"Saturday-morning cartoon" is a colloquial term for the original animated series and live-action programming that was typically scheduled on Saturday and Sunday mornings in the United States on the "Big Three" television networks. The genre's popularity had a broad peak from the mid-1960s through the mid-2000s; over time it declined, in the face of changing cultural norms, increased competition from formats available at all times, and heavier regulations. In the last two decades of the genre's existence, Saturday-morning and Sunday-morning cartoons were primarily created and aired to meet regulations on children's television programming in the United States, or E/I. Minor television networks, in addition to the non-commercial PBS in some markets, continue to air animated programming on Saturday and Sunday while partially meeting those mandates.
ABC Kids was an American Saturday morning children's programming block that aired on ABC from September 13, 1997 to August 27, 2011. It featured a mixture of animated and live-action series from Walt Disney Television Animation and Disney Channel, aimed at children between the ages of 6 and 14. This was the only time Disney Channel content aired on over-the-air television in the United States.
A weekday cartoon is the colloquial term for the animated series programming that was typically scheduled on weekday mornings and afternoons in the United States on many major television networks and in broadcast syndication since the 1960s.
Nick on CBS was an American Saturday morning children's programming block featuring programming from Nick Jr. and Nickelodeon that ran on CBS from September 16, 2000, to September 9, 2006. It initially aired programming from the Nick Jr. block until 2002, when it began airing mainline programming from Nickelodeon; in 2004, it switched back to its previous format.
Cookie Jar TV was an American children's programming block that aired on CBS, originally premiering on September 16, 2006, as the KOL Secret Slumber Party; the block was later rebranded as KEWLopolis on September 15, 2007, and then as Cookie Jar TV on September 19, 2009, running until September 21, 2013. It was originally programmed by DIC Entertainment, which over the course of the block's seven-year run, was acquired by Canada-based Cookie Jar Entertainment and subsequently by DHX Media. The block was replaced by the CBS WKND block on September 28, 2013.
Children's programming has played a part in NBC's programming since its initial roots in television. This article outlines the history of children's television programming on NBC including the various blocks and notable programs that have aired throughout the television network's history on weekends.
In regard to children's television programming, CBS has aired mostly animated series, such as the original versions of Scooby-Doo, Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, Jim Henson's Muppet Babies, Garfield and Friends and the 1987 incarnation of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. This article outlines the history of children's television programming on CBS including the various blocks and notable programs that have aired throughout the television network's history.
In regard to children's programming, the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) has aired mostly programming from Walt Disney Television or other producers. This article outlines the history of children's television programming on ABC including the various blocks and notable programs that have aired throughout the television network's history.
The broadcast of educational children's programming by terrestrial television stations in the United States is mandated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), under regulations colloquially referred to as the Children's Television Act (CTA), the E/I rules, or the Kid Vid rules. Since 1997, all full-power and Class A low-power broadcast television stations have been required to broadcast at least three hours per-week of programs that are specifically designed to meet the educational and informative (E/I) needs of children aged 16 and younger. There are also regulations on advertising in broadcast and cable television programming targeting children 12 and younger, including limits on ad time, and prohibiting the airing of advertising for products related to the program currently airing.
The Hearst Media Production Group is an American media and production company based in New York City, New York as a division of the Hearst Television subsidiary of Hearst Communications, with three additional offices in Boston, Washington, D.C., and Burbank, California. Many of HMPG's programs comply with federally mandated educational and informational requirements.
Weekend Adventure is an American syndicated programming block that is produced by Hearst Media Production Group, and airs weekend mornings on the owned-and-operated stations and affiliates of ABC. The block features live-action documentary and lifestyle series aimed at a family audience that meet educational programming requirements defined by the Children's Television Act. Announced on May 24, 2011, Litton's Weekend Adventure premiered on September 3, 2011, replacing the ABC Kids block.
Vortexx was a short-lived American Saturday morning children's television programming block that aired on The CW from August 25, 2012 to September 27, 2014. Programmed by Saban Brands, it replaced Toonzai, a block that was programmed by 4Kids Entertainment until its bankruptcy. The Vortexx block primarily featured animated programs, although it also featured several live-action series, including the Lost Galaxy installment of the Power Rangers franchise, and the WWE wrestling series WWE Saturday Morning Slam.
One Magnificent Morning (OMM) is an American programming block that is programmed by Hearst Media Production Group and distributed by CBS Media Ventures, and debuted on October 4, 2014, as a replacement for the animation block Vortexx. It airs on Saturday mornings on the owned-and-operated stations and affiliates of The CW, the block features live-action documentary and lifestyle series aimed at teenagers between the ages of 13 and 18, the same style of programming that Litton provides for competing blocks seen on ABC, CBS, and NBC. All of the programs in the three-hour block are designed to meet federally mandated educational programming guidelines.
Recipe Rehab is an American cooking competition television program that originally debuted as a short-form web series on YouTube on April 2, 2012, and subsequently became a half-hour television series on October 6, 2012 as part of the ABC station-primarily syndicated Litton's Weekend Adventure block. As such, it was the first web series produced as a YouTube original program to become a weekly network television series. Since September 28, 2013, Recipe Rehab has aired on CBS as part of Litton's CBS Dream Team Saturday morning block; first-run episodes continued to air until July 25, 2015, with reruns airing until September 26. The television program is designed to meet educational programming requirements defined by the Federal Communications Commission.
The Inspectors is an American crime drama television series, created by Dave Morgan. and produced by Litton Entertainment. Centering on the criminal investigations of U.S. postal inspectors, it was the only show on commercial television paid for by a U.S. government agency, with its funding coming from the United States Postal Service asset forfeiture and consumer fraud awareness funds. The half-hour series ran from October 3, 2015 to May 25, 2019, and aired on Saturday mornings on CBS as part of the network's Dream Team Saturday morning three-hour block of children's programming.
The More You Know (TMYK) is an American programming block that is programmed by Hearst Media Production Group, and debuted on October 8, 2016, on NBC as a replacement for the animation block NBC Kids. It airs on weekend mornings on NBC and Telemundo, and as of 2017 is replayed Sunday mornings on sister network Cozi TV. The block's programs are also available through all of NBC's video on demand venues, including the network's site/app, Peacock, and cable/satellite services.
The 2019–20 daytime network television schedule for the five major English-language commercial broadcast networks in the United States covers the weekday and weekend daytime hours from September 2019 to August 2020. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series; no new series or series canceled after the 2018–19 season are included at present, as the daytime schedules of the four major networks that offer morning and/or afternoon programming is expected to remain consistent with the prior television season.
The 2020–21 daytime network television schedule for the five major English-language commercial broadcast networks in the United States covers the weekday and weekend daytime hours from September 2020 to August 2021. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series; no new series, but only one series is canceled after the 2019–20 season are included at present, as the daytime schedules of the four major networks that offer morning and/or afternoon programming is expected to remain consistent with the prior television season.
The 2021–22 morning network television schedule for the five major English-language commercial broadcast networks in the United States covers the weekday and weekend morning hours from September 2021 to August 2022. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning and cancelled shows from the 2020–21 season. The daytime schedules for the five major networks that offer morning programming are expected to remain consistent with the prior television season.
The 2023–24 morning network television schedule for the five major English-language commercial broadcast networks in the United States covers the weekday and weekend Morning hours from September 2023 to August 2024. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning and cancelled shows from the 2022–23 season. The daytime schedules for the five major networks that offer morning programming are expected to remain consistent with the prior television season.
