Nicktoons (American TV channel)
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Burbank, California, U.S. |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | (Viacom) |
Nicktoons Network, once known as Nicktoons TV and simply Nicktoons, is a digital cable and satellite television network. It is a sister service of the Nickelodeon cable channel.
This network is similar to Disney Channel's sister-related project Disney XD and Cartoon Network's sister-related project Boomerang.
History
Nicktoons Network was launched as a channel on May 1, 2002 as Nicktoons TV, at first only available on digital cable until early 2004, when it began its broadcast on satellite television as well. In February 2005, Nickelodeon announced that the channel would become ad-supported.
Nicktoons re-launched itself on September 23, 2005, as Nicktoons Network, introducing a brand new logo of a globe with the familiar Nickelodeon "Splat" that had been a Nick trademark since that network re-launched in 1984, and adapted a Hollywood-esque theme and a new campaign slogan of "Animation Capital of the World. On February 25, 2006, Nicktoons Network introduced their first original series, Kappa Mikey, which lasted for 52 episodes.
Programming
Its original programming consists nearly all of animated television programs formerly or currently broadcasted on its parent network. As has been the pattern with many children's networks over the years as they make forays into original programming and build up an archive of their newer series, older Nicktoons programs, along with those which had low sustaining popularity, have moved off the network's schedule. Advertising was also added after the 2005 relaunch.
For a Halloween theme week in October 2008, the network aired the 90's live-action program Are You Afraid of the Dark? on October 20, the first non-animated program to air on the network, although live-action segments involving the Nicktoons studio and animators have aired in the past in short form during commercial breaks. And on 10/29 some original shows aired between 11:30-1:00.
Season 3 episodes of the series My Life As A Teenage Robot have been airing as never before seen episodes on the station starting on October 4, through November 1, 2008.
On February 9, 2009, Nicktoons Network showed Nick News with Linda Ellerbee for the first time. The episode was "We Shall Not Be Moved," which aired originally on Nickelodeon the day before. That would make this the second non-animated show to air on Nicktoons Network.
International versions
Nicktoons was launched in the United Kingdom in July of 2002, although, unlike the United States version, it has been ad-supported since it launched. Also unlike the US version, it does not broadcast 24/7. Nicktoons Network will also launch in Australia along with its competitor Toon Disney on Foxtel and Austar in early 2009.