Why do kids' channels keep messing up?

[thejboy88]

It's something that's been on my mind a lot lately. A lot of channels dedicated towards children's programming just seem to keep making poor decisions in terms of what they keep airing and what they decide to cancel. I know I went on a big tirade some time ago on how Nickelodeon was treating the Legend of Korra, but nowadays, that just seems to be a symptom of a much larger problem.

A lot of intelligent quality shows tend to get booted off the air and replaced with stuff that doesn't challenge kids in the slightest, or even respect them all that much. I don't know if this is the problem of executives, the marketing guys or maybe the audience themselves for choosing to watch the bad shows. But regardless, kids' channels, by and large, just don't seem to want to keep quality stuff around these days

And this isn't some "older cartoons are better than newer cartoons" rant, because I fully admit that a lot of modern shows are actually pretty good. Stuff like Steven Universe, or Adventure Time. Those kinds of thing I think are great. But the fact that those shows get to stay on is pretty much a miracle to me at this point.

 

[Scarim Coral]

I just assuming the either executives inner child has died or rather they just no longer understand childrens at all or maybe it's both!

 

[ultrabiome]

Most of the time I see a new kids show, the examples of behavior deemed appropriate by the show are absolutely terrible examples of human behavior: succumbing to peer pressure, whining, generally being annoying little shits. And the problem is absolutely marketing: intelligence, critical thinking, patience, and respect do not convince kids to buy products, or rather, do not convince kids to annoy the living hell out of the parents until they buy the products the advertisers are selling.

Not all shows do this, or at least, not all shows promote negative behavior for children's attention.

 

[Twintix]

A lot of intelligent quality shows tend to get booted off the air and replaced with stuff that doesn't challenge kids in the slightest, or even respect them all that much.

The answer to this one could be simply because they believe that since kids are so stupid, they'll gobble up anything.
Since some shows cost more than others to make, non-challenging shows might cost less to produce and therefore they go for those kinds of shows. They save money, the stupid kids get their cartoons. What do kids care about quality anyway? (They do, actually)

(Btw, I don't think kids are stupid. They are inexperienced. There's a difference)

But I don't know. I'm not an executive. But if there are ways for networks to save money, they'll probably take that option. That's just a thought, though.

 

[Abbyka]

Maybe the problem is that today kids TV is not watched by actual kids? As arrogant as it sounds grown man/women childs that are nostalgia obsessed freaks. Add to that the fact that animation probably cost WAY WAY more and physical toy sells are probably WAY WAY less and you have the source of your troubles.

If more adults are watching cartoons then cartoons would be way better quality. In most cases they're not. And the shows that do have a huge fanbase go largely ignored by the companies producing it. Take Gravity Falls for example. The show is AMAZING yet there's maybe one or two new episodes every month or so, if even. I have never even SEEN merchandise that's official for it. Disney is just ignoring the fact that they're sitting on an awesome show that would sell crazy amounts of toys. My kids WANT Gravity Falls stuff but there's no toys.

Then there is Cartoon Network shoving shitty shows down everyone's throat by doing cross overs with shows that do actually have success instead of spending more time making the already great show even better. Example: Uncle Grandpa. My kids HATE that show, with good reason(it's fucking stupid). They groaned so much when they found out they were doing a cross over with Steven Universe. They like Steven universe and hated that Uncle Grandpa was basically tainting it. They refuse to watch the episode because they just can't stand Uncle Grandpa that much. And speaking of Steven Universe, where the hell are the toys for that? My daughter would love dolls or action figures of the Gems. Can't sell something if you never produce it.

 

[Fieldy409_v1legacy]

Im starting to think the only problem with Adventure Time is that its gone on too long. Though I do wish theyd go back to actual adventures or maybe change the name to FEELINGS AND DRAMA TIME.

 

[Fox12]

I just assuming the either executives inner child has died or rather they just no longer understand childrens at all or maybe it's both!

Simple. I can pinpoint the exact MOMENT things went wrong. The Cartoon Network CEO started a viral advertisement campaign on the streets, and it got mistaken for a bomb threat. So he resigned in shame. This is the guy responsible for the glory days. Before we used to get this:
That was my childhood, narrated by Spike Spiegel.

