Looks like Warner Bros. is getting out of kids programming. From TV Week:
quote:CW Turns Over Saturday Morning Kids Block to 4Kids
By Jon Lafayette
The CW is getting out of the Saturday morning kids business and is making a deal that would have 4Kids Entertainment program the time periods.
4Kids will sell the advertising during the WB Saturday morning time periods and the CW will "participate" in those sales, said John Maatta, the CW's chief operating officer.
4Kids has been providing four hours of Saturday morning children's programming on Fox affiliates through a leasing arrangement since 2002. "Fox recently exercised its option to extend its deal through the end of the 2008-2009 season," 4Kids said in a statement.
When the WB folded and CBS and Warner Bros. formed The CW last year, the new network continued to run kids programming under the Kids WB banner, which for a while was the top-rated kids block on Saturdays. In its heyday, 4Kids’ “Pokemon” and “Yu-Gi-Oh” were among the network’s top-rated kids shows. A few years ago, Kids WB cut back on its after-school block, returning that weekday time to affiliates.
Shows on Kids WB now include “Tom and Jerry Tales,” “Shaggy & Scooby Doo Get a Clue,” “Legion of Super Heroes” and “The Batman.”
Some of those shows might continue to air on the WB after 4Kids takes over, Mr. Maatta said.
The once-lucrative kids market has become a difficult one for the broadcasters. Viewing has shifted to cable, where the Disney Channel, Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network provide a 24-hour destination for young viewers.
At the same time, ad dollars for kids programming have stagnated; the market is expected to turn even more difficult as governmental pressure on food marketers forces them to curtail advertising from products that can’t be described as healthful.
“The kids business in broadcast is a business where we’ve got to be very smart,” Mr. Maatta said. Teaming up with 4Kids allows the WB to offer kids programming and provides an ad sales force that’s dedicated to that market.
The WB has about 10 people dedicated to the kids business, he said. The department will be disbanded and the company will try to absorb its staffers.
The move would take Warner Bros. out of the broadcast arena for kids. The company has a formidable history of kids programming and a strong lineup of characters, including Bugs Bunny, Batman and Superman. But despite potential synergies with Cartoon Network, apparently the economics didn’t work out.
4Kids’ portfolio includes high-profile children’s brands Yu-Gi-Oh!, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Cabbage Patch Kids.
The 4Kids lineup on Fox includes “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fast Forward,” “Viva Piñata,” “Sonic X,” “Winx Club” and the new shows “Dinosaur King,” “Yu-Gi-Oh! GX” and “Adrenaline Project.”
4Kids Entertainment manages ad sales for the kids programming block on Fox and retains all advertising revenues.
Some of those shows might continue? The Batman is a given since it keeps winning Emmys but I honestly don't like 4Kids' portfolio of shows and all the other shows, to me, look like they may be in for it.
4Kids cares about one thing only, ad revenue. With them in charge of programming if a show isn't profitable it'll be dropped like the plague.
Posted by MLLASH on :
NNNNNNNNooooooOOOOoooooo!
Can't it shift to Cartoon Network?!!?
Posted by Omni Craig on :
How immediate a change is this? Why would Kids WB start a whole new season last month if they just turn the reigns over to someone else? Are we guaranteed to at least finish season 2?
Why doesn't Warner use it's own channel to cross support their own danged properties??????
I hate greed and money and profit margins and stupid shows already on the 4Kids block (except TMNT, my kids like that one still...)!!!
And maybe I don't hate 'money' all that much...
Posted by Lightning Lad on :
Season Two is already done I believe. I'm not sure how quickly this takes effect since the press release was very vague. But I would think that 4Kids is now who will decide if we get a season three.
Posted by Reboot on :
quote:Originally posted by MLLASH: NNNNNNNNooooooOOOOoooooo!
Can't it shift to Cartoon Network?!!?
TW-->Warner Bros-->CW TW-->Warner Bros-->DC TW-->Turner-->Cartoon Network.
Posted by CJ Taylor on :
It does say in the article through the end of the 2008-2009 season.
