from broadcasting and cable
UPFRONT & CENTER: Cartoon Network Uses the Force
George Lucas Appears at Upfront Presentation to Tout Star Wars: The
Clone Wars; Cable Network Unveils ‘Two-Pronged, 360-Degree Programming
Strategy’
By Alex Weprin
New York -- The force is with us. That was the message Cartoon Network
sent to advertisers and media buyers at its upfront presentation here
Thursday morning.
Bolstered by the star power of George Lucas, the network unveiled a
new programming strategy and previewed its new series and initiatives,
including the “Cartoonstitute” and an expanded partnership with the
Food and Drug Administration on its “Spot the Block” campaign.
To kick off the event, Cartoon previewed its highly anticipated
animated Star Wars series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Star Wars
creator Lucas, flanked by four armed storm troopers, took to the stage
to show a clip from the program and answer questions from Turner
Animation president and chief operating officer Stuart Snyder.
“It is really exciting to be able to do animation and to do it in a
way so that it can have meaningful impact on the audience beyond what
we do at the theater,” Lucas said.
The network is launching what it called a two-pronged, 360-degree
programming strategy, with Friday nights featuring fantasy and
adventure programming, anchored by Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and
Thursday nights becoming the network’s original comedy night.
As part of the announcements, the network said it picked up a sequel
to its successful live-action movie, Ben 10: Race Against Time, also
announcing a second-season pickup for comedy series Chowder and a new
series based on the Batman franchise, Batman: the Brave and the Bold.
And Cartoon announced that it picked up new series The Secret
Saturdays, about a family of world-saving scientists who protect
against evil. The network ordered 26 episodes, which will premiere
during the fall.
Also getting a series pickup was The Marvelous Misadventures of
Flapjack, about a child (Flapjack) raised by a talking whale named
Bubbie who rescue an old pirate, Captain K’nuckles, from a shipwreck.
Beginning in June, Sunday nights on the network will be movie night,
featuring the television premieres of films such as Ant Bully,
Hoodwinked and Open Season, as well as the network premiere of Will
Ferrell comedy Kicking and Screaming.
“These are just the first steps in the evolution of a programming
strategy that will lay the groundwork for highlighting all of our
strengths moving forward,” chief content officer Rob Sorcher said. “We
now have great tent poles to launch these new nights and a platform to
showcase established and up-and-coming talent.”
The network also announced the creation of the Cartoonstitute, an
in-house think tank and development studio that will endeavor to
create up to 150 pieces of programming over the next 20 months. The
Cartoonstitute will be led by Craig McCracken of The Powerpuff Girls
and Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends and Rob Renzetti of Dexter’s
Laboratory. The goal is to create programming that can get the fast
track to series or film.
“The Cartoonstitute will create an unprecedented swift development
track for animated pilots,” Sorcher said. “This program is unique in
that it is run by artists themselves who understand what it takes to
create the right environment for success.”
And Cartoon is expanding its relationship with the FDA on their Spot
the Block campaign, which aims to help kids understand food labels and
help make healthy food choices. An expanded edition of the campaign
will kick off next week across all of the network’s platforms.
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