Boomerang (TV network)

Boomerang

Headquarters	Atlanta, Georgia (East Coast, South, Midwest) Los Angeles, California (West Coast)
Ownership
Owner	Turner Broadcasting System (a Time Warner company)

Boomerang is a 24-hour American cable television channel owned by Turner Broadcasting System, a division of Time Warner. Boomerang specializes in reruns of animated programming from Time Warner's extensive archives, including pre-1986 MGM, Hanna-Barbera, Cartoon Network, Warner Bros. Animation, and DePatie-Freleng Enterprises programs, stretching from cartoon shorts of the 1930s and 1940s (almost always in color) to repeats of shows still in production on Cartoon Network. The channel debuted on April 1, 2000.

History

Much of the programming that makes up the core of Boomerang's current lineup was originally part of TBS's Disaster Area, a block of children's programming that aired throughout 1997 to 1999.

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 a similar block on the Disney Channel, Vault Disney. 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. 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, in October 2004, all of the older programming on Cartoon Network, including Looney Tunes and shows from Hanna-Barbera migrated to Boomerang, while TBS's Disaster Area was canceled in 1999. On October 2 and October 3, 2004 nearly four months after the re-launch of Cartoon Network, everyday with older reruns of classic anthologies like The Popeye Show, Tom and Jerry, The Bob Clampett Show, ToonHeads, former Boomerang fare like Super Globetrotters. October 2 and 3rd were the last times Looney Tunes officially aired on Cartoon Network, until on March 14, 2011, Cartoon Network brought back Looney Tunes as a run up to The Looney Tunes Show. Cow & Chicken, The Jetsons, The Flintstones, Snorks, and The Smurfs are now featured on the channel, and as of January 27, 2012, it's return looks set. The channel initially carried a weekly looping programming format.

Much like Disney Channel, Boomerang does not carry external product commercials, being financed solely by subscription fees and tie-ins. In order to fill out a half-hour block (Boomerang programming follows a strict half-hour scheduling system), the spaces where commercials originally aired feature advertisements for shows on Cartoon Network and/or Boomerang (in the latter's case, most of the bumpers are several years old), occasional advertising for DVD products from Warner Home Video, various animated shorts, and public service announcements in support of Cartoon Network's "Stop Bullying: Speak Up" initiative.

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. Boomerang's promotional slogan, Boomerang: It's All Coming Back To You, used 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 and Boomerang itself. 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 The Banana Splits, which has had a semi-regular place on the channel's schedule, and Hole in the Wall, which was aired intermittently in 2010 -mid 2011. In October 2011, this changed, as the channel picked up the cable rights to the 1960s live-action series The Munsters and The Addams Family and began airing the shows in prime time. Currently no live action shows are airing on the channel.

Boomerang's old slogan would be seen again on the channel beginning in 2009. It usually broadcasts two Cartoon Network commercials and one of its own before returning to the program.

Cable and satellite availability

Several Comcast systems carry Boomerang, including systems in Atlanta, Georgia and Houston, Texas, while in New England it was available via On Demand until sometime in 2011 . 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, Verizon FiOS, and CableOne offer the channel in all markets. Several smaller cable providers as well as Comcast do not provide the channel at all. Boomerang also has its own on demand service on some providers that carry the channel. Charter Communications carries the channel as part of its Digital View Plus package.

DirecTV offers Boomerang in all packages excluding Choice and Premier. Dish Network offers the channel in its American top 250 programming package.

As of May 15, 2009, Boomerang became available on Cablevision on channel 125.

Programming

Main article: List of programs broadcast by Boomerang

Boomerang, 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, The Smurfs and, occasionally, The Yogi Bear Show, among a few others) and several of the late-1990s Cartoon Cartoons (Johnny Bravo, Dexter's Laboratory and The Powerpuff Girls) 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.

Not all of the Time Warner library is currently available to Boomerang. Properties involving Batman are licensed out to The Hub as of 2012. The Steven Spielberg-era Warner Bros. animated series (Tiny Toon Adventures, Animaniacs, Freakazoid!, Pinky and the Brain, and Histeria!) are also under a separate license and are not currently aired anywhere.

Blocks

Because of Boomerang's fluid schedule, programming blocks will air for a few months, then be removed, only to be added again a few months later.

