make science accessible, such as Bill Nye and Neil Degrasse Tyson. “It’s so cool to be able to reach people, and get them interested in science,” he said.

Reaching people on NBC Oct. 4 is season seven of The Blacklist. After being abducted by Katarina Rostova, Raymond Reddington finds himself alone in hostile territory. It’s a giant faceoff between Katarina and Red. “She needs information and will do anything to get it,” executive producer John Eisendrath said. “She needs one thing and Red will never give it up.”

Eisendrath sees season seven as a “family drama.”

What’s been the key to Blacklist sticking around for seven seasons and counting? “The show is built around an undeniably sympathetic villain” in Red, Eisendrath said. “It’s a great construction for any story.”

That and James Spader is pretty fun to watch. “James likes the strange,” said executive producer Jon Bokenkamp. “We embrace writing weird situations, dangerous situations, funny situations.”

Oct. 4 also sees the new season of English drama Peaky Blinders on Netflix. Tommy Shelby is putting the crime stuff behind him and focusing on legit business. Business is tough in 1929, as the stock market crashed across the pond.

Cillian Murphy plays Tommy, now a member of Parliament. “Seasons one through four, Tommy has a gun in his hand,” said Jamie Glazebrook, executive producer. “Season five, he’s not in a good place. He’s cracking apart.”

The show is shot in Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham. Glazebrook described Peaky as “a bit of social history, a bit of family history, a bit of rip-roaring drama.”

What makes it relevant in 2019? “It’s about men, who are always interesting,” Glazebrook said.

“It’s about families, who are always interesting,” added executive producer Caryn Mandabach. “The honesty with which [creator Steven Knight] writes about men will always be relevant.”

The Peaky Blinders festival just went down in Birmingham, with some 15,000 people turning up. “The love expressed at the festival,” said Mandabach, “it was wild, man.”

The Peabody Board of Jurors today named nine entertainment shows and one children's program released during 2018 as award winners, and said Sesame Street would be honored for 50 years of entertaining and educating kids. They will be celebrated as part of the May 18 awards ceremony, as will documentaries that were named earlier. 

Rita Moreno will receive the Peabody Career Achievement Award, and winners in News/Radio & Podcast/Web/Public Service programming will be announced on April 23, completing the Peabody 30. 

The programs announced as Peabody Award winners Thursday are:

Steven Universe from Cartoon Network Studios (Cartoon Network). "On its surface, Rebecca Sugar’s animated series develops a complex mythology centering around the Crystal Gems—“polymorphic sentient rocks” who protect young Steven and his human friends from cosmic threats. But in this earnest fantasy epic and superhero saga, empathy is perhaps the most important superpower, something our real-world human society needs now more than ever."

Barry from HBO Entertainment in association with Alec Berg and Hanarply (HBO). "Saturday Night Live alum Bill Hader has built a dark comedy off the unlikely premise of a hitman who really wants to be an actor and earnestly pursues his dream under the guidance of his has-been acting teacher played by Henry Winkler. Even as one of the quirkiest and entertaining series on TV, “Barry” asks serious questions about emotional connection, the nature of violence, and the cost of doing whatever it takes to keep a secret."

Hannah Gadsby: Nanette from Netflix (Netflix). "Comedian Hannah Gadsby makes a major statement about the social costs of laughing at someone, and about what it means to be the brunt of a joke. She brilliantly finds the tragedy in comedy, in the process breaking apart and reconstructing the standup comedy special format. Throughout, she delivers the thunderous message of the destructive power of heteronormativity, toxic masculinity and male sexual violence, and how easily society tolerates each."

Killing Eve, by Sid Gentle Films Ltd. for BBC America (BBC America). "The tense cat-and-mouse spy thriller—serving as a vehicle for amazing performances by Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer—is also a masterful, playful recalibration of the genre, creating room not just for two women at the helm, but also for women’s interests and circumstances in almost every inch of the plot. Like its psychopathic assassin, Villanelle, it is equal parts terrifying, hilarious, slick, playful, and surprisingly soulful."

Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj, by Netflix (Netflix). "Hasan Minhaj has created the perfect model for engaging his fellow millennials in contemporary politics and public life. With his trademark high-octane energy, the first Indian-American and Muslim late-night host brings a welcome voice to political entertainment television. He’s also bold and fearless, taking on the ruthless Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman just weeks after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi."

Pose, Fox 21 Television Studios and FX Productions (FX Networks). "Set in 1980s New York, Pose follows the ongoing rivalry between the established House of Abundance and the upstart House of Evangelista in an honest telling of trans and gay people of color at a critical time in history. Presided over by Billy Porter’s Pray Tell, the competition and its delicious melodrama serves as backdrop for the burgeoning LGBTQ community and family, doing important representational work and storytelling both on and off the ballroom floor."

Random Acts of Flyness, HBO Entertainment in association with A24 and MVMT (HBO). "Breaking the mold of what we think television is and can be, Random Acts of Flyness ponders what it means to be young and black in America and produces a layered, complex experience of wonder, joy, and insight. The series brilliantly assembles black sonic, visual, and literary worlds into a 21st century cut ‘n’ mix of black aesthetic of absurdity, critique, affirmation, and fun. Most importantly, it does so without a preoccupation with white gaze or desire, centering blackness as a complex, productive historical fact and contemporary lived experience rather than a phobic-obsessed reaction to whiteness."

