RIP Cartoon Network

A few months ago, Kneon from Clownfish TV posted this video about how the daily ratings for Cartoon Network (CN) have gone through the floor as of last year, signaling the probable end of CN as we knew it. This comes after the official website shut down last year and the studio in Burbank, CA closed its doors in 2023. Indeed, all of the major American children's networks have shown decreasing numbers for over a decade as audiences rely more heavily on on-demand content for their entertainment rather than linear television. 

Of course, people will blame streaming and the merger of Warner Bros. and Discovery for this decline, and there is some truth there, but I believe there is more going on; it's the content being produced on this network. What we are seeing today is the culmination of over a decade of churning out content that are not good quality, not kid-friendly, and/or just plain weird, beginning with the premiere of Adventure Time in 2010 which was also the first original series on the channel to be PG-rated. Since then, CN transformed from a powerhouse for children's entertainment to what can best be described as "Adult Swim Junior," cartoons marketed to kids but upon further inspection contain mature themes not appropriate for little kids (ex: homosexuality, "non-binary" gender, non-marital child-bearing), appeal to older audiences like teens and young adults, and violate parents' trust, particularly shows carrying an age rating below TV-PG. Combine that with the gosh-awful PSAs about "anti-racism" and "personal pronouns," reruns of Teen Titans GO! all day with little diversity in the schedule, and barely any merch sales, and you have a recipe for disaster. It's no wonder they went under.

On a personal level, this news makes me sorrowful as someone who grew up with the network, with shows like The PowerPuff Girls (the original, not the stupid 2016 reboot), Ed, Edd, n' Eddy, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, the 90s dub of Sailor Moon on Toonami, Chowder, The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack, and the classic cartoons on Boomerang giving me cherished childhood memories and solidifying my love for animation. The last CN shows from the modern era I enjoyed were Steven Universe, Over the Garden Wall, and Infinity Train. At this rate, I would not be shocked if the network morphs into Adult Swim 24/7.