• Boomeraction: A brand name used for shows including Thundarr the Barbarian, Teen Titans, Samurai Jack, Code Lyoko, Jonny Quest, The Secret Saturdays, and Megas XLR.
• The Boomerang Zoo (AIRING YOGI BEAR CARTOONS ONLY): A one-hour block of pre-1970 Hanna-Barbera television shorts, featuring anthropomorphic "funny animals" (Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, Atom Ant, Magilla Gorilla, Snagglepuss, etc.)
• Boomeroyalty: A weekend mini-marathon of shows featuring a particular character. Similar to the former Super Chunk block on sister station Cartoon Network.
• The Boomerang Christmas Party: A collection of Hanna-Barbera Christmas specials played every December.
• Scooberang (Removed): A continuous block featuring every episode of every Scooby-Doo series (aired in chronological order), beginning with Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, as well as some feature-length films, including Scooby-Doo Meets the Boo Brothers and Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island; due to the large library of Scooby programming (which usually spans out to several days nonstop), Scooberang is rarely aired on Boomerang. However, various versions of the franchise air on the channel several times daily.
• Those Meddling Kids! (not airing, currently): A 90-minute block of series from Hanna-Barbera and/or Ruby-Spears, all of which follow the formula of a group of mystery-solving teens or young adults (e.g. Scooby-Doo, Josie and the Pussycats, Fangface, Clue Club, Speed Buggy, etc.). Oddly, the intro for the block always starts 2 Stupid Dogs every time it airs on the channel since summer 2009 though not counted as a show from the block.

In addition to these blocks, Boomerang also has two full-length marathons: one on Earth Day (for Captain Planet and the Planeteers) and also ghost-themed programming during the month of October in recognition of Halloween.

Other Boomerang Services

Boomerang On Demand

On some cable providers, Boomerang On Demand is available, featuring The Jetsons, Scooby Doo, The Flintstones, Cow and Chicken, The Smurfs, and more. It usually features shows that air on Boomerang at the moment.

Regions

Boomerang, originally established as a cable channel in the United States, has expanded worldwide.

Australia

Main article: Boomerang (Australian TV channel)

File:Boomerang aus.svg

The logo of Boomerang in America, Australia and Southeast Asia

An 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 f web boomerangtvshow.com. However, it uses the same bumpers for the shows they use as Boomerang America does.

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. The 24 hour channel in India was only available on Dish TV exclusively along with Turner Classic Movies until March 2, 2009. Now its only available on IN Digital Cable from the Hinduja Group in Mumbai and the National Capital Region. In Pakistan it was shown as a 2-Hour Block but was replaced with Pogo due to poor ratings. In Indonesia it is available on Indovision, Aora TV, and TelkomVision.

United Kingdom & Ireland

File:Boomerang logo UK.svg

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 Mr. Bean and Gadget Boy. In late July 2007, Boomerang UK started to show Live-action shows, including exclusive shows like My Spy Family.

Italy

Main article: Boomerang (Italy)

France

Main article: Boomerang (France)

Scandinavia

Main article: Boomerang Nordic

In 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).

Central and Eastern Europe

Main article: Boomerang (Eastern Europe)

Latin America and Brazil

File:BoomerangLatinAmerica logo.jpg

The logo of Boomerang in Latin America and Brazil

Main article: Boomerang (Latin America)

See also: Tooncast

There is also Boomerang Latin America and Boomerang Brazil, which began their broadcastings in July 2001. On 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.

On December 1, 2008 Tooncast was launched, a channel following the line of the international versions of Boomerang, airing both classic animation shows and shows formerly aired on Cartoon Network.

Others

Since 2005, Boomerang is also available via digital cable and satellite in the Netherlands and Belgium.

Originally, back in 2005, Boomerang was available in Poland as a regional Central European feed with multiple language tracks. The channel begun to expand distribution via some Cable TV providers and two of three polish digital DTH platforms (Cyfrowy Polsat, N), and is now fully localized separate channel as of February 1, 2008. The Central and Eastern European feed is still distributed in other countries of the region with some content in English. 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

• Turner Classic Movies, Boomerang's live-action film counterpart

External links

• Official website
• Boomerang Latin America
• Boomerang UK
• Boomerang Italy
• Schedule for Boomerang and other Turner Europe channels
• Boomerang France
• Boomerang Germany
• Boomerang Romania
• Boomerang Hungary