Should/Could NBC Universal Launch Its Own Cartoon Network?

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chi85

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I was thinking about this while discussing the considerable and opposing declines of Cartoon Network (Time-Warner), Disney Channel and Nickelodeon (Viacom). NBC Universal's networks such as USA and Sci-Fi/SyFy have had their own animation blocks in the past (the USA Cartoon Express/USA Action Extreme Team and Animation Station/Cartoon Quest).

NBC Universal also has a respectable wealth of original characters like Woody Woodpecker, Chilli Willy, and the Walter Lantz produced shorts. Here's some more info on their animation studio:
Universal Animation Studios
 
I don't think it would be such a good idea for them to have their own channel for animation because it would probably end up on the premium cable package that is already dominated by 3 (soon to be 4) childrens networks and NBC would have to come up with new shows as well as air old shows to fill up their space, getting new properties could be costly and yeld no reward if nobody is watching. Also, they will most likely clutter it up with a lot of e/i shows and/or tweeny shows over the course of time anyway so it wouldn't be such a good idea in my book.
 
NBC Universal already has a one third stake in the international kids channel KidsCo, along with Corus and Nelvana. So they technically already have a kids channel.
 
I dont think now is the time for NBC to even consider such a venture.

NBC currently is already up to their ears in drama. For starters, Microsoft is trying to pull out of their partnership because they aren't happy with the direction of MSNBC.

Beyond that, NBC was one of the first stations to pull out of the Saturday Morning Cartoon Race. I think that would be a necessary first step to start garning an audience.

A new animation venue is most certainly needed, but a half assed attempt at creating a new venue is only sure to disappoint us all.
 
NBC already owns majority ownership in the network anyways, Microsoft only has an 18% stake in the network. The two companies still do split the website 50/50 though.
 
I don't think it's a good idea. The truth is, Universal's animation catalogue isn't strong enough to take on Time Warner/Disney/Viacom with a 24 hour channel.

Woody Woodpecker's possibly the strongest character they'd have, unless they aquired some REALLY heavy hitters.

Off the top of my head, Universal's library consists of (at least):

- The Mummy
- Back to the Future
- Problem Child
- Beethoven
- Bionic Six
- Exo Squad
- The Land Before Time
- Woody Woodpecker
- Earthworm Jim

I know there has to be more, but these are the only ones I can think of at the moment.
 
One problem today's kids 5-12 dont like old tv shows. I read that a lot of kids don't watch the secret saturdays because It looks like an old tv show.
 
:^: Actually, Tobias said that an NBC/Universal cartoon channel wouldn't be a good idea, for that very reason: their library isn't strong enough to compete with the likes of Nick's, Disney's or Cartoon Network's.
 
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