Posted by Lightning Lad on :
quote:Originally posted by CJ Taylor: It does say in the article through the end of the 2008-2009 season.
Look closer. That was referring to their deal with Fox.
Posted by Lightning Lad on :
Statement from Warner Bros. that I just received:
quote:Clearly, this was an issue that we examined closely with our partners at CBS. We fully believe it makes the most business sense for The CW in this broadcast marketplace. That being said, Warner Bros. has a long, successful track record in the animation business and we absolutely intend to stay true to our heritage by producing world-class animated entertainment for the children's market be it for cable, direct-to-DVD, broadband, wireless and platforms of the future. This is an important business that touches many of the Warner Bros. divisions and we have confidence that Lisa Judson and her team at Warner Bros. Animation will continue to build towards future opportunities.
Posted by Lightning Lad on :
Not sure where Comics Continuum got this info as it wasn't in the press release or the e-mail from the press guy. They say the agreement with 4Kids is for five years starting in September of 2008. So this could very well be the last season of the Legion all dependent, in my opinion, on this season's ratings at the end.
Posted by Gaseous Lad on :
Eh. This sucks.
Posted by Tekwych on :
LSH is doing well. Batman is almost a lock for another season and CW has already committed to Spiderman in September 2008. Also consider that 4Kids does not have enough product in their own stable to program 2 full Saturday Morning schedules, they will have to pick up additional series to fill holes. A look at currant CW offerings that are doing well would be the smartest place to start.
Then again, This is 4Kids
Posted by Awesomegirl on :
Even though I'm extremely apprehensive for this show dying young, I doubt that 4Kids(seriously!?!)will drop a show that has really good ratings. Of course, I also heard that Cartoon Network will pick up LOSH, but I'm not sure if that's true. In the meantime, we should just continue watching the show, possibly buy some merchandise, and pray to God those bastards don't kill the show. It's one of the only good shows that's on right now!
Posted by Dain on :
I can't believe it! I mean, after all these years hoping for a Legion cartoon/movie it can't just end like this? Can it? It's a great show, more than great, it's *fantastic* and it's been nominated for 3 Emmys, it's won the "Best Animated Series" from Wizard magazine and there are rave reviews everywhere. This is certainly enough to make more seasons of the LSH a sure thing, isn't it?
Posted by Tromium on :
Ugh. We have to let the decision-makers know there's an audience for this cartoon, if not on Kids WB then on another network or in another medium (e.g., direct-to-DVD). But who do we write to? Anyone know how to contact James Tucker? Maybe he'd be willing to spearhead a campaign.
Posted by Dain on :
If all episodes of Season 2 have already been filmed months ago, then the "powers-that-be" will decide whether there'll be a Season 3 soon. This means that whatever fans do to make them aware that they/we want more Legion cartoons, they/we gotta organize it and do it fast!
[ October 03, 2007, 10:04 PM: Message edited by: Dain ]
Posted by Dairaioh on :
Well kids, tell your friends to watch LOSH. Gotta keep those ratings up!
Posted by Tromium on :
"The news has left fans of not only comic book-based animation but also long term franchises like Scooby Doo and Tom & Jerry speculating on the future of their favorite weekend programs. According to the source, fans of The Batman, Legion of Super Heroes, the upcoming Spectacular Spider-Man and other comic book and animated stables should not be too concerned.
Simply put, the end of Kids WB! does not mean the end of Warner Bros. Animation, the source explained, pointing out that they are two completely separate entities. For many shows, Kids WB! was the outlet Warner Bros. Animation series used, but those series aren’t going to be cancelled at the end of the 2007-2008 season. “We are exploring a number of other avenues to direct this programming, from other networks to direct-to-DVD options,” the source said. “There are a wide field of possibilities to be explored.”
So, if we want to add our two cents, it's Warner Bros. Animation we should contact.
Posted by Dain on :
Well, all I can do in my little corner of the world is tell more people to watch the Legion on cable (I've already turned some friends into fans of the Legion because they watched the cartoon and loved it) and buy the dvd. I wanted to wait until the season 1 set was out but maybe I'll buy the 4-episode dvd now.
