Increasingly youth have been moving away from cable TV networks including networks made for kids like Cartoon Network. Cartoon Network’s target age is 6- to 12-year-olds. Now increasingly the average age of its viewers is 18+ after 5 PM.
To help address this, Cartoon Network is expanding Adult Swim to 5 PM using its Toonami brand. Cartoon Network will air Toonami in its 5 PM to 7 PM Eastern time programming block. Not only is Toonami returning, but it will air classic shows including Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball Z Kai, and Naruto. This revival is aimed at attracting older fans of the classic block that likely remember the shows fondly.
This change will happen on May 31, 2024.
This all comes as Cartoon Network saw its viewership drop 19% in 2023. That is far better than some others as Nickelodeon saw viewership drop 34%, Nick Junior 24%, Disney Channel 26%, and Disney Junior 27%.
Increasingly parents are moving their kids to online services like Disney+ as they no longer see a need for cable TV. Because of that Cartoon Networks and other networks focusing on a younger audience now face a decline in viewership that is forcing them to reconsider their lineup.
The question now is will this move help drive up viewership of Cartoon Network.
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