Sunday, October 5, 2014

A Sad Time for Animation, The Eulogy to the Hub Network and Saturday Morning Cartoons

Today, we say goodbye to the last two glimmers of hope for television and for all animation.  First off, although it hasn't become Discovery Family just yet, the Hub Network.  Since October 10th, 2010, the Hub Network has given us programs, past and present.  But, once again, where politics and corruption has become the law of the land in all media, the Hub ended up like Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network and Disney Channel.  When Nikki Reed took over the network's programming format and killing off HuBoom, it was going downhill from here.  And now, while Hasbro has 40% of it's format for 6 hours, Discovery will have most of the channel with nothing but reruns from shows from Discovery's past and present (Honey Boo Boo, anyone?).  Here's what it should be if Nikki Reed didn't become its new head of programming, we would've still have our retro sitcoms and classic cartoons and less and less movie time, but only on the weekends.  But that is not going to happen, now that the network itself is denouncing anything nostalgic.  Which means, don't expect more classic cartoons or sitcoms or animes on this network. 

Speaking of which, the one other thing that we will all miss...are Saturday morning cartoons.  As of September 27, 2014, there are no more cartoon blocks on regular TV.  NBC started this nightmare in 1992 and Litton Entertainment has finished the job.  Even though we have cable, satellite and the internet, I feel bad for those who don't have the luxuries we have.  It makes me sick to my stomach that these poor kids are going to see Maury, Jerry Springer and every single infomercials and news shows more often.  All because of the FCC, who were convinced by those so-called moral guardians that animation is the root cause of the world's problems.  If that Children's Television Act of 1990 wasn't created, none of this would've happened.  PBS is good enough, but all networks with nothing but programs to fit the educational/informational mandates is what I call crossing the line.  Besides, did you see the Count Chocula cereal boxes recently?  Seeing an evil looking Count Chocula instead of a lovable one, represents what is happening today.  The days watching our favorite cartoons and the commercials inbetween are gone.  Replaced with nothing but boring infomercials, baby-mama-dramas and news about diseases and terrorism, that has since become our new reality.  Before I log away, here is a list of my favorite cartoons and anime, which I haven't done years ago when I joined the ACF.

G.I. Joe
Transformers
Jem
Inhumanoids
Visionaries
Thundercats
Silverhawks
M.A.S.K
Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends
Mr. T
Bionic Six
The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Fat Albert
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
She-Ra: Princess of Power
BraveStarr
Denver the Last Dinosaur
Widget
Mr. Bogus
The Bots Master
Voltron
Robotech
Sailor Moon
Ronin Warriors (Yoroiden Samurai Troopers)
Beast Wars
Jackie Chan Adventures
The Tick
Static Shock
Batman: The Animated Series
Superman: The Animated Series
Spider-Man The Animated Series
X-Men
Men in Black: The Series
Batman Beyond
The Zeta Project
King Arthur and the Knights of Justice
Double Dragon
The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic SatAm
Sonic Underground
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show
The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3
Captain N: The Game Master
Street Sharks
Extreme Dinosaurs
Mutant League
Megaman
Megaman: NT Warrior
Animaniacs
Tiny Toon Adventures
Freakazoid
Earthworm Jim
ProStars
Wish Kid
Filmation's Ghostbusters
The Real Ghostbusters
Extreme Ghostbusters
Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling
EXO-Squad
Highlander: The Animated Series
Biker Mice from Mars
Eek! the Cat (aka Eek-stravaganza!)
Gargoyles
The Adventures of the Gummi Bears
Ducktales
Darkwing Duck
Talespin
Chip n' Dale: Rescue Rangers
The Little Mermaid (TV Series)
Teknoman (Tekkaman Blade)
Centurions
Thundarr the Barbarian
Jonny Quest
Inspector Gadget
Alvin and the Chipmunks
Super Friends
Plastic Man

With that said, to the Hub Network and to Saturday Morning Cartoons.  Although you were in borrowed time, we will never forget all the things you have given us in the past and in the present.

(salutes; TAPS plays)

The Hub Network
October 10, 2010 - October 13, 2014

Saturday Morning Cartoons
1960s - September 27, 2014

Now if you'll excuse me.  I am going to fight this and get this CTA law repealed...and abolished.  Saturday Mornings and everything in between will rise again...someday.

(Oh, Richard by Peter Best from Crocodile Dundee plays)

*Fade Out

4 comments:

Stefan said...

SatAM TV died when Kids WB started sucking back in 2005-2006. This Saturday was the end of the decaying Zombie.

As for the Hub Network. Weep for what that network Should have been. It's too late now. No More Retro shows,No More Action Cartoons,no nothing. Just Girly crap,Baby shit,Reality Shows,and Discovery Networks various abominations.

So Long Haven! Now What,Jase?

RekkaDragonJay said...

I told you. I am going to fight this by getting that Children's Television Act of 1990 repealed and abolished. Though, I don't know where to begin. There's something in that law that's gotta be unconstitutional but what.

Lionel Braithwaite said...

You can start here: http://www.gopetition.com/petition/39657.html

Or, you can accept commercial realities, as well as accept that animation's been in a rut, is stuck in a time-warp appealing to nobody but little kids, needs to grow up, and admitting that Saturday morning's strictures are causing this to happen, and that in order for animation in North America to advance and grow, the Saturday morning block must die.

Face it, what you and others want isn't coming back (even if you and others work to end the CTA); it's all on cable, satellite, and streaming (as well as DVD.) You've still got PBS Kids, Kids CBC (if you live near the Canadian border) as well as TVO (TV Ontario), and it's all on free-to-air antenna.

Rejoice, you'll be getting great animation in the years to come.

RekkaDragonJay said...

Hello, Mr. Braithwaite.

I respect your opinion, really, I do. Although I am for new technology and all that, but what about those who can't afford the luxuries we got. All they are stuck with is nothing but talk shows, court shows, infomercials, news shows and other useless junk that will make anyone an emotionless zombie. As for cable and the internet, the same people who killed off animation on regular TV, it's just a matter of time before they kill off animation there, too, and animation as we know it will be like the dinosaurs, extinct. Look at USA Network, they use to show cartoons until they were forced to take them down because of the FCC's CTA law. So it's not confined to regular TV alone, know what I mean?