The Americans, Fox 21 Television Studios and FX Productions (FX Networks). "If a great drama series is judged—at least, in part—by the way its story ends, then The Americans can easily be counted among the best TV shows in history. Over six seasons, the 1980s-set thriller centered on two Soviet spies deeply undercover as middle-class American parents in a Virginia suburb. In 2018, creators brought the acclaimed story to a masterful conclusion, forcing spies Elizabeth and Philip Jennings to make impossible choices as their carefully constructed lives imploded on multiple fronts."

The End of the F***ing World, Clerkenwell Films/Dominic Buchanan Productions for Channel 4 Television and Netflix (Netflix). "Teenage angst collides with dark British humor in this series about a self-identified psychopath and a wily high school rebel who seek adventure outside their boring suburban town. Based on a graphic novel by Charles Forsman, the British-American co-production features deeply funny and moving performances by Jessica Lawther and Alex Barden that capture the confusion of adolescence with intelligence and depth. A wonderfully unorthodox coming-of-age story for 21st century realists and hopeless romantics alike."

The Good Place, Universal Television, Fremulon and 3 Arts Entertainment (NBC). "A Peabody nominee last year, Michael Schur’s fantasy-comedy about the afterlife keeps refusing to follow the formulas of broadcast network sitcoms, constantly renegotiating its format as our favorite contemporary morality play. The energies of Kristin Bell, Ted Danson, Jameela Jamil, and D’Arcy Carden, in particular, keep the show moving with virtuosity in every unexpected laboratory from the Good Place to the Bad Place, the afterlife to the Medium Place, and of course, to Earth."

Of HBO and PBS trailblazing children's show Sesame Street, the Peabody Award organization said: "Conceived by Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett, Sesame Street premiered in 1969 with wide-eyed optimism and determination to make a difference. Structured on the belief that a children’s TV show could help close an achievement gap in preparation for school, while also teaching about the values of diversity, mutual respect, and empathy, it remains one of the 1960s greatest offerings. Its central messages are about appreciating locality, accepting and valuing difference, and learning how to be a massive bird’s friend when you’re a green trash monster. And yet it teaches these lessons, day in and day out, alongside functional lessons about basic math, spelling, logic, patterns, and a love of music, art, and dance. Sesame Street is also honored for its advocacy role in reminding citizens and politicians why public broadcasting is necessary and valuable, challenging us to make a difference and to be good, caring people while we do so."

Pictured: Bill Hader and Henry Winkler in HBO's Barry.

Expanding its anti-bullying campaign, Cartoon Network is teaming up with 826 National to launch the Inclusion Storytelling Project.

The project encourages youth to share individual stories about kindness and empathy in an effort to stop bullying before it starts.

As part of the collaboration, stories from elementary and high-school students will be compiled into eight illustrated publications. A book release event will be held by each of the 826 National chapters.

“Elevating kids’ voices is central to everything we do at Cartoon Network,” said Jill King, senior VP, marketing and partnerships, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Boomerang. “Equipping each kid with tools and resources to use their individual voice to speak up is a key goal of Stop Bullying: Speak Up.

“826 National is an organization that values children as a creative force as much as we do, and by developing the Inclusion Storytelling Project together, we are encouraging kids to use creativity to understand and spread kindness, compassion and empathy,” King added.

Read More: #CableInTheCommunity

The first chapter to release work will be in the Los Angeles Echo Park location on Thursday (Dec. 7). The releases by other chapters will continue into next year.

“Many of the students we serve at 826 come from traditionally under-resourced communities that are most affected by our changing political and cultural landscape,” said Laura Brief, CEO of 826 National. “We believe our students have the power and perspective to end a pervasive culture of bullying, and we are so excited to partner with Cartoon Network in sharing their stories and voices on a national scale.”

Cartoon Network has created an advisory board to guide the channel's efforts to its promote STEAM education (STEM plus the arts) efforts.

As part of a three-year White House push to promote computer science education, Cartoon Network last January launched a $30 million initiative to get kids interested in computer codes and coding.

The network's new STEAM advisory board was billed as the latest initiative in that effort, others being teaming with MIT, DIY and Google to promote using computer coding to "express ideas, craft stories and make art."

Read more #CableInTheCommunity stories.

Named to the advisory board were DIY CEO Zach Klein; National Girls Collaborative CEO Karen Peterson; Mitch Resnick, a professor at MIT Media Lab; and Diana Skaar, head of business innovation for robotics at X (formerly Google[x]); and Mimi Ito, digital media professor at University of California Irvine.

“Cartoon Network’s unparalleled multiplatform reach uniquely positions us to meet kids where they are and find new ways to unlock their creativity through technology,” said Christina Miller, president of Cartoon Network, in announcing the board. “Now, with the leadership of this incredible group of dedicated visionaries, we will accelerate and expand our reach, fulfilling our goal of giving Plurals creative confidence to become the next generation of creators, animators and makers.”

Cartoon Network’s Regular Show will enter its final season this fall.

Created by JG Quintel, Regular Show’s eighth season will take place entirely in space. The season starts Sept. 26 and concludes in January.

Regular Show has followed the lives of best friends and groundskeepers Mordecai (voiced by Quintel) and Rigby (William Salyers), whose lazy afternoon escapades are interrupted by misadventures with their gang of friends.

“From JG’s original pitch on Post-it notes, through eight successful seasons and more than 250 episodes produced, Regular Show has been one of the most original animated series of this generation, creating indelible characters and signature comedy mayhem laced with heart,” said Cartoon Network chief content officer Rob Sorcher.

Read more at broadcastingcable.com.

Adult Swim is aiming at its millennial audience with the development of new original series that serve both linear TV and digital platform viewers, the network said Thursday in advance of its May 18 upfront presentation.

