Monday, May 25, 2009

Cartoon Network: How Stuart Snyder Is Killing The Network, and Animation With It

In 1994, I became one of the happiest kids on my block. It wasn't because of my grades, going outside, or my friends. No, all those things (except my grades) were good. No, what made me happy was that was the year we got Cartoon Network.

Cartoon Network. "All Cartoons, All the time! Forever, and ever, and ever! UNTIL THE END OF TIME!"

At only 9, I already got to feel instant-nostaglia as shows that I thought were once-canceled were back, and I had a chance to watch a ton of new cartoons I had never heard or seen before. It was, for a kid, and an animation fan alike, a heaven, a slice of bliss.

But ever since 2003, the station has steadily gotten worse and in 2007, a man became the head of programming for both Cartoon Network and Turner Broadcasting and given a task: How do you make Cartoon Network viable against Nickelodeon and Disney? Both Nick and Disney had, since 2005, steadily cut back on new animated shows, astounding since both studios were powerhouses only 5 years ago. Since they were cutting animation talent and eliminating programs that were doing well... well, what could he do?

Easy: Stop focusing on the CARTOON part of the name and focus on the NETWORK. Or, even better, stop making so many cartoons.

The idea Stuart had was to expand the network away from cartoons and do more things, such as a live action movie (which was terrible, not even campy-bad!) and expand into rip-offs of Sci-Fi and Discover Channel shows that involve real kids in real drama, like hunting ghosts and blowing stuff up. Sounds cool, but... well, they're "reality shows". Cheap, no-writter TV.

Meanwhile, we're seeing animation in this country suffer on a whole.

Ten years ago, an animator had a chance to get out there and possible start a career doing a show that THEY wanted, a show that THEY could do. John K, in 1993, paved the way to allow for the "Director system" to come back, and for the most part, most cartoons were done with the artists and creators in control. It seems that the end of that came with Camp Lazlo, a show that a cousin of my said, and I quote, "was the most fun I had doing a show in my life." He has worked on everything from Muppet Babies to The Simpsons to Futruama. That's one hell of a complelment!

Now, an animator is hard pressed to get an interesting new show out there outside the internet, and most shows created are now incredibly cheap, done in Canada using Adobe Flash. To me, the fact a talented man like Harry Patridge is stuck posting cartoons on the internet with no network willing to give the man a chance to create a cartoon (for kids!) on their network... my god, its amazing!

Cartoon Network and Viacom were in competition in the 90's and it was one hell of a great thing for the craft! Each tried to outdo the other in terms of cutting-edge animationa dn interesting concepts and ideas. We're now on our own. To me, the decline began back in 2003.

Since then, the line-up of Cartoon Network has been more of a focus on not producing cartoons or showing older ones for a new generation, but instead focusing on 6 - 8 shows for the 24/7 network and see what sticks. It is more in line with MTV in the sense that the name is in "spirit" only, and it is irritating as an animation fan and historian to see this happen.

31 comments:

Mark Skull said...

That's a really good point, and really gets to the heart of the matter.

There's nothing wrong with focusing on kids programming, but something like TBS Kids or some brand-new kids network would be great!

Anonymous said...

i love this entry.
you said everything i think about CN now.

Seems like they've forgotten who they really were.

Anonymous said...

Bro, I agree 100 %.

Anonymous said...

Reality TV shows are dime-a-dozen and 100% bullshit.

And we need reality TV on Cartoon Network like
people need a boil on their ass-cheek.

The eggheads who get their ideas from bean-counters who
don't know shit from Shine-O-La about
quality TV just to play "Keeping up with the Joneses",
are costing the studios their viewers.

I wish Ted Turner would get off his
decrepit ass and fire that bastard Stu Snyder... make that guy clean up
the grounds of Cartoon Network, not work indoors at all.

The same can go for that "SyFy" channel, and MTV, as well.

I'm 42, and I see no sense in any channel, especially Cartoon Network,
having any reality shows.

*steps off soapbox*

Dylan said...

Cartoon Network needs to have another round "re-modeling". There are 3 things that had screwed this network up in the past decade:

1.Canceling some of its major blocks(toonmai,etc.)

