Cable Cartoons

... and their ratings. (Which explains why they go on ... and on):

... Among the Cartoon Network/Adult Swim’s original programming, new episodes of Robot Chicken (Sunday, 11:30 p.m.) ranked #1 in its time period among adults 18-24/18-34 and men 18-24/18-34 across the month. Similarly, The Boondocks (Monday, 10:30 p.m.) posted delivery gains among adults 18-34/18-49 and men 18-24, 18-34 & 18-49 vs. the same time period last year, ranging between 8% and 38%. ...

On Saturday night, animated series comprising the network’s TOONAMI block, including Bleach (12 a.m.) and Blue Exorcist (2 a.m.), grew delivery of all targeted adults and men between 8% and 61%.m Additional series Attack on Titan (11:30 p.m.) and Black Lagoon (2:30 a.m.) increased delivery among adults 18-34 & 18-49 and all targeted male demos across May, ranging between 3% and 24%. ...

Cartoon Network’s newest series Clarence (Monday, 7 p.m.) scored as the #1 program among all boy demos – 2-11, 6-11 & 9-14 – on Monday nights in May. Additionally, the May 5 new episode premiere of award-winning original series Adventure Time (Monday, 6 p.m.) stands as the #1 telecast of the month among boys 9-14. In fact, Adventure Time (6 p.m.), Regular Show (6:30 p.m.) and Clarence (7 p.m.) all ranked #1 in their respective time periods on all television among boys 6-11 & 9-14 ...

Wednesday night’s presentation of original animated series Teen Titans Go! (6:30 p.m.) ranked as the #1 program of the day among boys 2-11 & 6-11 across the month of May, with new episodes earning 3% to 24% delivery gains across all targeted kids and boy demos. Similarly, new original animated series Steven Universe (Wednesday, 7 p.m.) ranked #1 in its time period among boys 6-11 & 9-14. ...

What jumps out at me is the number of hand-drawn cartoons directly above that are #1 in the cable universe.

It should be clear by this time that kids don't care if a show is CG or hand-drawn. If they like a Nick or Cartoon Network or Disney offering, they'll happily watch it, format be damned. Sofia the First thrives as a CG show, but the hand-drawn Teen Titans Go! is #1 in its time slot.

And Adventure Time, after getting tossed over by Nickelodeon in favor of a CG show that didn't click, is (once again), the leader of the pack for Time-Warner's Cartoon Network. Puzzle that one out.

Our fine entertainment conglomerates now recognize that though computer generated animation often means big box-office at the local AMC, it adds little value or profit to television cartoons. And because CGI for tv costs more, studio have been forced to reassess. When you look across tv schedules, the trend is clear: there are fewer CG shows, and more animated offerings of the Fred Flintstone/Peter Griffin variety.

It makes perfect economic sense.