Adult Swim has greenlit several new on-air shows, including a new Robot Chicken special -- Robot Chicken: The Walking Dead Special -- as well asMillion Dollar Extreme: World Peace, a live action series that follows the exploits of sketch comedy troupe Million Dollar Extreme; Brad Belman’s Dinner in America, which follows comedian Belman as he explores race relations across the country; a new pilot project from Dan Harmon dubbed Art Prison; and the return of classic Cartoon Network series Samurai Jack, network officials said

On the digital side, Adult Swim will launch several weekday shows including Stupid Morning Bullshit, Williams Street Swap Shop, Call of Karaoke and Development Meeting, the network said.

“Adult Swim is a one of a kind destination that simply knows its audience,” said Christina Miller, president and general manager, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Boomerang in a statement. “Mike Lazzo and his team have always found new and interesting ways to produce and distribute content that can’t be found anywhere else.”

A list of original series and specials include:

Montana James

In this half-hour live-action special, adventure has one name, Montana James. Follow our feathered-cap-wearing explorer on another one of his rip-roaring syndicated television odysseys. This time Montana is on the hunt for the coveted Holy Grail Cup, but watch out Montana, the Order of the Red Arm Band is on your tail again! Created by Nick Corirossi and Charles Ingram, and produced by Funny Or Die.

Mr. Neighbor's House

Mr. Neighbor's House is a half-hour, live-action children's show hosted by Brian Huskey (Childrens Hospital, Veep). He's like any other host of kids programming, except that he is barely able to contain the suppressed rage boiling underneath his quiet demeanor. From the safe confines of his home, he throws to various "educational" vignettes: puppets, animation, stop motion, spoken word and mixed medium elements that all blend together into one half-hour special… that is NOT for kids. Mr. Neighbor's House was created by Huskey, Jason Mantzoukas (Childrens Hospital, The League), and Jesse Falcon, who also serve as executive producers with Rob Corddry (Childrens Hospital, Hot Tub Time Machine).

Dream Corp, LLC

Dream Corp, LLC is an absurd workplace comedy set in a neglected dream therapy facility. Each week, viewers will watch as a rotating cast of desperate patients have their dreams recorded and analyzed by Dream Corp's absent-minded professor, Dr. Roberts (Jon Gries), and his team of unremarkable scientists. Dream Corp, LLC is created by Daniel Stessen (The Gold Sparrow) and executive-produced by alums of both American and British versions of The Office, John Krasinski and Stephen Merchant, as well as Krasinski's Sunday Night partner Allyson Seeger.

Brad Neely's Harg Nallin' Sclopio Peepio

A new quarter-hour animated sketch show created by Brad Neely (China, IL), Harg Nallin' Sclopio Peepio features a collection of frenetic one-off bits, shorts and songs, all filtered through Neely's signature visual style. Beware however, as this show hates you. Neely and Daniel Weidenfeld serve as executive producers, with Dave Newberg as co-executive producer and Titmouse, Inc. producing.

Decker: Unclassified

A successful web series and an action-packed powerhouse, Decker: Unclassified follows Agent Jack Decker as he subverts terrorist plots against his beloved America. Joined by ally and master code breaker Agent Jonathan Kington, the two navigate evils both foreign and domestic threatening a once great nation. The series was created by and stars Tim Heidecker and Gregg Turkington, and is produced by Abso Lutely Productions.

FLCL

Created in 2000, FLCL told the tale of Naota, a 12-year-old boy who met a woman that would forever change his life…whether he liked it or not. Sixteen years later, Adult Swim and legendary animation studio Production I.G (Ghost in the Shell) are creating two new six-episode seasons to continue the tale, which will premiere in Adult Swim's Toonami block. In the new season of FLCL, many years have passed since Naota and Haruhara Haruko shared their adventure together. Meanwhile, the war between the two entities known as Medical Mechanica and Fraternity rages across the galaxy. Enter Hidomi, a young teenaged girl who believes there is nothing amazing to expect from her average life, until one day a new teacher named Haruko arrives at her school. Soon enough, Medical Mechanica is attacking her town and Hidomi discovers a secret within her that could save everyone, a secret that only Haruko can unlock. Back for the new season is FLCL series creator Kazuya Tsurumaki, serving as supervisor with director Hideto Iwai (Last Dinner).

Adult Swim pilots in development include: 

Lazor Wulf

This quarter-hour animated pilot follows a wolf who carries a laser on his back and believes that love has no limit, that wearing do-rags gives you power and that Gawd is a lie. It was created by Henry Bonsu and written/executive-produced by Bonsu and Daniel Weidenfeld (China, IL).

Chuck Deuce

A half-hour animated masterpiece written by Lars Kensethk, Chuck Deuce is about a Northern California slacktivist/surfer who paddles out to carve mavericks, when a giant wave crushes him. Three weeks later, he walks ashore with no idea where he's been, how he survived, or why his brain is now ravaged by hallucinations – everything from conjoined CIA agents, talking sex dolls, and sock puppet headed freaks. Like his herpes, Chuck ignores it and returns to his daily grind of violating nudity bans, protesting decency laws and skirting home-yak-milking statutes in his native Santa Cruz. But the question persists, what happened to Chuck out there... and is it really over? Chuck Deuce is executive produced by creator Chioke 'Stretch' McCoy and Matt Iles, with Jenn Tolman serving as producer.

Can you make an old hit new again?

Several cable networks and OTT providers are hoping to appeal to the mature end of the millennial demographic — that is 25-to-34-year-olds — by rebooting or remaking classic 1980s and 1990s TV shows.

