A quick break from monotonous studies, a nostalgic moment to cherish, a common topic to gossip about- all is Cartoon Network. Cartoon Network is the emotion of Generation Z, whether they be English, American or Asian. The sudden news of the shutdown of Cartoon Network has shattered them. The news is like someone uprooting you from the anchor of your childhood memories.
Now, the pressing question remains if the news is proven true, how will it impact the children of the current generation or whether it will at all bother them?
Cartoon Network -The Emotion of Gen Z
Whether it be Jerry befooling Tom and letting him get enmeshed in his own trap or be it the superpower avatars of Ben 10, the Cartoon Network gained popularity in very little time. Cartoon Network landed in 1992 in the hands of Ted Turner. In a short time, Cartoon Network emerged as a huge competitor for almost every other TV show made for children. If one follows the surveys conducted by Tem Wescott, roughly between 2000 and 2001 closely, then it can be easily understood, how much popularity Cartoon Network garnered.
Therefore, it is understandable how it is difficult for GenZ to accept the news of the shutdown of Cartoon Network. In the age of misinformation and fake news, it becomes more pertinent to ask whether the officials announced the shutdown of Cartoon Network.
Rumours Regarding Shutdown of Cartoon Network
The channel Cartoon Network has cleared the mist regarding #RIPCartoonNetwork. The channel claims that it will continue to take challenges in the future, and will not stay behind in creating innovative content, to meet the demands of the present generation. The rumour regarding the shutdown of Cartoon Network became convincible as the primary reasons stated in the original post were:- unemployment and COVID-19.
During Covid times, with the rising unemployment, many companies started to either reduce the salary of the workers or discharge them in huge numbers. Earlier, Cartoon Network made a strategic decision to meet the challenges. In the year 2022, they merged with Warner Bros Animation and even shifted their studio from Burbank Building, California in 2023. Though the official channel confirmed the former news, the latter was not.
That year too, this news took a different turn as people started considering it to be equivalent to the shutdown of Cartoon Network. Generation Z flooded their social media posts by saying “End of an Era”, that is from 1992 to 2022. Though the production mode or method might change, Cartoon Network strives to survive.
Will Cartoon Network Continue to Attract Gen Alpha?
Cartoon Network has continued to charm the generation of 90s and Centennials, primarily because the medium of it being broadcasted was television. But with the ongoing changing pattern of lifestyle, starting from wired phones to smartphones, television soaps to web series, rather better to say from television to OTT, the entire generation has changed.
Children of Generation Alpha are more glued to their smartphones, and the social media channels like Youtube, TikTok, etc.
According to a study made in 2023, recent trends show that younger children have more swiftly got adapted to reels and live-streamed content, much more than their predecessor generations. This has significantly reduced the screen watch time on TV and the cartoons are no longer a fascination to Generation Alpha. In this challenging situation, it becomes even more difficult for Cartoon Network to thrive in its prominence in the market.
Therefore, it might seem that the recent buzz regarding the shutdown of Cartoon Network will not impact the youngest generation of people. But this is also not completely true. Despite the rise in digital platforms, there is no dearth of television viewers. The screen time might have been divided, but still, OTT has not been able to overtake television. Moreover, Generation Alpha binge-watches their favourite cartoons online.
Survival of the Fittest- Will Cartoon Network Shutdown or Survive in the Upcoming Years?
The present generations watch their favourite shows or cartoons online according to their convenience or simply for the pleasure of binge-watching. They even interact and post their favourite cartoons on various social media handles like X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram. This was quite evident when the rumour regarding the shutdown of Cartoon Network spread and all netizens started posting their favourite cartoons in the comment sections.
But, with the rise of OTT platforms like Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hoichoi etc., it is a serious question of how long will Cartoon Network thrive. Though these digital platforms allow one to watch their favourite movies and TV series online, it is also true at the same time, that these OTT platforms are creating their original content, which is more charming to the audience.
Cartoon Network has also started to be streamed online on the platform of Amazon Prime. This is its strategy of survival of the fittest, as Generation Alpha like to watch their favourite cartoons on the small screen. The ability to pause, move forwards or backwards and split screen fascinate them. Moreover, the flexibility of time and space, where they can watch their favourite cartoons anytime and anywhere makes it even better.
But the question remains how long will Cartoon Network continue to survive in the market? If any new cartoon series’ continues to rule the OTT platform, will Cartoon Network be able to pose the challenge? The giant producer of children's content series will now face multiple challenges in the upcoming future. The challenge is not only restricted to its content but even its medium.
Conclusion
Starting from the recent trolling regarding the shutdown of Cartoon Network, not once but twice, it becomes an evident question to ponder upon whether Cartoon Network has started to lose its popularity, which it used to boast about. Cartoon Network is definitely the emotion of the generation who used to adore Jerry and hate Tom, but at the same time, everyone wants to remain updated. As Generation Z cannot and will not relate to ‘Shaktiman’, it cannot be expected for Generation Alpha to cherish and be nostalgic about their elder siblings’ favourite cartoon channel.
Will Cartoon Network be able to meet the challenges in the future? Will it be able to compete with the new kids’ shows in OTT? Will it also etch a space in the heart of Gen Alpha? Will it modify its contents to match the present demand?
What do you think? Let us know what you feel in the comments section below. If you have an opinion to share, feel free to reach out to us at larra@globalindiannetwork.com.
