Upfront Central: Complete Coverage From B&C
Sports programming took center court at the Cartoon Network
upfront, held at the Frederick P Rose Hall in the Time Warner
Center Wednesday (April
21).
The network is planning a foray into the awards show genre,
with Cartoon Network's Hall of Game, a sports-themed show honoring
professional and amateur athletes. Sports powerhouse IMG will produce the show,
which is tentatively slated for February 2011. Time Warner sister company Sports
Illustrated for Kids will also have a presence on the program.
The network is also taking advantage of its relationship
with Turner Sports on Run It Back Sunday. The show will take the NBA
On TNT game of the week and remix it into an hour, adding special effects
(like flames around the net or ball) and pop up trivia about the game and
players.
Cartoon is also bringing back the short form series My
Dad's a Pro, this time following Tony Gonzalez of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons
and his son Nikko.
Beyond sports, Cartoon is adding to its live action slate,
while bolstering its animation lineup with recognizable brand names. The
network is planning a modern remake of Looney Tunes called The Looney Tunes
Show, and is moving forward on a half hour animated series based on MAD
Magazine.
Live action programs in development include:
KROG, half hour scripted comedy/musical featuring a
band sent from Middle Earth to conquer and enslave surface dwellers.
Lords of Bad Axe, which will air as a 90-minute
original movie/backdoor pilot and is described as a live action videogame.
Cartoon is also adding 15 minute animated shows to its
lineup, taking a cue from Adult Swim, which takes over the channel in late
night and programs most of its originals in 15 minute increments. The first 15
minute shows are Regular Show, Secret Mountain Fort Awesome and Robotomy.
"Today we announced some bold new content as we continue to
provide advertisers with an extensive array of high profile
opportunities," said John O'Hara, executive VP and general manager,
Cartoon Network Ad Sales & Marketing. "We'll continue to
develop innovative ideas for our partners that will extend the reach
of their message across our linear and digital platforms and will deliver
measurable returns for their investment."