Cartoon Network has reanimated The Powerpuff Girls, returning the characters to its schedule with a new series some 11 years after the original ended. Netflix’s Fuller House updated the 1990s ABC sitcom Full House, with the Tanner kids now grown up and raising children themselves. MTV has reimagined Scream, the 1990s horror-movie franchise that put Courteney Cox of Friends on the big screen in its first iteration.

And Disney Channel is remixing a rendition of Girl Meets World — featuring the now-grown kid stars of 1990s sitcom Boy Meets World.

All of these shows aim to appeal to busy millennials who are increasingly viewing content on nontraditional television platforms.

Today’s millennial viewers are often defined as cable cord-cutting, binge-watching viewers who devour the latest eclectic short-form content via digital platforms. Older members of the massive 16-to-34-year-old demo, though, still watch a lot of their TV the way baby boomers and Generation Xers do, gravitating to the long-form, classic content they grew up with back when cable was still cool.

ONE SIZE DOESN’T FIT ALL

The trend reflects a realization that all millennials are not the same, and not every YouTube video or short-form show will appeal to all consumers in the demo.

“All of these networks are looking at the millennial audience, and some are recognizing that [older millennials] really like reminiscing about their childhood,” David Quinn, senior brand lead for digital marketing firm Beamly, said. “It was a wonderful time and some millennials embrace that.”

Like boomers and Gen Xers, older millennials are finding that the responsibilities that come with work and family leave less time for entertainment. And, like those older demos, they’re often drawn to familiar content that resonates.

Nostalgia can be a big driver for remakes of movie and TV hits that have built-in audiences but may be sitting unused in the crowded soup of subscription VOD platforms. The challenge, of course, is to parlay that nostalgia and bring in the old crowd, as well as new viewers, without it all seeming tacky.

It’s a tricky challenge for TV’s demographic marketers, who parse the world in groups of boomers, Gen Xers and millennials.

And older millennials, particularly those with families, also watch more traditional television than their younger demographic cohorts. Millennials starting a family watch more than three hours a day of live TV — that’s over an hour more than single millenials consume, according to Nielsen’s Total Audience Report for fourth-quarter 2015.

That boosts the value of franchises that date back to older millennials’ childhoods, such as Cartoon Network’s The Powerpuff Girls and Nickelodeon’s Hey Arnold!. Nick has set a Hey Arnold! special that picks up where the final episode of the animated series in 2002 left off .

Nickelodeon Franchise Properties senior vice president of content development Chris Viscardi said that franchises like Hey Arnold! and 1990s game show Legends of the Hidden Temple — which the network is turning into a live-action TV movie — give Nickelodeon a leg up on other entertainment networks trying to reach the elusive audience group.

Millennials with families are also more likely than not to introduce their kids to their childhood TV favorites, Viscardi said. That helps Nick reach out to a new generation of viewers.

“There is a huge millennial love for those series, so we know that millennial fans who grew up on them will come back,” Viscardi said. “There are some things inherent in our properties that we know a new generation of fans would love also.”

Nick is exploring several other older titles that it might resurrect and develop new episodes for, although Viscardi would not provide specific details.

Shows such as Girl Meets World — less a reboot than a 2014 spinoff of the 1993-2000 ABC series Boy Meets World, featuring grownup characters from the first series with children of their own — allows Disney Channel to reach a wide audience of both adults and kids, Sean Coccia, executive vice president of business operations and general manager for Disney Channels Worldwide, said.

To further encourage co-viewing, Disney will resurrect DuckTales, a 1987-1990 syndicated animated series built around Donald Duck’s nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie and his Uncle Scrooge, for its Disney XD network in 2017. And Disney Channel later this will year premiere Adventures in Babysitting, an original movie based loosely on the 1987 theatrical fi lm of the same name.

FAMILY AFFAIR

“For Disney Channel, it is not hard to reach these millennials if we deliver content that provides them with the opportunity to share an experience and time with their families,” Cocchia said. “Social media has also helped us by giving these millennial families platforms to talk about what they love and what they are seeing in the new storylines and characters.”

Classic entertainment franchises don’t always initially appeal to the older end of the millennial audience. MTV’s Scream series — based on the horror movie franchise of the same name launched 20 years ago — had its biggest audience among younger 16-to-24-year-olds during its freshman season last summer, according to MTV senior vice president of scripted programming Mina Lefevre.

Scream will return for its sophomore season in May.

“[Younger millennials] knew about Scream — some of them watched it and some of them didn’t — but they all knew about the value and iconic nature of Scream,” Lefevre said. “For us to reinvent it for them is where we stood. We thought we could make it as appealing and iconic to them as it was to [older millennials].”

Cartoon Network’s Miller said that networks looking to reach the full swath of millennials will ultimately have to market and promote differently to the younger and older segments of the demo. “There is absolutely a difference in how we create content for different audience segments because they all consume content differently,” Miller said. “We’ve devoted a lot of time and resources to really understanding all of our audiences and how they consume media — including millennials of all different life stages, not just ages — and we develop our strategies accordingly.”

For the older end of millennials, Beamly’s Quinn said the trend toward revitalizing 1990s classic programming is only beginning as distributors look for ways to reach an elusive audience that is looking for some familiarity to go alongside all the new content offered to them.

“I definitely think this is a trend that we’ll see continue going forward,” he said. “I think it makes perfect sense because if a network is looking to create entertainment in a crowded marketplace it’s nice to create entertainment that has a built-in audience.”

An app that New York City, among other metros, should look into was named Fan Favorite in Verizon's fourth annual Innovative App Challenge. POP, designed with urban and suburban communities in mind, aims to "Protect Our Parks," enabling citizens to send real-time alerts to city park officials when they spot needed clean-ups, repairs or other issues.

