The Downfall of Children Television's Big Three

[TMC]

The golden age of children’s entertainment is over. In this in-depth documentary, we break down the shocking downfall of Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, and Cartoon Network — three titans that once ruled television and shaped generations.

What happened to the networks that raised us? Where did they go wrong? And is there any hope for a comeback?

[Hawkee]

In children's television there was a time when kids shows dominated the industry and it paid off dramatically in numbers but while PBS was the top channel for educational children's programming other channels used to have morning cartoons and afternoon cartoons whenever the kids would be getting for school and when they would return from school. But when cable networks took over syndicated local channels for cartoons and other children's programming that's when cartoons and other children's shows started disappearing from local syndicated channels. But when Disney Channel was launched in 1983 Disney knew that this new cable channel would soon be a giant Caesar's Empire and so with it's original family format this was the start of a successful channel. But the downfall of Disney Channel began when they switched to a teen/kids image and added cartoons like Kim Possible American Dragon Jake Long sitcoms like Even Stevens and The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody That's So Raven and Good Luck Charlie. But it was really Lizzie McGuire that began this new image for Disney Channel and it made new stars into huge celebrities like Hilary Duff Selena Gomez the late Cameron Boyce Debby Ryan Ashley Tisdale and others and once Disney Channel saw this other networks copied them. Nickelodeon was once known as the top kids network but unlike Disney Channel Nickelodeon originally was a variety channel and had sitcoms cartoons game shows comedy/variety shows and cartoons. But while Nickelodeon had game show hits like Double Dare Nickelodeon Guts Nick Arcade and Legends Of The Hidden Temple Nickelodeon was strong in the cartoon field when Nicktoons was launched with Doug Rugrats and Ren And Stimpy and although all three shows were successful it was Ren And Stimpy who got most of the glory first. And once Rugrats became a monster hit in 1997 when Nickelodeon put it on an unexpected hiatus Nickelodeon got mega ratings. But it wasn't until Spongebob Squarepants debuted that Nickelodeon began an image overhaul and soon gone were game shows and the variety format and in it's place were sitcoms and more cartoons. With shows like ICarly Victorious and Big Time Rush these three shows meant that Nickelodeon was indeed following in Disney Channel's footsteps and they did the same thing by making celebrities out of Ariana Grande Victoria Justice Amanda Bynes and Miranda Cogsgrove and by doing this they blew Disney Channel out of the water. Cartoon Network is another channel that when it began in the 90's it was good with shows like Cow And Chicken Courage The Cowardly Dog and The Powerpuff Girls and had Looney Tunes cartoons and The Jetsons and The Flintstones but once the Toonami block began as well as the Adult Swim block debuted Cartoon Network changed it's image and began appealing to the teen/college student/adult crowd. While they had kids cartoons like Adventure Time and Teen Titans Go and The Amazing World Of Gumball. Cartoon Network shifted direction and focused more on the Adult Swim block and with shows such as Rick And Morty Mike Tyson Mysteries and The Venture Bros this new image brought a different side to Cartoon Network but they should've made Adult Swim it's own channel and created a Toonami Channel. But do you think these three networks will soon return to their old image? Only time will tell