Kids With No Cable Deserve This.

[Chahana]

Networks aren't going to bother putting kids' cartoons on at night (except for the odd prime-time special on the 8-9 PM hour) because the general assumption is that the kiddies are in bed by 9 PM, and for the ones who aren't (and who don't have cable), they have DVD, TiVo, VCRs and the internet to keep them occupied.

[Dogg Gone (DG)]

It's higher than you might think. According to the latest numbers from the national cable association (www.ncta.com) -- there's still 42% of U.S. TV homes that still go with straight over-the-air TV.

[NVS Nick]

So you are telling me, In the summer kids are in bed by 9pm?

[OMGitsAlexX]

Well during the summer when I was 8 9pm was my summer bedtime shure now it is 11:00 but during School 8:00 was my bedtime.

[monsterjamp]

No, but why does that matter? No network executive you even spare a thought to airing child-targeted animation in primetime. :shrug:

[Jonny the eye]

I believe that there should be more animated programming on broadcast TV in general, both in quantity and diversity. It is a shame that networks are abandoning cartoons for kids, or even any kids programming beyond what is required by law.

What we're left with once 4Kids is gone are programs either targeted at VERY young children (Kewlopolis, Qubo, PBS Kids), comedy cartoons for adults on Sunday nights on FOX, and apart from reruns of Disney shows on ABC, a great neglected middle! Nothing for anyone between 7 and 17. Nothing for anyone who enjoys drama or action or romance oriented programs.

Do kids without cable deserve better cartoons? Sure! Does everyone who watches TV deserve better quality than what they're given? I certainly hope so. Will they get it? The sub-channels opened by digital TV afford that opportunity, but in all likelyhood those channels will be filled with the same crap as always.

[malamigpusa]

Summer would be the ideal time to test something like family oriented animation on weeknights but again who has more value to sponsers in prime time? Adults and teens or gradeschool kids? The ones that can spend money. That's just how it goes and nothing will change that.

Besides who is going to provide cartoons for network prime time? Do 4kids shows really deserve to air in prime time? None expect maybe Ninja Turtles or Spider-Man (which they don't own). Due to those series having some kind of cross potential for audiences.

I'd love the idea of say One Piece airing on one of the big networks in prime time like it once did in Japan (it's on Sunday mornings now) but that's never going to happen.

DiC, Nelvana and 4kids have nothing much to offer prime time and few other companies are even making cartoons. Warner is pratically out of the kid-vid biz and leaves their remains to Cartoon Network. Given how poorly the CW is doing I'd say prime time cartoons might actually help them but who could bring them worthwhile material? CN wouldn't give up Batman or Star Wars to help CW when they need to look out for themselves. Nobody is making prime time cartoons for youth audiences unless its for Nick, Disney or CN.

[GraceGiven]

Well, Batman the Animated Series was never originally intended to air in primetime. Fox's Sunday night lineup was struggling after the cancellation of the short-lived shows Whoops! and Great Scott! and they were scrambling to find something to fill the timeslot. The execs thought that BTAS could possible work because of of its mature storylines, despite it being a cartoon. New episodes were premiered in primetime to attract regular weekday viewers. Nonetheless, the series aired for 13 weeks before it was removed. Of course, it would have stayed had the ratings been a success, but it was more or less chosen as filler until they could find something new mid-season.