Interested city governments would have to negotiate with a tough crew, however: a team of students from Woodrow Wilson Middle School in Wyandotte, Mich. The Fan Favorite developers (based on 150,000 votes cast) were recognized last week alongside eight Best in Nation teams for creating mobile app concepts that aimed to solve a problem (like dirty or unsafe parks) in their schools or communities.

The winning teams – selected by a panel of judges assembled by the Student Technology Association – now get to work with experts from the MIT Media Lab to bring their concepts to fruition. They also earned donations of $20,000 to their sponsoring organization from the Verizon Foundation, to be used for STEM-related programs. The 2016 Innovative App Challenge begins in August.

In another STEM-driven program announced by a media company last week, Cartoon Network said it is launching a $30 million initiative to get kids interested in computer coding. The network will create STEM-inspired storylines involving coders and coding for Powerpuff Girls and another series (to be named later) and will also produce coding tutorials for kids age 6-11 featuring the two series’ characters. Cartoon is creating the tutorials in partnership with Scratch, a project from the MIT Media Lab and the Scratch Foundation.

Cartoon’s initiative is among the privately funded projects surrounding a three-year White House push to promote computer science education. "We've been doing a large amount of work with Hollywood and other media around the portrayal of who does this [computer] work," U.S. Chief Technology Officer Megan Smith said. "Many young people are not aware that computer science was founded by a broad set of people..."

Like the creators of POP.

Separately, in a demonstration of the "local" in local systems, Comcast employees in Flint, Mich., have been distributing water filters and holding bottled water drives to provide clean drinking water to their neighbors affected by the community's lead contamination crisis. The MSO has about 127 employees working in Flint, including 58 who live in the city.

Since Jan. 25 the MSO's local Flint service center and some 80 field service technicians have been handing out state-provided water filters to residents; they collectively distributed about 600 filters within the first three days.

Additionally, in what Tom Collins, senior VP for Comcast's Heartland Region described in a blog post as a "full court press," Comcast is holding a bottled water drive among its 4,000 employees across Michgan, and company techs are delivering the donations to Flint. The hands-on efforts are being supported by special content on a newly created local On Demand channel called "Flint Water" as well as Comcast-produced PSAs.

As part of a three-year White House push to promote computer science education, Cartoon Network is launching a $30 million initiative to get kids interested in computer codes and coding.

As part of his new budget, being unveiled in early February, the President today (Jan. 30) unveiled a plan to provide $4 billion in funding to staes and another $100 million directly to school districts for training teachers and expanding access to instructional materials.

That will dovetail with Administration efforts to get high-speed broadband to schools and libraries.

But in addition to that funding, White House officials announced a number of private sector efforts to boost computer science education, citing Cartoon in a conference call with reporters.

Cartoon is putting its toons to work for the cause by adding working computer coding themes into two of its long-form series, Powerpuff Girls and a series to be named later.

The shows will include storylines and characters that encourage an interest in STEM education. "We've been doing a large amount of work with Hollywood and other media around the portrayal of who does this [computer] work," said U.S. Chief Technology Officer Megan Smith. "Many young people are not aware that computer science was founded by a broad set of people..."

In partnership with Scratch, a project from the MIT Media Lab, and the Scratch Foundation, Cartoon will also create coding tutorials that use characters from both series and targeting kids 6-11.

Cartoon will be building on its December launch of three coding tutorials featuring characters from its We Care Bears as part of Computer Science Education Week.

To help guide the effort, Cartoon is also forming an advisory board that will include Mitchel Resnick, LEGO Papert Professor of Learning Research and Director of the Lifelong Kindergarten group at the MIT Media Lab.

“This generation of kids is incredibly creative and inventive, and we're inspired by them every day," Christina Miller, president and general manager, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Boomerang, told Multichannel News. "Computer literacy and learning to code are vitally important skills that foster creativity and self-expression. With this long-term commitment, we will leverage our brands and platforms to drive awareness for coding and provide access to the necessary tools for kids everywhere. The result, we hope, is that we help inspire the next generation as much as they inspire us."

Adult Swim today that new episodes of classic animated series Samurai Jack, from producer Genndy Tartakovsky (Dexter's Laboratory) are in the works at Cartoon Network Studios in Los Angeles and will debut on Adult Swim's Toonami block in 2016.

The announcement -- via a 5-second video on YouTube -- is racking up views and comments. Samurai Jack also became a top trend on Twitter.

The ornately animated show, about a Japanese warrior who was transported into the future where he continued to battle his wizard foe, Aku, debuted in August 2001. It ran for 52 episodes before ending, after four seasons, in 2004, according to reports and Wikipedia.

Cartoon Network is working with Comcast to create special messages that fans of Teen Titans Go! can hear using the cable operator's X1 voice remote.

Comcast has been rolling out its new voice-powered remote that searches content and performs other functions via voice commands. Because rhe device could iinfluence what viewers wind up watching, some programmers are looking for ways to take advantage of it.

Working with Comcast, Cartoon has set things up so that when a viewer says, “Teen Titans Go!” “Boy Wonder!” “Pretty, Pretty Pegasus,” “Starfire and Silkie,” “Hello, Beastboy,” “Booyah, Buddy,” “Hello, Raven,” “Hello, Cyborg,” “Hello, Robin,” the remote plays back responses unique to the characters.

The voice commands went live Thursday (Oct. 22).

Read more at broadcastingcable.com.

Cartoon Network has created a virtual reality adventure game.

