Boomerang (Tv Channel) Information
Boomerang is a 24-hour American cable television channel owned by Turner Broadcasting System (a division of Time Warner) that airs MGM [pre-1986], Hanna-Barbera, Cartoon Network and Warner Bros. programs. The channel debuted on April 1, 2000.
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History
Boomerang was originally a programming block on Cartoon Network started in December 1992. It was aimed towards the generation of baby boomers, and was similar to the Vault Disney block on the Disney Channel. It originally aired for four hours every weekend, but the block's start time jumped frequently. The Saturday block moved to Saturday afternoons, then back to the early morning, and the Sunday block moved to Sunday evenings. Eventually, Boomerang was shortened by an hour, making the total airing time 3 hours each weekend instead of the original four hours. In 2000, Boomerang received both a new look and the cable spin-off channel that launched on April 1, 2000.[1] By then, the block followed a unique programming format—every week, cartoons produced during a certain year (and cartoons produced during years prior to that year) would be showcased. For example, if Boomerang was showcasing the year 1969, the viewer would more than likely see an episode of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! or Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines.
Once the Boomerang channel was launched in 2000, promos for the channel aired at the end of every broadcast show during the block in attempt to gain popularity for Boomerang. Also, all of the older programming on Cartoon Network, including Looney Tunes and shows from Hanna-Barbera migrated to Boomerang. On October 2 and October 3, 2004 nearly four months after the re-launch of Cartoon Network, the Boomerang block was replaced by Adult Swim everyday with older reruns of classic anthologies like The Popeye Show, Tom and Jerry, The Bob Clampett Show, ToonHeads, former Boomerang fare like The Gary Coleman Show, Super Globetrotters. October 2 and 3rd were the last times Looney Tunes officially aired on Cartoon Network. Duck Dodgers, Cow & Chicken, The Jetsons, The Flintstones, What a Cartoon, Snorks, The Smurfs and Baby Looney Tunes are now featured on the channel. The channel initially carried a weekly looping programming format. Notably, Boomerang does not carry product commercials, with the only exception being advertisements for DVD products by Warner Home Video, co-owner of most of Boomerang's programs. The only other advertising on the channel is for Boomerang or Cartoon Network programming. These commercials would happen between shows, while bumpers would go right back to the show after they're played. As of October 2010, commercials are played regularly during shows.
During its looping format, which lasted through December 26, 2004, program days began at 8 a.m. Eastern time (5 a.m. Pacific time). The looping format had 8 hours of programming repeated three times a day. Monday through Thursdays had been just normal programming days, with a variety of half-hour and hour-long cartoon programs shown. On Fridays, "monthly feature" cartoons were shown for the entire day; one cartoon was featured for each Friday of a given month for 24 hours straight. As of January 1, 2005, this banner became known as "monthly character of the month", and is now shown on weekends from 2 to 4 p.m. eastern and as of March 2007 it's known as Boomeroyalty. On Saturdays, a calendar year was featured with the cartoons of that year (ranging from approximately 1960 to 1996, one year per week in sequence). Late nights carry the "Boomeraction" theme, with animation featuring action and adventure such as Valley of the Dinosaurs, SuperFriends, Space Ghost, Jonny Quest, The Herculoids, Thundarr the Barbarian, and Battle of the Planets.
Boomerang's promotional slogan, Boomerang: It's All Coming Back To You, used until late 2005 on Boomerang itself, was one of nostalgia that accurately reflected its programming of the time. However, this slogan is still used on promos airing on sister channel Cartoon Network. Boomerang got a new slogan in 2006 that airs during its programming breaks. The slogan is Boomerang: We'll Be Right Back A'tcha!. The announcer for most promos for the channel is John O'Hurley. In September 2008, Cartoon Network began to run more commercials for Boomerang, including two that were seen on January 1, 2009. Recently, between intermission, Boomerang would air a bumper, then two ads; one would be a Dish or DirecTV ad, depending on the provider, and the other ad would be a commercial. Then, it would air a classic short and a Wedgie. Boomerang generally does not show live action shows with the exception of Banana Splits being aired every day.
Cable and satellite availability
Several Comcast systems carry Boomerang, including systems in Atlanta, Georgia and Houston, Texas, while in New England it is available via On Demand . Other companies, such as Suddenlink Communications, offer Boomerang as a regular station in select areas. Time Warner Cable and Cox offers both services in select areas. AT&T U-verse and CableOne offer the channel in all markets and Verizon FiOS offers the channel in most markets. Several smaller cable providers as well as Comcast do not provide the channel at all. Boomerang also has on demand on all providers that carry the channel. Charter Communications carries the channel as part of its Digital View Plus package.
DirecTV offers Boomerang in all but their most basic of programming packages. Dish Network offers the channel in its American top 250 programming package.
As of May 15, 2009, Boomerang became available on Cablevision.
Programming
Main article: List of programs broadcast by BoomerangBoomerang, unlike many other channels that specialize in archive programming, has continued to air programming from the 1950s through the present. Only a handful of the most iconic shows in the Cartoon Network library (namely The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Scooby-Doo, and Top Cat, among a few others) have permanent places on the schedule. Most other Boomerang shows stay on air for about a month, then are rotated out and replaced by another show. Boomerang's prime time lineup focuses on more recent programming such as Dexter's Laboratory and The Powerpuff Girls, both of which have more or less a permanent spot on the schedule.
Current Programming Blocks
- Boomeraction - A brand name used for shows including Teen Titans, Samurai Jack, The Batman, Jonny Quest, and formerly Justice League Unlimited.
- Boomeroyalty - Two-hour weekend marathons that highlight certain shows every month, with a character singled out as one of the "kings" or "queens" of cartoons.
