Cartoon Network Ends Major Programming Block

Cartoon Network has seen major success with several of its own programming blocks in the past, with the likes of Adult Swim and Toonami remaining stalwart parts of the cable network. Unfortunately, not every block is going to manage to survive in the long run as the latest casualty has been announced for the Warner Bros Discovery endeavor. While the latest news might not be pulling on the heartstrings of fans of Rick And Morty or anime, parents of pre-schoolers might be saddened to learn that the platform known as Cartoonito will end as of today, Friday, March 23rd.

Since first airing in 2021, Cartoonito has housed major programs focusing on a much younger audience than Cartoon Network normally caters to. This didn’t stop the block from airing some big names in the animation world, including the likes of Batwheels, Bugs Bunny Builders, Baby Looney Tunes, Cocomelon, and Thomas The Tank Engine. With the shuttering of Cartoonito, this fact doesn’t mean that the WB is pausing development on projects aimed at preschoolers. Most specifically, Foster’s Funtime For Imaginary Friends, a spin-off series of Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends, is still in development though the series landing on Cartoonito seems impossible at this point.

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Cracking Open Cartoonito

When Cartoonito first landed on Cartoon Network in 2021, Amy Friedman, Head of Kids & Family Programming, Warner Bros, stated the following regarding the now-defunct platform, “Cartoonito’s offerings on HBO Max and Cartoon Network will reflect a wide array of diverse content that connects kids and their caregivers through relatable stories, lovable characters and meaningful social-emotional learning both in and between the shows.”

Warner Bros Discovery has yet to make an official statement on the loss of Cartoonito but it no longer appears on the network’s channel after today. When the platform first began, it took a wideswing approach to garnering viewers as Cartoonito aired for several hours on weekdays then far fewer on weekends. As of the writing of this article, no official reason has been given for the loss of the programming block aired at a preschool audience.

Cartoon Network’s Future

Despite losing the first preschool-focused programming block that Cartoon Network had in over fifteen years, the cable network still has plenty coming down the pike. Series like The Amazing World of Gumball and Iyanu: Child of Wonder are coming back, with Warner Bros promising that they have plans to bring back classic franchises in brand new ways. Luckily, the upcoming Annecy International Animation Film Festival arriving this summer is sure to have much more news about Cartoon Network as the channel is preparing to celebrate its twenty-fifth anniversary. Fingers crossed that the cable network will still march forward for some time to come.

Want to see which other shows and blocks are able to survive in Cartoon Network’s future? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on Warner Bros’ animation department and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

Via Toon Hive