Adventure Time: Magic Man’s Head Games is based on the animated series, allowing fans to experience Adventure Time in a new way and become part of the narrative, the network said. The game features voices from the show’s cast.

“Core to Cartoon Network’s strategy is our commitment to innovate and expand our content offerings and distribution platforms so that fans can immerse themselves in our brands and characters however and whenever they choose," said Christina Miller, president and GM, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Boomerang.

Read more at broadcastingcable.com.

Time Warner Inc.-owned Cartoon Network, just ahead of Comic-Con International in San Diego, said it ordered new seasons of five series: Adventure Time (season 8), Regular Show (S8), Steven Universe (S3), Uncle Grandpa (S3) and Clarence (S2). Regular Show, Uncle Grandpa Steven Universe and Clarence all originated from the prolific artist-driven Shorts Program at Cartoon Network Studios. Nearly all rank number one in their respective time periods among targeted kids and boys year to date, the network said. Cartoon Network is the top ad-supported for kids ages 6-11, according to the network. Pictured: Adventure Time.

“It’s a banner year for Cartoon Network Studios original productions," chief content officer Rob Sorcher said in a release. "It is particularly gratifying to see shows so creatively forward-thinking also deliver so powerfully with the audience.”

For the second week in a row USA and HGTV finished cable’s weekly ratings race ended in a virtual tie, according to Nielsen.

USA Network and HGTV each drew 1.6 million viewers during the week of June 8 to June 14 to top all cable networks, said Nielsen. USA, HGTV, Disney Channel and Fox News all tied for the top spot last week, which officially ushered in the summer ratings season.

Disney Channel finished third with 1.5 million viewers, followed by Fox News Network and TNT, which finished in a tie with 1.4 million viewers.

TBS and History finished in a tie for sixth, followed by Discovery (1.2 million viewers).  NBC Sports Network, on the strength of its NHL Stanley Cup finals coverage, skated to a tie with Syfy (both with 1.1 million viewers) to round out the top 10.  

Disney Channel was the top choice for viewers on a 24-hour basis, averaging 1.2 million viewers. Fellow kids-and young adult-targeted networks Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Nickelodeon tied for second with 1.1 million watchers.

HBO’s Game Of Thrones season five finale was the most watched show during the week, averaging 8.1 million viewers. Live sports events and sports entertainment programming from NBCSN, USA and Fox Sports 1 held seven of the top 10 positions among the most watched shows of the week, according to Nielsen.

Most Watched Shows For The Week of June 8 – 14

DateShowNetworkTotal Viewers

6/14                       Game of Thrones                                                            HBO                       8.1 million

6/8                         Major Crimes                                                                  TNT                        3.9 million

6/10                       NHL Stanley Cup Finals                                                  NBCSN                  3.9 million

6/8                         NHL Stanley Cup Finals                                                  NBCSN                  3.8 million

6/8                         WWE Entertainment (8 p.m. to 9 p.m.)                            USA                       3.6 million

6/8                         WWE Entertainment (10 p.m. to 11:14 p.m.)                    USA                       3.6 million

6/12                       Alaskan Bush People                                                     Discovery                3.6 million

6/8                         WWE Entertainment (9 p.m. to 10 p.m.)                          USA                       3.6 million

6/14                       NASCAR Sprint Cup Racing                                           FS1                         3.5 million

6/8                         FIFA Women’s World Cup                                              FS1                         3.3 million

Source: Nielsen

Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time, Fox’s Cosmos and two HBO original films were among the Peabody Award winners announced Thursday (April 23) in the categories of children’s programming, documentary, education and public service.

In the children's category, Disney Junior’s educational Doc McStuffins joined Adventure Time as an honoree.

HBO's Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown and The Newburgh Sting were honored alongside Neil deGrasse Tyson'sCosmos reboot in the documentary category.

The 74th annual Peabody Awards presentation is May 31; Fred Armisen (Portlandia, Saturday Night Live) will host.

Read more at broadcastingcable.com.

The Robot Chicken has crossed the proverbial SVOD road.

Turner Broadcasting System said Thursday that it has agreed to make online video pioneer Hulu the exclusive SVOD home of previous seasons of programming from Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, as well as select current and upcoming series from TNT and TBS.

It marks the first deal between the two companies and apparently signals a change to the relationship between Turner and its previous SVOD partner, Netflix.

According to people familiar with the matter, Netflix will still carry some Turner content. But Hulu Plus (the pay service) will become the exclusive SVOD purveyor of full prior seasons of Cartoon stalwarts like Robot Chicken, The Venture Bros., Adventure Time and Regular Show.

Current seasons of Turner content will still be available on an authenticated basis from various distributors as well as Turner apps.

But all episodes from past seasons of TNT’s The Last Ship and Murder in the First will be available to stream exclusively for Hulu subscribers. Additionally, all episodes from past seasons of  Adult Swim original series including Rick and Morty,Black Jesus,NTSF:SD:SUV and Cartoon Network original series such as TheAmazing World of Gumball, Steven Universe, Over the Garden Wall and Clarence will be made available to stream through an SVOD service for the first time on Hulu. All Cartoon Network series will be available to stream ad-free in the Hulu Kids environment.

 Hulu will also become the exclusive SVOD destination to stream Adult Swim and Cartoon Network classics, including Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!,Sealab 2021, and The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack. 

“The addition of multiple titles from Cartoon Network represents a significant step forward in continuing to build a strong programming offering for the kids audience on Hulu,” said Hulu senior vice president and head of content Craig Erwich in a statement.  “The adult animation series from Adult Swim, as well as the additional series from TNT and TBS, are a perfect addition to our current offering.”