- Boomerang Theater - Movies based on the shows on Boomerang air here.
- Those Meddling Kids! - Three episodes (at least one of which was always one of the Scooby-Doo series) of different early-1970s-era series from Hanna-Barbera and Ruby-Spears based on the common formula of a group of teenagers solving mysteries. Airs on a sporadic basis. (The intro is seen on 2 Stupid Dogs as a joke, even though 2 Stupid Dogs does not fit the formula.)
- Boomerang Zoo - A collection of mostly late 1950s and 1960s era Hanna-Barbera shorts, all of which had animals as lead characters. Airs on a sporadic basis.
Past Programming Blocks
- Cartoons Without a Clue - A block that included shows like Hong Kong Phooey and Batfink.
- Hanna-Barbera's Cartoon Corral
Regions
Boomerang, originally established as a cable channel in the United States, has expanded worldwide.
Australia
Main article: Boomerang (Australian TV channel) The logo of Boomerang in Australia and Southeast AsiaAn Australasian version of Boomerang was launched in March 2004 as part of the Foxtel Digital launch, with a lineup very similar to that of the UK version. It began as a four-hour block of those TV shows in 2001, when CN introduced 24-hour programming. It previously used the American logo and style of commercial breaks. However, from November 2007, the channel updated itself, changing both its logo and promos to fit the new theme.
Southeast Asia
Main article: Boomerang (Southeast Asia TV channel)The Southeast Asian version of Boomerang was launched on September 1, 2005. It began as a 90-minute block of those TV shows in 2001, when CN introduced 24-hour programming. It previously used the American logo and style of commercial breaks. However, from November 2007, the channel updated itself, changing both its logo and promos to fit the new theme.
This channel is available in Hong Kong, the selected ASEAN member neighbor countries and Sri Lanka. In India, Boomerang only appears as a 2 hr block on Cartoon Network Sun - Fri from 10:00pm to 12:00am. It features great hits like The Popeye Show, Tom and Jerry, The Jetsons and Johnny Bravo. In India this channel was only available on Dish TV exclusively along with Turner Classic Movies until March 2, 2009. It is no longer available in India.
United Kingdom and Ireland
The logo of Boomerang in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Italy, South Africa, Spain, other European countries, Sri Lanka and the middle east. Main article: Boomerang (UK & Ireland)There is also a version of Boomerang broadcast in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, launched on May 27, 2000. It is broadcast 24 hours on the Sky Digital, Virgin Media, TalkTalk TV and Chorus Digital platforms. It also features other cartoons, like The Garfield Show, Mr. Bean and The Amazing Adrenalini Brothers. In late July 2007, Boomerang UK started to show Live-action shows, including exclusive shows like My Spy Family. It also features Boomerang Cinema.
Italy
Main article: Boomerang (Italy)Scandinavia
Main article: Boomerang NordicIn late 2005, Turner Broadcasting made clear that they were considering launching several new channels in the Nordic region (to join their then-current channel Turner Classic Movies, Cartoon Network, and CNN International). One of the planned new channels was Boomerang, for which they applied for a broadcasting license in the Swedish DTT in the autumn 2005.
Spain
Main article: Boomerang (Spanish TV channel)Since 2004, Boomerang has also a Spanish version. It's available on the Digital+ digital platform and on the Auna cable platform. It was introduced as a part of Cartoon Network's schedule on weekend afternoons. The station's programming resembles strongly the UK version. It relies heavily in older Warner Bros., MGM, and Hanna-Barbera cartoons, but it also includes fairly recent programmes featuring older characters, like Baby Looney Tunes and Duck Dodgers. It also features other classic cartoons, like the Japanese Heidi and the Spanish La vuelta al mundo de Willy Fog (Around the World with Willy Fog).
Pan-Europe
Main article: Boomerang EuropeLatin America and Brazil
The off-screen logo of Boomerang in Latin America. Main article: Boomerang (Latin American TV channel)There is also Boomerang Latin America and Boomerang Brazil, which began their broadcastings in July 2001. In April 3, 2006, Boomerang Latin America / Brazil was relaunched as a general children's channel, like Disney Channel and Viacom's Nickelodeon, also featuring live-action programming and movies, while retaining its classic cartoons in late night. In practice, the channel changed from a local version of Boomerang USA to a version of Pogo, Cartoon Network's sister channel in India.
Since 2005, Boomerang is also available via digital cable and satellite in the Netherlands and Belgium.
Also since 2005, Boomerang is begin broadcasting in Poland via some Cable TV providers and two of three polish digital platform (Cyfrowy Polsat, N), as channel fully translated [2]. That version of the channel is also available in other countries in Central and Eastern Europe, but as a channel partially translate. From 1 February 2008 in Poland start separated version of Boomerang.
In June 2006, Kabel Deutschland, Kabel BW and Unity Media started to show Boomerang on Pay-TV in Germany.
In the Middle East, North Africa, and the Levant territories broadcasting via satellite, from the Orbit Showtime Network.
See also
References
- ^ King, Susan (April 1, 2000). "Hanna-Barbera Cartoons Return on New Boomerang". Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/2000/apr/01/entertainment/ca-14752. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
- ^ http://europe.turnerinfo.com/BOOM/PAN/pressreleases/index.jsp
External links
- Official website
- Boomerang Latin America
- Boomerang UK
- Boomerang Italy
- Schedule for Boomerang and other Turner Europe channels
- Boomerang France
- Boomerang Germany
- Boomerang France
- Boomerang Romania
- Boomerang Hungary
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Categories: American television networks | Cartoon Network | Time Warner subsidiaries | Television channels and stations established in 2000 | English-language television stations in the United States | Companies based in Atlanta, Georgia | Companies based in Los Angeles, California
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