[ October 04, 2007, 03:47 PM: Message edited by: Dain ]
Posted by MLLASH on :
Now I'm torn about it too, and I'd SO rather just have the one...
Posted by Dain on :
I know there's a topic about Legion cartoon toys/action figures but there's no definite release date for them, is there? I'd buy the figures anyway but if they have high sales, that will certainly have a very positive impact re the cartoon's future. Also, it *would* be kind of silly to release a line of merchandise for a....shudder...cancelled show, wouldn't it?
Which department of WB Animation should we send a letter to and to who? Anyone has that info? I'll write them and I can tell/beg/blackmail/cajole several friends of mine to write a letter too.
I'll get the 4-episodes dvd but if they include "special" features in the set not included in the 4-ep. dvds I'm gonna scream louder than Tyroc would if Blok stepped on his toes!!!
[ October 04, 2007, 04:02 PM: Message edited by: Dain ]
Posted by Tekwych on :
quote:Originally posted by Dain: I know there's a topic about Legion cartoon toys/action figures but there's no definite release date for them, is there? I'd buy the figures anyway but if they have high sales, that will certainly have a very positive impact re the cartoon's future. Also, it *would* be kind of silly to release a line of merchandise for a....shudder...cancelled show, wouldn't it?
The figures were never put on a release schedule. The pics that made it onto the net were prototypes to show at trade shows like The Licensing Trade Show and ToyFair. Mattel was very quick to ask the posters to pull down the shots that leaked out. There were thoughts to put them out in early 2008 but when the license for DCSH opened up to the entire DC universe the Animated line was quickly shelved. My Mattel rep won't even talk to me about the line as "There is no official announcement that Mattel is supporting the Legion animation"
[ October 04, 2007, 10:43 PM: Message edited by: Tekwych ]
Posted by Dain on :
Thank you for the info Tekwych. It seems that except for the dvds there's no other merchandise related to the LSH cartoon we can buy to indirectly support the show.
After reading Tromium's post I remain optimistic about the cartoon's future. They have a winner with the LSH cartoon and I'm sure they know it by now!
Posted by Dairaioh on :
I'm 99% certain that season 3 will be on CN... unless they are stupid.
Posted by Seth Gaterra on :
Sort of related to this, but is anyone else having the Legion and Batman pre-empted for college football? Because this has happened to me the past several weeks, and the local station's not always been good about reshowing the pre-empted material the next day.
Posted by lil'rhino on :
quote:Originally posted by Dairaioh: I'm 99% certain that season 3 will be on CN...
I think so too.
Posted by kidflash2fan on :
agreed
my biggest problem with direct to dvd is that a lot of the time direct to dvd sucks hard (look at all of the Disney 2 3 and 1/2) even teen titans direct to dvd movie blew hard
the biggest problem with direct to dvd movies is that most of the time they aren't done by people who love and enjoy the show the ideas for them normally come from ceos who come up with bad plots and have plot holes galore they give almost no budget to it and just make good things unwatchable just because they know kids will buy it regardless if it has any quality to it because kids don't know any better
personally if they opt for just dvds i think it will suffer greatly
Posted by Omni Craig on :
I thought CN was pushing it's own cartoons mostly now, that's the reason Krypto moved over to the KidsWB! ??
Posted by Matthew E on :
quote:Originally posted by Dairaioh: I'm 99% certain that season 3 will be on CN... unless they are stupid.
Well, if it is, then I'm up a stump, because we can't get CN in Canada. (It's enough trouble getting the CW.) YTV is only showing season 1 this year; I imagine I'd have to wait an extra year for them to get season 3.
Hmm... maybe if I wrote them a letter now...
Posted by Tromium on :
Whether or not the toon Legion continues on TV, I want DC/WB to do The Great Darkness Saga on direct-to-DVD with *these* characters (a little more grown up).
Posted by Matthew E on :
I'd like to see Great Darkness on direct-to-DVD too, but I'd like them to do just a straight adaptation of the comics and let the continuity chips fall where they may.
Posted by Dream Girl on :
I'd be watching alot of the WB kids shows if they'd play them on our stupid english sky-box...
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