Through the agreement, Hulu obtains exclusive SVOD rights to certain future series that will launch on TNT, TBS, Adult Swim and Cartoon Network over the coming years - including TBS’s upcoming series Angie Tribeca, which will be available to stream exclusively on Hulu after its full-season run on TBS.

"This deal with Hulu demonstrates the power of Turner Broadcasting's branded networks and the high demand for our programming in the marketplace," said Turner Broadcasting president David Levy in a statement. "This is a great opportunity to grow the reach of the networks' original programming and complements our strategy of utilizing multiple platforms – including SVOD – to drive sampling, introduce new viewers to our content and give current fans the opportunity to explore and enjoy Turner's new and existing series in a branded environment." 

Cartoon Network will roll out a new version of its 1990s hit series Powerpuff Girls as part of a new slate of original kids-targeted shows the network will showcase during its annual upfront presentation to advertisers.

The network, which will host a series of meetings with key advertising clients over the next month, will also emphasize an immersive multi-platform strategy that it says reaches the kids 6-11 audience both through its traditional linear channel as well as through its various digital offerings, according to Christina Miller, president and general manage  Cartoon Network, Boomerang and Adult Swim.

Along with the 2016 return of the animated series The Powerpuff Girls, which ran on the network from 1998 to 2005, other new Cartoon Network original shows include We Bare Bears, which follows three bear siblings as they attempt to assimilate into human society; and Mighty Magiswords, a digital series about a brother and sister team of warriors for hire set out to collect magical swords.

The network will also bring back several original series including The Amazing World Of Gumball,Clarence, Teen Titans Go!, Uncle Grandpa, Steven Universe, Sonic Boom, Adventure Time and Regular Show. In addition, the network will feature an Adventure Time mini-series and a Regular Show movie special. as well as a special Long Live the Royals Mini-Series (pictured): .

New acquired series include Total Drama Presents: The Ridonculous Race ; Transformers: Robots In Disguise; and Supernoobs.

The network will look to create a “platform-inclusive” experience for its targeted 6 to 11 audience by offering original programming and gaming content through its Cartoon Network Digital offerings. In 2014 Cartoon Network was the most watched network on free-on-demand in 2014 with more than 300 million orders, according to network officials.

“We are seeing great results with our platform-inclusive strategy to expand the definition of programming across all screens” said Christina Miller, President and General Manager, Cartoon Network- Boomerang -Adult Swim in a statement. “Digital, mobile and TV have all come together for this new generation of kids, who are very comfortable with the sheer volume of choice; and when you deliver compelling original content and innovative ways of experiencing it, they will find it, engage with it, and share it on every platform.”

A handful of Turner Broadcasting System networks went dark to Dish customers across the country on Oct. 20, after the parties could not reach a carriage agreement.

In a statement, Dish said the affected networks include Boomerang, Cartoon Network, CNN, CNN en Español, HLN, truTV and Turner Classic Movies.

“In the past year, Dish has successfully renewed agreements with many large content providers,” said Dish senior vce president of programming Warren Schlichting said in a statement. “As a result, we are confident that we have offered a deal to Turner that reflects an appropriate value for our customers.”

The dispute apparently doesn’t include Turner networks like TNT and TBS. On a website dedicated to such disputes – www.DishStandsForYou.com -- the satellite company said Turner is “making unreasonable financial demands” for the channels and that Dish is working around the clock to resolve the dispute. Dish has about 14 million subscribers across the country.

“Dish has had a productive relationship with Turner Networks for many years,” Schlichting said in a statement. “We regret the service disruption to our customers, and remain committed to reaching an agreement that promptly returns this content to Dish’s programming lineup.”

In its own statement, Turner said that despite its best efforts, Dish and the programmer were unable to reach a deal in time.

“Turner has worked diligently for months to come to a fair agreement including multiple extensions and compromises, and it’s unfortunate that Dish is once again operating in a disruptive manner that takes away networks and programming from their customers,” Turner said in the statement. “We are hopeful our counterparts will return to the negotiating table, and we’ll get a deal completed.”

Turner Broadcasting System is repositioning its Boomerang service as an all animation, youth-targeted network that will feature commercials in the U.S. for the first time, beginning next year. The gambit places Boomerang in the hunt for eyeballs for kids and their parents, as well as the marketing opportunities tied to co-viewing audiences. 

While Boomerang, which has served as vintage complement to Turner Broadcasting's flagship kids brand, Cartoon Network, will continue to draw from a robust library of Warner Bros., Hanna-Barbera, Cartoon Network and MGM theatrical shorts, series and specials, featuring such classics as Tom and Jerry, Looney Tunes, Scooby-Doo and The Powerpuff Girls, the network will integrate a slate of newly acquired contemporary series from around the globe.

Boomerang will also introduce a refreshed on-air environment and for the first time offer exclusive original content on the network across its 13 international feeds. All told, Boomerang counts some 250 million global subscribers, including 45.5 million in the U.S., where it launched in 2000.

The first rollout of the refreshed Boomerang occurred in Latin America on Sept. 29, and will continue Down Under in Australia on Nov. 3. The relaunch in the additional territories, including the States, will transpire in 2015.  Domestically, the network became rated by Nielsen in September. The move to sell ads on Boomerang was announced in February.

With the reset, Boomerang will compete for ad sales and sponsorship opportunities with Cartoon, Viacom's Nickelodeon suite of services, as well as Disney Channel and Disney XD.