2. Adding "live-action" & CN Real.

3. Changing everything that everybody knew about CN (logo, blocks, theme, etc.)


Stuart Snyder thought he was doing a "good" job, but has totally flushed this network down the toilet.

The old president was better.

Most of the good times of watching CN is about early 21st century (2000-2005).

Also adult swim should not be on the same channel as CN.

CN should revert back it its former self without all this 2007-2010 crap.

Anonymous said...

Cartoon Network should be returned to its original state & ILLbe damned if he screwed with the wrong cartoons

Anonymous said...

I AGREE!!! Everything is a piece of crap CN NOW! I'm just glad they still KND!

Money T. MoneyBags said...

This snyder guy is a real dick. He got rid of toonami for some gay shit like "miguzi" and CN Real (I think I barfed a little in my mouth right now because of that shit). Seriously what the fuck is miguzi it sounds like something a retarded tickle-me-elmo would say if it had a shovel up it's ass. And CN Real (just barfed again) is just plain stupid Snyder must be standing on his head with his thumb in his ass if he thinks that mess belongs on CARTOON GET IT CARTOOOOOON network. I know i'm not the only 1 who got off that school bus and ran to the house to watch toonami monday through friday to watch DBZ,yu yu hokusho,kenshin,zoids ,gundum,sailor moon,card capturer (and yes seriously I actually mean those last 2),ronin knights,and dragonball. Now we here watchin fuckin chowder,flapjack,TDI,6teen,stoked,and the rest of that bullshit.Because of this guy kids these days will never enjoy the greatness we had now they are going to be a bunch of gay retards all thanks to Snyder. Seriously though the problem is there is no story behind cartoons we didn't have to worry about "is there a story?" or not with anime and that's what the diffrence is between the 2. Personally i never cared what they put on cartoon network as long as it didn't fuck with toonami. i need to stop so please reply to this and answer the following which do you think kids,teens,and adults would like more anime with a story on toonami or mindless idiocy that has no story,action,or a rare aaaaawwwww moment on miguzi or CN Real(now if you don't mind I have to finish barfing because of that CN Real bullshit)

Anonymous said...

I seriously agree with you guys about how terrible CN is right now. I began knowing about it thanks to how many cartoons I watched as a child,seeing as I was born in 1993,and now i'm 16 yrs. old and i just want to watch anime and cartoons. Stuart is doing very bad in his carrer, and this has got to stop before he makes a further fool of himself and CN!
Remember how many shows they used to have? Teen Titans (it was on and off again the past few years),Totally Spies,Miguzi (I loved it for three of it's shows), Toonami (there went my childhood,which introduced me to sailor moon and the world of anime), and so many lost shows. We need them back because technically, I don't follow the crowd, I want to voice my opioin (with encouragement for me being shy), and tell them people to have no CN Real (it's the worst reality show ever), no FlapJack,Chowder, Adventure Time (the worst show yet), and sports is sooo out!!
There's talent out there, but they're adults and have forgotten magic and fun. (Not all adults,but i would say alot). I wish we kids and those who are teenagers like me, adults who miss this stuff and grew up during it,should get to voice opinions. Anyone know how we could fire Stuart?
But BeyBlade:Metal Fusion got purchased by CN, so we still have anime on there!! ^^ But I hardly watch tv now except for Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars movies,or Sabrina. Thats about it. Thanks for listening to me rant!

Anonymous said...

this guy is ruining cartoon network and it's reputation,i mean why did he cancalled the good shows and bloks like toonamy and air stuff that does not even belong in the channel?This shows how lazy of a president he is by airing shows from Teletoon and paying a bunch of people to act around and rip off Discobery Channel's worth watcing shows(unlike CnReal which is totally unnoriginal).That also ruins the hole network,i mean what's the purpose of calling it cartoon network if that idiot gets rid of all the cartoons and airs even more and more reality shows. Yes alot of CNReal shows are cancelled due to lack of views, but that man never learned his lesson and now is airing Unnatural History, Wich is more live action crap.The best things they can do are:
1-Throw Stuart Snyder out of their studios
2-Get rid of today's cartoons and bring back the earlier
3-Put avsolutely no live action or the new bumpers
4-Let the network die for good

Anonymous said...