Afterwards it devolved into self parody:

Not all bad though. This guy was basically the Don Mattrick of cartoons:
http://www.cartoonbrew.com/business/goodbye-to-stu-snyder-the-man-who-tried-to-make-cartoon-network-cartoon-less-96952.html

 

[Zontar]

Two words: Focus Groups.

Like all facets of media this long obsolete and never before accurate system of determining what people want to watch has long been used for children's shows just as much as anything else, only the problem is exasperated because while adults and teens may have problems understanding what they want and conveying that to words, you're asking a group which is still learning how to properly convey things period to do the same.

Which is made all the funnier when you remember shows like Batman the Animated Series came about not because of focus groups but because Warner wanted to see if a show using name recognition of one of their movie series could work, and it not only did but did so better then anyone could have imagined, spawning the DC Animated Universe, the DC canon considered by many to be the greatest work the company ever made.

Or the anime trend, which had less to do with figuring out what children wanted to watch and instead taking a bunch of already made shows, dubbing them and seeing which part that hits the wall sticks.

Something to note is that both these trends started and ended as a result of a whopping 7 people within the entertainment industry, and not those at the top of it. Children's entertainment is currently shit because the people in the critical position to do something about it are shit, and that isn't going to change until they either start to get replaced as time goes on, or something slips through the cracks, managed to be good yet also popular and profitable enough to make not only cancelling it career suicide, but emulation of it wanted. Probably a combination of these, and hopefully within the next 5 years.

 

[Tuesday Night Fever]

Take Gravity Falls for example. The show is AMAZING yet there's maybe one or two new episodes every month or so, if even. I have never even SEEN merchandise that's official for it. Disney is just ignoring the fact that they're sitting on an awesome show that would sell crazy amounts of toys. My kids WANT Gravity Falls stuff but there's no toys.

This one actually kinda pisses me off. I was introduced to Gravity Falls while channel surfing looking for something to watch while babysitting. I'd never heard of it before, but it was a Disney property and it looked like it'd be kinda fun. The kids and I both ended up loving it. The animation and voice acting are both great, it doesn't talk down to anyone, the humor is a surprisingly great mix for both kids and their parents, and Nathan Fillion voices a minor character so it even has that going for it.

I was looking for Gravity Falls merchandise for possible birthday presents for the kids, but there's like nothing official out there. There aren't even DVDs or Blu-Rays for the full seasons - and Disney doesn't even have any plans to sell them. That's freaking insane!

 

[Scarim Coral]

Take Gravity Falls for example. The show is AMAZING yet there's maybe one or two new episodes every month or so, if even. I have never even SEEN merchandise that's official for it. Disney is just ignoring the fact that they're sitting on an awesome show that would sell crazy amounts of toys. My kids WANT Gravity Falls stuff but there's no toys.

This one actually kinda pisses me off. I was introduced to Gravity Falls while channel surfing looking for something to watch while babysitting. I'd never heard of it before, but it was a Disney property and it looked like it'd be kinda fun. The kids and I both ended up loving it. The animation and voice acting are both great, it doesn't talk down to anyone, the humor is a surprisingly great mix for both kids and their parents, and Nathan Fillion voices a minor character so it even has that going for it.

I was looking for Gravity Falls merchandise for possible birthday presents for the kids, but there's like nothing official out there. There aren't even DVDs or Blu-Rays for the full seasons - and Disney doesn't even have any plans to sell them. That's freaking insane!

You may want to look again http://www.toywiz.com/gravityfalls.html or do you mean during that time when you getting a present? Also Diper and Mabel as also going to be in Disney Infinity figure form aswell.

 

[CrazyGirl17]

I'm pretty sure TV Executives care more about making money than producing quality cartoons. Hence why a lot of good cartoons are removed in favor of lowest common-denominator-pandering crap.

...Yes, I'm very bitter, why do you ask?

 

[Abbyka]

snip

You just made Christmas shopping so much easier this year. lol I never see this stuff in store anywhere. T_T

 

[PapaGreg096]

Maybe the problem is that today kids TV is not watched by actual kids? As arrogant as it sounds grown man/women childs that are nostalgia obsessed freaks. Add to that the fact that animation probably cost WAY WAY more and physical toy sells are probably WAY WAY less and you have the source of your troubles.