"The re-launch of Boomerang as a second flagship channel is a testament to its global appeal,” Gerhard Zeiler, president of Turner Broadcasting System, International, said in a release.  “We are extremely proud to see this channel move into its next incarnation – with a look and feel that conveys its quality and contemporary position. This represents a further step in our strategy to build on the success of our international kid’s network.”

Christina Miller, who in July became president and general manager, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Boomerang (U.S.), said in the release: “Boomerang has always been a timeless favorite with multi-generational appeal. We see this as a unique opportunity to not only redefine the family co-viewing experience, but to grow and leverage our overall global kids portfolio and position it across all platforms in conjunction with Cartoon Network."

Beyond its linear presence in more than 250 million homes, Boomerang also will be supported with refreshed digital and mobile platforms, including a newly refaced website that features exclusive activities, games and content to provide a full immersion experience for all visitors. Younger fans will be able to enjoy age-appropriate free games showcasing their favorite characters, while older users can learn more about their favorite characters and series.

Hasbro Studios’ Transformers franchise has a new home in Cartoon Network.

The studio said it will premiere its brand new series Transformers: Robots in Disguise on the Cartoon Network in first quarter of 2015, which comes nearly a month after Hasbro modified its four-year partnership with Discovery Communications’ Hub Network.

The latest installment in the Transformers franchise follows events occurring years after the end of the Transformers Prime series, said Hasbro officials.

 “As the regularly top-rated U.S. TV network in prime among Transformers’ core audience of boys ages 6-11 and 9-14, our beloved Autobots and Decepticons will feel very much at home on Cartoon Network,” said Finn Arnesen, senior vice president of global distribution and development for Hasbro Studios. “And to seal our new partnership with Cartoon Network on the 30th anniversary of the Transformers franchise makes this a truly iconic event.”

Cartoon Network thinks it’s time to bring some adventure to its TV Everywhere platform.

The network will kick off an affiliate-supported, 10-city tour in Kansas City on Sept. 27 centered around its long-running, animated series, Adventure Time.

In the first affiliate promotion of this stripe, Cartoon Network executives hope the family-friendly events aim to drive home the message about TV Everywhere in general and the benefits of Watch Cartoon Network in particular.

“Adventure Time is one of Cartoon Network’s most popular series, and we’re pleased to bring this beloved brand to life by partnering with our distribution affiliates for fans in their local markets,” said Heather Baldino, senior vice president of marketing and revenue integration for Turner Network Sales.

Those attending the highly trafficked Nebraska Furniture Mart outlet in KC, as well as stops in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Denver and San Francisco and others that are part of the tour, will find costumed versions of the show’s Finn and Jake characters, amidst an Adventure Time branded environment, replete with a co-branded green screen. Product demonstrations will also be on the docket, as attendees can pick up related literature.

Moreover, at the Watch Cartoon Network/TV Everywhere bean bag toss game brand ambassadors from Cartoon and the in-market affiliate will inform participants about their TVE options, telling them about the authentication process, where they can simulcast the linear Cartoon Network and on what devices. They will also show users how to navigate the service and engage in its clips and games.

“There’s no better way to demonstrate and explain the power of TV Everywhere than in person, and this promotion is a perfect way for Turner to showcase both the value of the Cartoon Network brand and for the affiliates to showcase the value of having a cable subscription – it’s a win-win for everyone,” said Baldino.

She noted that the promotion affords affiliates flexibility as they also “can leverage this co-branded, family-friendly event for local ad sales and on-site sales opportunities,” as well as the TVE gambits.

Baldino believes that the popularity of Adventure Time, which has been picked up for a seventh season, will appeal to kids and their parents.

The premiere episode of Adventure Time's sixth campaign attracted more than 4.3 million viewers on April 21, according to Nielsen live+7 data. The delivery led Cartoon to the top spot among all kids/boys 2 to 11 and 6 to 11, plus tweens 9-14.

The season premiere also ranked as the network’s top telecast in 2014 to-date among boys 9 to 14.

Debuting on April 5, 2010, Adventure Time over the years has featured guest-voicing from the likes of Matthew Broderick, Donald Glover, Donald Faison, George Takei, Erik Estrada, Andy Milonakis, Emo Phillips, Bobcat Goldthwait, Susie Essman, Anne Heche, Rainn Wilson and Andy Samberg.

Cartoon Network is aiming high with its annual anti-bullying campaign, looking to help produce 1 million user-generated videos addressing the concern.

Now in its fifth iteration, this year’s "Stop Bullying: Speak Up" campaign will run from Sept. 29 through Oct. 3, as it seeks to empower everyone to talk more and support kids in need of encouragement against this lingering problem. The award-winning, multiplatform campaign was created to raise awareness, encouraging young people to voice their concerns about bullying.

The video call-to-action will be the first of what the network hopes to be 1 million user-generated videos, with people stating, “I Speak Up” to the world.  If someone witnesses bullying, they are encouraged to create a video, and share it either through www.StopBullyingSpeakUp.com, or any other social media platforms, using #ISpeakUp as the hashtag.

The campaign will include news shorts and celebrity messages, as well as PSAs during National Bullying Prevention Month in October. In addition to Cartoon Network, other Turner Broadcasting networks -- TBS, TNT, CNN, HLN, NBA TV and TruTV -- all plan to air special bumps showcasing recorded messages from Turner celebrities encouraging even more viewer participation.

An official “I Speak Up” tally will appear on-screen each day, noting how many people have officially “spoken up” by submitting videos and/or pledges during within the campaign.

Anyone interested in sharing their own “I Speak Up” video, can find instructions at www.StopBullyingSpeakUp.com, along with recommendations for optimum video results.