I agree with you guys alot (I'm 15). What they should probably do:
1. Fire Struart
2. Take off all live action shows
3. Eliminate any of the new shows with low views
4. Bring back Toonami, and the other old blocks/shows.
5. Do something similar to What a Cartoon Show again to create new (hopefully better) shows.
6. Put Adult Swim as a separate channel.
7. Hire the the guy before Stuart if possible.
8.Put the old Logo, and bumpers back.
That all should slowly restore the network.

Anonymous said...

It would be awsome if someone haxed the network and did a TOTAL makeover on the channel

removing the gay shows
adding back toonami (tom 1, 2, or 3. 4 looked like a gay toy)

adding back shows like knd courage johnny bravo dexters lab cow and chicken, ppg(might bee good to see for some people) time squad and the other classics for the rest. megas xlr(funny rage against dmv) all the good anime gundam series (seed wing etc)
dbz and the rest which i forgot the rest.

but yeah either he revamps it back to normal of the network is gunna fail

Anonymous said...

Amazing how prophetic your words are. Now Sym-Bionic Titan is gone, and we're supposed to praise them for more live action, bad surrealist comedies (don't get me wrong I love Adventure Time and don't include it in this grouping), The Lucas Film cash cow for selling action figures, and now a DC Superhero block because they can't let Marvel Disney dominate the animation field.

Anonymous said...

I don't think a single one of you said the word "advertisors" in any of your posts. Which shows many of you completely missed the point. Advertising and marketing revenue fuels channels.

Toonami was incredible, but it made CN very little money~ they desperately needed to convert on shows that weren't merely syndicated, but born from the channel itself, to entice revenue from toys and other merchandise as well as control the kind of advertising that would fuel their sales revenue.

The more original content, the easier this is accomplished. At some point, CN was tired of losing money to Bandai.

You can't forget that these people~ for all intents and purposes are interested in money, and if you can have fun while they get that money~ good... because it'll get them more money, but your 'fun' is a sideffect, a catalyst to the original goal.

Anonymous said...

Guys Snyder Is full of bullshit canceling toonami knd Ed Ed and eddy Billy and Mandy camp lazlo Dexters lab ppg (yes I'm a guy) cow and chicken I'm 12 so I barely got these before this piece of fuck came In here and jacked up cartoon network FIRE HIM DAMN IT!!!!!! Sorry I just really miss toonami. Cn was once this.
Now it's this. Hire someone better and FIRE THAT BITCH SNYDER!!!

Anonymous said...

Join the http://www.facebook.com/pages/Help-Sym-Bionic-Titan-Get-Another-Season/105855892830864 on Facebook and join the CN riot to get Titan back

CommanderThunderush said...

I plan to fire off a major rant at Cartoon Network this June.

My Youtube Account:
http://www.youtube.com/user/CommanderThunderush?feature=mhee

Anonymous said...

this idiot they hired for cartoon network is such an animal who does not know how to run a cartoon business he does not have any experience I seriously wish they got rid of him years ago why did the new president got out anyway.
This mother#@$#^$ named snyder is horrible they should put someone who would bring the old cartoon network back. I want my boomerang in a separate show but to be part of cartoon network. I want that stupid show they put at night adult swim out. SUPPORT FOR THE CARTOON NETWORK COUNCIL.

Anonymous said...

get rid of this fucking idiot and I agree 100% on what every person says in all these comments...

Anonymous said...

Sorry what I meant in the last comment was support for the OLD cartoon network back along with toonami and other classics.

Anonymous said...

Cartoon Network is just awful now ....... I hate this new President of Cartoon Network ! It just sickens me what they've done to the programming ... I WANT THE POWERPUFF GIRLS , DEXTERS LABRATORY , COURAGE THE COWARDLY DOG ... The Cartoon Cartoon Fridays ! Remember those ? Man , I'm 15 and we should get that dick Stuart Snyder outta the network and Jim Samples back in !


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZNsg1zlnMo&feature=player_embedded

Anonymous said...

