MeTV Starting Its Own “Cartoon Network” In June That May Fill A Growing Void
Cartoon Network – or what’s left of it – is getting some competition that will do what it used to be good at, and with the involvement of CN’s parent company, no less.
Chicago-based Weigel Broadcasting is launching a spinoff of their popular network MeTV based around cartoon reruns in tandem with Warner Bros. Discovery.
“The new MeTV Toons collaboration between Warner Bros. Discovery and Weigel – the company behind the MeTV Network – will welcome dozens of the world’s classic cartoons,” according to Deadline.
These include Looney Tunes and many things from the Warner catalog. We’re talking about Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Scooby Doo, Tom & Jerry, The Jetsons, Yogi Bear, Popeye, Johnny Quest and The Flintstones. We also hear Freakazoid! might be part of the line-up.
Beyond Warners and your usual Hanna-Barbera favorites, Deadline adds Rocky & Bullwinkle, Woody Woodpecker, Casper, Betty Boop, and Speed Racer to the list. Count The Real Ghostbusters in, too, per one report, bringing the series back to the airwaves for the first time in years.
Weigel Broadcasting vice-chairman Neal Sabin issued a statement regarding the announcement.
”We are honored to work with the amazing team at Warner Bros. Discovery and others on this network and bring together a truly incredible collection of the world’s best known and most loved classic cartoons, creating a new destination for everyone to discover or rediscover the sheer joy of watching cartoons on TV,” he said.
“MeTV Toons will be dedicated 24/7 to showcasing the biggest names and most beloved classic cartoons and animated characters. Everyone has a favorite cartoon; it is a universally loved art form. We are thrilled to bring those smiles and memories back to TV with MeTV Toons,” Sabin added.
Based on an interview Sabin had with Antenna Man on YouTube, MeTV Toons will also bring the obscure animated adaptations of The Mask, Police Academy, and Beetlejuice (just in time for the sequel) back to terrestrial television.
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Weigel has been in the business of classic TV and movies for a long time and their reach is broad. Other than MeTV (home of Svengoolie), they own Heroes & Icons, Start TV, Catchy Comedy, MOVIES!, Story Television, and Dabl.
They have been slowly creeping into the toon market as well in the last few years. In 2021, they added the morning block Toon In with Me hosted by Bill Leff and his puppet sidekick Toony the Tuna to the daily MeTV line-up.
MeTV Toons launches June 25th and will be available on cable and satellite providers. WOW! Cable, DirectTV, and Sling will probably carry it. It’ll likewise be available on broadcast TV via antenna and subscriber-based streaming apps that carry MeTV (more than likely) such as Philo and Frndly.
You who rely on the free ad-based services from Pluto to Tubi to Roku might be out of luck, but wait and see or check your local listings.
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