Cartoon Network (UK & Ireland)

Infobox TV channel
name = Cartoon Network (UK & Ireland)
logofile = CN_logo.svg‎
logoalt = Cartoon Network
logosize = 200px
launch = 17 September 1993
key people = Bob Higgins, vice chairman
share = 0.3% (UK only)
share as of = February 2008
share source = [http://www.barb.co.uk/viewingsummary/monthreports.cfm?report=monthgmulti]
owner = Turner Broadcasting System Europe (Time Warner Inc.)
sister names = Cartoon Network TOO
Boomerang
Cartoonito
web = [http://www.cartoonnetwork.co.uk/ www.cartoonnetwork.co.uk]
terr serv 1 = Top Up TV
terr chan 1 = "Via Top Up TV Anytime"
sat serv 1 = Sky Digital
sat chan 1 = Channel 601
cable serv 1 = Virgin Media
cable chan 1 = Channel 704
cable serv 2 = UPC Ireland
cable chan 2 = Channel 620
adsl serv 1 = Tiscali TV
adsl chan 1 = Channel 312

Cartoon Network is a digital television channel created by Turner Broadcasting, a unit of Time Warner which primarily shows animated programming. The British version premiered on 17 September 1993 in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

History

In the United Kingdom and Ireland, Cartoon Network was twinned with movie channel TNT. Cartoon Network ran from 5:00am until 7:00pm, with TNT taking over from 7:00pm to 5:00am. Sunday afternoons saw "Super Chunk", which showed back to back episodes of one show for two hours between 1pm and 3pm. Another feature was "The Longest Day", in which Cartoon Network ran for an extra four hours until 11:00pm on 21 June 1993, every year.Fact|date=April 2008 This slot was dedicated to full-length cartoon movies. In 1995, Cartoon Network began running for an extra two hours until 9pm, and on 16 December 1996, it became a 24-hour channel, as did TNT. However, a version of the channel called TNT & Cartoon Network continued to appear on some providers.

In 1 February 1999, saw the introduction of a strand called "AKA Cartoon Network", which had a DJ theme and would run from 7pm to 9pm, the 'host' being an afroed cartoon character called Jackie Potato. It would feature selected cartoons from the Cartoon Network library (including "Space Ghost Coast to Coast") and an original show called "Cult Toons", which featured heavily re-edited Hanna-Barbera material.

In 27 May 2000, the channel Boomerang was launched by Cartoon Network in the UK and Ireland, and most "classic" cartoons were moved from Cartoon Network to the new channel, which initially broadcast from 6am–12am. Before long, however, it became 24 hours, and the remaining classic shows also moved to Boomerang. In September of 2000, Toonami began broadcasting weekdays for two hours between 4pm–6pm, and 9pm–11pm, as well as weekends from 10am–12pm and 10pm–12am. "Dragonball Z" had already been airing on Cartoon Network since 1999, and had been attracting very good ratings, which may have contributed to the decision to launch Toonami in the UK. Its output consisted almost solely of Japanese anime such as the cult "Dragonball Z", "Tenchi Muyo", and "Gundam Wing". The only non-Japanese shows for quite some time were the American-produced "The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest" and "Batman Beyond" ("Batman of the Future" in the UK). Around the same time, there was almost completely new programming on the channel, and so Boomerang began in a late night slot.

In June of 2002, Toonami disappeared from Cartoon Network UK, and in October, a new channel was created called CNX. It was hailed as a high-octane, "triple-A mix of Action, Adventure, and Anime." All American and Japanese animation shown on Toonami was broadcast on this 24 hour channel from 6am–12am, and during the night, there were hard hitting American dramas such as "The Shield", adventure shows such as "Spawn", martial arts films and extreme sports programmes. In 2003, there was a slot between 9pm and 10pm showing Cartoon Network produced comedy such as "Space Ghost Coast to Coast". The extreme sports and films were moved to a small slot between 10pm and 2am. For the rest of the time, Toonami returned, on CNX, showing all of its previous output, plus a number of new shows. In September of 2003, after 11 months on air, CNX was shut down, and Toonami became a 24-hour channel, in line with Cartoon Network and Boomerang.

