Cable Cartoons

The Time-Warner family of cable networks does well with the animations.

... Across the second week of April, and with a full primetime programming scheduled (8 – 11 p.m.), Adult Swim ranked #1 in Primetime delivery of adults 18-34 among all basic cable networks. Adult Swim’s Total Day weekly averages also ranked #1 on basic cable among adults 18-34, 18-49 & 18-24 as well as men 18-34, 18-49, & 18-24. Total Day delivery also grew +3% among men 18-49 vs. the same time period last year. ...

Across the second week of April 2014, Cartoon Network ranked as television’s #1 network among boys 6-11 & 9-14 on Thursday Night (6-8 p.m.), and the #1 network among boys 9-14 on Monday Night (6-8 p.m.). ...

But there's confusing this:

For the week of April 7, 2014, Disney Channel ranked as TV’s #1 Total Day network for the 148th-consecutive week among Tweens 9-14 (379,000/1.6 rating) and for the 147th time in the previous 148 weeks in Kids 6-11 (440,000/1.9 rating) – dates back to week of 6/13/11.

Disney Channel defeated Nickelodeon by 23% in Kids 6-11 (440,000 vs. 358,000) and by 56% in Tweens 9-14 (379,000 vs. 243,000).

In Prime, Disney Channel stood as cable TV’s #1 network for the 464th-consecutive week among Kids 6-11 (735,000/3.1 rating – 8+ years) and 201st-straight week among Tweens 9-14 (659,000/2.7 rating – 3+ years).

You will note how everybody is Number One, except the demos in each press release are a teensy bit different from one conglomerate to the next. (18-34 is NOT 15-17, not even close.) On the other hand, Adult Swim is a success by any measure.

... What started nearly 15 years ago as a two-hour programming experiment has emerged as the biggest success story in late-night television: an irreverent, disruptive anti-channel that blends live action and animated original series to the delight of 18-35 year old males across the country. While the press clamored over the network talk show hosts’ game of musical chairs, culminating with David Letterman’s recent retirement announcement, Adult Swim quietly swept ratings among the covetable young male demo across 2013. ...

Adult Swim underwrites a lot of non-union animation. TAG aims to change that as time goes on. The rest of the network is Animation Guild oriented. No reason AS can't be the same.