History
Trademark registrations for MeTV Toons were first filed in March 2023, with originally considered names for the network being "Toon TV" or "Toony TV" (a name likely inspired by the mascot of the MeTV original program Toon In with Me , Toony the Tuna), as well as names of interstitials for the network such as 'Cartoon College' filed in December 2023. [6] [7]
On May 1, 2024, Variety and TVLine reported Weigel was partnering with Warner Bros. Discovery on MeTV Toons, which was billed as a 24/7, free-to-air television network dedicated to broadcasting classic animated programming. TheDesk.net reported that Weigel was also working with Paramount Pictures, Amazon MGM Studios (The Pink Panther), Universal Pictures and a number of other content studios. [8]
The following day, Weigel officially announced the launch of the channel, which would take place on June 25. The channel launched with a marathon of the pilot episodes of all of its non-compilation shows, with the inaugural program at 6am Eastern/5am Central time being Captain Planet and the Planeteers . [9] The channel follows a similar format to the formative years of Warner Bros. Discovery's Cartoon Network and Boomerang.
Officials at Weigel announced that MeTV Toons will be distributed in three formats: as a broadcast channel available in many cities via over-the-air television and cable, as a streaming channel offered through subscription-based services, and as a 'complementary offering' for ad-supported streaming platforms.
Broadcast affiliates include those owned by Weigel itself, as well as those operated by Cox Media Group, Bahakel Communications, Hubbard Broadcasting, Allen Media Group and Gray Television. Frndly TV and Philo, two over-the-top MVPD services that carry all of Weigel's other networks, added the network on launch day.
Programming
The programs featured on the main MeTV network in the morning hours (such as Looney Tunes , Merrie Melodies , Tom and Jerry , Popeye , and Woody Woodpecker ) also air on MeTV Toons. In addition, the network's programming features cartoons never seen on the MeTV block (such as Scooby-Doo , Yogi Bear , Rocky and Bullwinkle , and Casper the Friendly Ghost ) and classic anime titles (such as Speed Racer and Marine Boy ). MeTV Toons also airs various UK-produced Supermarionation programs overnight, such as Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons . [10]
The network runs original interstitial series which animation historian Jerry Beck helped produce. Bob Bergen, the current voice actor for Porky Pig, is the promotional announcer for the network. [11]
In order to meet E/I Regulations and Guidelines, MeTV Toons airs edutainment cartoons such as Captain Planet and the Planeteers and Histeria! to fulfill the guidelines.
While Rocky and Bullwinkle would be a staple program from the launch of the network, MeTV Toons would abruptly remove the series with very little warning on February 1, 2025, claiming both in a post made on the channel's social media accounts and website that the sudden removal was done at the request of the show's current license-holder WildBrain; no further information was given as to exactly why WildBrain had suddenly requested removal of the program. The show would be replaced in the affected timeslots by The Flintstones, Totally Tooned In and Wait Till Your Father Gets Home (all of which had bumpers immediately before and going into each commercial break advising RAB viewers of the removal), ahead of a planned fuller rehauling of the network's programming on the 17th of the month. While the show would still be removed from their schedule at that time, they would still acknowledge they were "working hard" with WildBrain to return the show to the network. [12]
Blocks
- Cartoon All-Stars: An hour block airing Monday through Saturday at 10:00 p.m. ET, featuring shorts from across the Warner Bros., MGM, Fleischer, Famous, Walter Lantz, Harvey Comics, and UPA libraries. [13]
- Sunday Night Cartoon All-Stars: An extended three-hour block airing Sundays from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. ET, a successor to the Sunday Night Cartoons block on sister station MeTV+. [13]
- House of Hanna-Barbera: A two-hour, late morning and early afternoon block, airing weekdays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p. m. ET, and Sundays from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p. m. ET. The block showcases a variety of classic Hanna-Barbera animated shorts from the late 1950s and early 1960s, including the likes of Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound and Snagglepuss.
- Known Strings Attached: A late night block airing weeknights from 4:00 a.m. to 5:30 a.m. ET, featuring Supermarionation programs from Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, including Supercar and Thunderbirds .
- Totally Animated 80s: A late night block airing late Saturdays from 1:30 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. ET, featuring action and comedy animation from the 1980s. Initial programs include Police Academy: The Animated Series , The Real Ghostbusters , SilverHawks , Pac-Man , The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show , Challenge of the GoBots , The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley , and Mister T . [14]
- Flintstones Family Sunday: An afternoon block airing Sundays from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET, featuring various films and spin-off series from The Flintstones franchise, that launched with The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones and The Man Called Flintstone . [13]
- Scooby-Doo! Sunday Specials: An afternoon block airing Sundays from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET, featuring various films and spin-off series from the Scooby-Doo franchise, that launched with a run of The New Scooby-Doo Movies . [13]
Holiday Special Blocks
- Spooktacular Sundays: This Halloween-themed block that first introduced in October 2024 ran on Sundays from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (though sometimes continued until later in the evening). In addition, this would be the first instance of characters from Svengoolie appearing on the channel, often seen doing hosted segments. Some of the cartoons featured on the block included The Frankenstones (a segment on The Flintstone Comedy Show as well as various Scooby-Doo specials and episodes (e.g. Scooby-Doo And The Reluctant Werewolf ).
- ’Tis The Season For Toons: A Christmas-themed block that introduced in November 2024, presenting Christmas-themed specials of classic cartoons on Saturdays from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Such specials include Christmas and snow-themed episodes of Looney Tunes, The Smurfs, and Rocky & Bullwinkle to name a few. This block also airs a large number of Christmas specials. Examples include the likes of Sonic's Christmas Blast , Yogi's First Christmas and Inspector Gadget Saves Christmas.
- Rabbits, Ducks and No Turkeys!: A 15-hour marathon of theatrical Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons, headlined by Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, throughout Thanksgiving Day from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. The animated short block was introduced on Thanksgiving Day in 2024.
- Black (and White) Friday: Similar to Rabbits, Ducks and No Turkeys! (as seen above), this was also a 15-hour marathon of theatrical cartoons, this time focusing on Popeye, Betty Boop and black and white Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts (from 1931 to 1943), premiered the day after the Rabbits, Ducks and No Turkeys! marathon, Black Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
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