In 11 April 2005, six months after the United States, the channel received a new logo. The idents also changed to the same ones used in the U.S., with a CGI layout of a town and various characters (usually related to the show that was coming up next) engaging in activities. These replaced the previous idents used since 2003, featuring characters from one TV show falling through something and coming out in another show. Actual show clips were used.

In April 2006, Cartoon Network Too was launched on Sky Digital broadcasting cartoons primarily made by Hanana-Barbera such as Dexter's Laboratory, The Powerpuff Girls, Johnny Bravo, Ed, Edd n Eddy and Wacky Races. Also shown were cartoons aimed at younger audiences. Other cartoons shown include The Cramp Twins and Courage the Cowardly Dog. However, within a little over a month the channels programming changed, similar to early Cartoon Network with Archive Of Cartoons Such As Looney Tunes and Tom and Jerry. The channel aired from 3am to 7pm everyday until 24 May 2007 where it became a 24 hour channel, replacing the Toonami channel and showing same shows from Cartoon Network UK and Toonami UK. The channel slot was replaced with Cartoonito, which showed cartoons purely aimed for younger children.

On the 26 April 2007 Cartoon Network launched onto Virgin Media's On Demand system, thus allowing Virgin Media customers to watch Cartoon Network programmes whenever they like. They can also take advantage of pause, rewind and fast forward functions, when watching these programmes.

Adult Swim, geared towards audiences over 17, is now available in the UK, though not carried on a Turner station but on Virgin Media Television-owned "Bravo". Shows are presented during a weekly slot on the channel rather than on its own dedicated channel.

Motorsport Sponsorship

For the 2008 season Cartoon Network will be sponsoring Steve Dance, driver of the #16 race truck in the UK Pickup Truck Racing series.

Cartoon Network programmes

Technical faults and interruptions

On 27 July 2006, Cartoon Network, along with CN Too, Boomerang, Toonami, Boomerang +1 and TCM suffered a major technical fault due to a power cut in Soho, London. This was due to the energy supplier EDF cutting power from different parts of Soho one at a time for four hours, purposely, due to the inability as the 2006 European heat wave had hit Turner Broadcasting System Europe.

The power cut caused a mix up of channels ("i.e." Cartoon Network being broadcast on Boomerang and Toonami, with Boomerang being broadcast on CN Too). Boomerang +1 was off air for some time, while TCM, reverted between TCM France and other programming during the times it was able to provide a service. TCM 2 didn't have a power cut because of its downtimes of timesharing. Most advertising was suspended and several of the channel websites were offline also.

However, those who could still receive the channels had a backup transmission played out, making people curious into why the incorrect programs were played out when compared to the EPG CN Too and Boomerang were showing episodes of "The Flintstones". These backups where played out with a scrolling message which said "We apologise for the disruption to this service. This is due to technical difficulties. We will resume normal programming as soon as possible" in multiple languages.

While most channels returned to the air relatively quickly, it took longer for CN Too to resume programming and it was also joked on various animation based forums by Toonami UK viewers, many of whom have made note of their disdain for the direction in which Turner took the brand in the UK, that the backup transmission was more entertaining, purely on the basis that there was no live action aired during the blackout.

The idents on Toonami which aired between shows during the black-out displayed the message "Sorry! Toonami is broken, we'll be right back as soon as we fix it.". These idents have since been re-used in disclaimers warning viewers not to try stunts on various shows at home.

External links

* [http://www.cartoonnetwork.co.uk Official site]
* [http://europe.turnerinfo.com/CN/UK/home/index.jsp Cartoon Network from Turner Info]
* [http://www.supercartoonnetwork.co.uk Super Cartoon Network]