Cartoon Network - The Indian Experience

CARTOON CRAZY KIDS (AND PARENTS)

BACKGROUND NOTE

CARTOON NETWORK IN INDIA

CARTOON NETWORK IN INDIA contd...

Cartoon Network also focused on leveraging the latest technologies to offer quality and innovative programming. Its website, cartoonnetworkindia.com, allowed children to communicate with their favorite cartoon characters, premiered new cartoons, offered downloadable games, Scrap Book, e-cards and a customized homepage.

In July 2001, on account of its growing popularity, Cartoon Network announced that it would offer 24-hour non-stop service. According to industry sources, the 24-hour service was a part of the channel's global strategic mission to place cartoons and animation in level with general entertainment that appealed to both children and adults.

The 24-hour service introduced a new range of program franchises and many Cartoon Network originals, Japanese animations and other acquired cartoon and animated shows. New program franchises included Boomerang, Cartoon Cartoon Fridays, Toonami and Acme Hour. Acquired shows from other countries included Pokemon, Trouble Chocolate, Cardcaptor Sakura, and GI Joe.

The network also offered premier shows such as Samurai Jack, Sheep in the Big City, The Powerpuff Girls, Time Squad, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Ed Edd & Eddy and Mike Lu & Og. The channel also introduced locally made shows such as Pandavas The Five Warriors.⁵ Interestingly, children were not the only ones who watched cartoons. According to Cartoon Network sources, 30 to 40% of the channel's viewership constituted teenagers and adults.

Most of the people who logged in to www.cartoonnetworkindia.com were in the 14 to 18 age group. This was not surprising as even globally, a significant portion of Cartoon Network's audience consisted of adults. Thus, Cartoon Network launched �Night Shift,'a time-slot to satisfy the tastes of these viewers.

Commenting on this launch, Keith Crofford, Program Development Vice-President, Cartoon Network, said, �A third of our audience has always been adults. This is a way to get more adult shows out there for this audience.� According to analysts, the �across age barriers'appeal of Cartoon Network was the reason why it attracted non-traditional advertisers such as BPL, Intel and the National Egg Coordination Committee. Some of the other leading advertisers on the channel were Luxor, Archies Cards, Novartis, Nestle, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Parle, and Cadbury's.

During May-July 2001, Cartoon Network became the second most watched channel in Kid's Prime Time (4.00-8.00 p.m.), among 4-14 year-olds in the Cable and satellite (C&S) households. By 2002, Cartoon Network was offering eight hours of Hindi programming on weekdays and nine hours of the same on weekends. Apart from this, the channel was also offering a three-and-a-half hour programming schedule in Tamil on weekdays. The channel was considering offering programs in various other languages also.

As a result of the above initiatives, Cartoon Network emerged as the second most successful channel in terms of audience share by mid 2002. This was a commendable achievement in view of the fact that Cartoon Network was a pay channel, unlike Zee and Sony (Refer Table I). Also, though exact figures were not available, the channel's advertising revenues reportedly grew at 40% for the calendar year 2000-01 and 47% for 2001-02.

TABLE I
AUDIENCE SHARE OF MAJOR TV NETWORKS AMONG C&S HOUSEHOLDS

Television Network/Company	Audience Share
Star Plus	11.7
Cartoon Network	7.4
Sony	5.1
Zee	3.8
Zee Cinema	2.9

Source: Business Line, June 27, 2002.

By the beginning of the 21st century, the channel was being seen in 15 million homes. Its ratings went up by 73% from April 2001 to April 2002, and its website attracted page views of 5.5 million per month. Cartoon Network tied up with retailing major Weekender in late 2002. It was also reportedly looking for a partner for licensing and merchandising stationery.

ALL'S NOT WELL IN TOONLAND

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

EXHIBIT III : CARTOON NETWORK'S FAMOUS CARTOONS

[5] Produced by Chennai-based Pentamedia Graphics, the movie won the National Award for best English feature film (2000) and the second best animation feature film at the Vancouver Effects and Animation Festival (2001).