Dear Cartoon Network,
Fire the jack that screwed up childhood for the new generation.
-A concerned Old School CN fan.

terrance addison said...

well, i wouldnt say that cartoon
network declined in 2003. I mean
for the next 3 years they were still
doing well. in my opinion, they were
changing, yes but it was a good change. they begin right off from where they started. in 2007, THATS
when I started to see some things
going wrong. stuart snyder is a bitch. I even drew him on the computer in a Gestapo uniform.

Anonymous said...

CN. I refuse to call it Cartoon Network any longer. The only thing I've watched on it in the past few years has been Sym Bionic Titan; canceled due to merchandising. YET, they have enough money to allow shows that totally should not air, Problem Solverz in particular, to remain on for more than one season. Their new shows are losing plot, losing originality. Everything that makes a show good. Just fire the idiot who overlooked the part in the contract that said "CARTOON network" and get Turner back in there!

Anonymous said...

That man does not know what he is doing! He was in a high position at a well known circus. Every job he gets he brings his own secretary. She is about as clueless as he is. He says he knows the business. But every single job he gets he gets fired. I guess he stays long enough to get a golden parachute. The man is stupid and I know that for a fact.

Anonymous said...

It's not just Cartoon Network.. You have some great points, and I could see you started realizing all the b.s from CN.. but it's almost like these company's can't take any risks without having a complete general idea on the outcome. Alot of stations use to have balls. Now that newer ownership is being past down these people only focus on money and what everybody else is doing.. that's why there's soo many fake repo shows and scripted, stupid reality shows. It's almost like these people look down on us like we're stupid and will watch anything visually appealing or "realistic". MTV, TrueTv, Spike, and of course Cartoon Network.. They all seem to be trying too hard to win over "retarded America".

BrandonB said...

i read a comment on a gundam video on youtube that made me laugh and think about the future. he said that he will not allow his children to watch cartoon network or any other cartoon shows on cable, he will instead raise them on shows like DBZ and gundam and when his children ask why the cable isn't working he will respond with "our house is covered in a high minovsky particle density" its only funny if you've seen some of the original gundam shows but now i know wut to tell my kids later in life

XxToonamiFan22Xx said...

Cartoonnetwork has totally forgotten who they are. 10 years ago they were a Powerehouse network with the best blocks in the history of Animation, until they started getting more lazy, and the Parents started getting more concerned with what they were watching. These kids today would rather watch a boring reality show with sluts slapping each other than a work of art.

Anonymous said...

you know as a kid i was boon in 2000 but i still remmember toonami and alot of other things and still i remmember the day toonami got shut down i almost cride relly and i almost cride when alot of shows got shut down to but now alot of shows suck relly relly bad i can even name a fuw flapjak, adventure time, mad, total drama island, and even chowder. i like to tell you something important did you know cartoon network lost the contract with hanna barbar and the 8 original cartoon cartoons and you know what else suck there bring back that stupid show total drama island. also jest one more thing if i ever meet stuart snyder i will tell him how much he suck.

Anonymous said...

now I know why naruto dont show on cartoon network anymore and its because of dat LAME AZZ BORING AZZ HAVING NO GOOD TASTE JACKASS name sturt LAMER and by wish if I could meet man face to face I would slap da shit outta dat man for his dumb decisions dat cause cartoon network to change from being a great network to "use to be"a great network

Anonymous said...

I wish Jim Samples would come back to Cartoon Network and replace Stuart Snyder. Stuart Snyder is highly incompetent.

The only good shows made by Cartoon Network are: Adventure Time, Regular Show, and Steven Universe. Ben 10 is okay but that's really declining fast with Omniverse and honestly I've forgotten why I even liked the show.

Total Drama and Pokémon are really the only things not made by Cartoon Network that I really like.

But Stuart Snyder has made real fuck ups such as CN real, canceling great shows such as Young Justice and Sym-Bionic Titan and removed Toonami, good ting Adult Swim picked it up. His anti-bullying campign often uses the cast from unsuccessful shows like Level Up and Incredible Crew. Those shows suck major shit, what made him thinking using them for anti-bullying campaigns is beyond me.