If more adults are watching cartoons then cartoons would be way better quality. In most cases they're not. And the shows that do have a huge fanbase go largely ignored by the companies producing it. Take Gravity Falls for example. The show is AMAZING yet there's maybe one or two new episodes every month or so, if even. I have never even SEEN merchandise that's official for it. Disney is just ignoring the fact that they're sitting on an awesome show that would sell crazy amounts of toys. My kids WANT Gravity Falls stuff but there's no toys.

Then there is Cartoon Network shoving shitty shows down everyone's throat by doing cross overs with shows that do actually have success instead of spending more time making the already great show even better. Example: Uncle Grandpa. My kids HATE that show, with good reason(it's fucking stupid). They groaned so much when they found out they were doing a cross over with Steven Universe. They like Steven universe and hated that Uncle Grandpa was basically tainting it. They refuse to watch the episode because they just can't stand Uncle Grandpa that much. And speaking of Steven Universe, where the hell are the toys for that? My daughter would love dolls or action figures of the Gems. Can't sell something if you never produce it.

Personally I don't think UG is as bad as people make it out to be, there are some good laughs here and there and I thought that the crossover was pretty damn funny

 

[Tuesday Night Fever]

You may want to look again http://www.toywiz.com/gravityfalls.html or do you mean during that time when you getting a present? Also Diper and Mabel as also going to be in Disney Infinity figure form aswell.

Yeah, I meant at the time that I was looking for presents there really wasn't anything out there. I even tried an actual Disney store.

Still bummed about the DVD/Blu-Rays though. They've released a pair of partial-season DVDs since then, and that's it. If they released full seasons I'd buy them in a heartbeat. Multiple copies, in fact, since I wouldn't mind having a copy for myself as well.

 

[Rebel_Raven]

I imagine because shows that attract both genders can't be merchandised to both genders due to the fact that there's a blue toy aisle and a pink one.

When was the last time anyone has seen the same product in both aisles? Even lego's are different between them.

Hopefully the surge in female figures, Especially in the Marvel lines, like Black Widow, Black Cat, Scarlet Witch, Mayday Parker, Spider Woman (Main, and ultimate universes), Hell Cat, and so forth spur on the idea that the blue aisle doesn't have to be a sausage fest.
Sadly, good luck finding these figures commonly on the rack.
Price point might bludgeon people over the head, too.

Then there's the issue of girls going into the boy's aisle. I think it's easier on them thanboys gong into the girl's aisle.

 

[Abbyka]

Adventure Time is for boys and girls but they put the toys for that in the boy toys section. I don't see why that would stop them from making toys marketed to either gender.

 

[crypticracer]

Quality cartoons are going to continue to be rare until companies learn to make money off the in ways other than merchandising.

Korra must have been expensive, I imagine they kept it around for goodwill towards the many adults who watch their shows. Is there any actual info on this out there?

 

[SomeGuyOnHisComputer]

Cartoon Network has gotten way better in recent years IMO. Would be cool is they reran their old stuff more often but it's still way better than where it was during the whole CNLive phase. The worst show on there right now is Teen Titans Go, I wish they?d stop shoving that down people's throats. TTG is still far from the worst thing ever though.

I actually really like Uncle Grandpa, I think it's pretty clever. The problem with the show is that it's bizarre logic seems to be too much for a lot of people. There is consistency, but it's not entirely noticeable at first. I also enjoy the surrealistic nostalgic atmosphere of the thing. It's kind of like an insane version of Homestarrunner.

 

[BeerTent]

I have a MASSIVE rant on this. But it's like, 5:30 AM. So, you're getting the Cole's notes here.

We don't teach our children anymore.

We don't discipline them anymore.

We don't challenge them anymore.

We don't guide them anymore.

We don't help them anymore.

We don't let them fail anymore.

We don't let them think anymore.

Shitty decisions on cartoon networks? It's a symptom of two problems. The aforementioned "Bubbling" of the next generation, where they simply can do no wrong and can allow parents to be content with letting them vegetate in an inoffensive protective barrier. The second problem is creative stagnation and lack of risk. Why are there so many fucking superheroes? Same reason. You get shitty kids cartoons because it's safe for the execs.