Cartoon Network (Pakistan)

Cartoon Network
کارٹون نیٹورک
Launched 2 April 2004 (2004-04-02)
Owned by Turner International Pakistan (Time Warner Inc.)
Picture format 4:3 (576i, PAL)
Slogan It's a Fun Thing!
Country Pakistan
Language English
Urdu / Hindi
Bangali
Broadcast area Pakistan
Afghanistan
Bangladesh
Tajikistan
Iran
Headquarters Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
Sister channel(s) HBO Pakistan
CNN International South Asia
WB Channel Pakistan
Website CartoonNetworkAsia.com
Availability
Satellite
Telenor (Intelsat 20) 3974 H
Channel 10
Cable
SUN (Pakistan) Channel 21
UCS (Bangladesh) Channel 18
IPTV
PTCL Smart TV (Pakistan) Channel 45

Cartoon Network Pakistan is a cable and satellite television channel created by Turner International Pakistan, a unit of Time Warner which primarily shows animated programming. The channel is Pakistani feed of Cartoon Network, officially launched on 2 April 2004.[1] The channel has two feeds for Pakistan and Bangladesh. It is also available in Iran, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan. Cartoon Network Pakistan timings are according to PST (+5 UTC). It also has another time shift version (+6 UTC), which is available in Bangladesh.

History

Launch

The channel launched on April 2, 2004 as a separate feed dedicated for Pakistani viewers. Programs broadcast on this feed are almost identical to the programs broadcast on Cartoon Network India, with the exception of a few shows. It has a translation in some areas. The channel is basically a relay version of Cartoon Network (India). The major differences between the Indian version and the Pakistan version are timings, advertisements and contest addresses.[2][3]

2005–2008

In 2005 the bumpers were replaced with 3-D animations of a 'city' that all the cartoon characters from the show lived in. Show-specific bumpers were replaced with 3-D animations of a well-known scene from the particular show. The retro, checkerboard logo was replaced with the 'CN' city-style logo of today. In 2006, several new Cartoon Network originals premiered, including Robotboy, The Life and Times of Juniper Lee, and Camp Lazlo. The channel kept this brand until 2008.

2008–present

On September 1, 2008, the format of the channel's bumpers and commercials changed, and Cartoon Network Theatre was renamed Cartoon Network Popcorn. The major visual theme was the recurring 'dynamic line' in all the channel's identifications and bumpers. Also, the way of a normal continuity during cartoons was recreated as from September 1 when it comes between the shows. This was totally different from the old version.

Programming

Cartoon Network Pakistan is available in English. The channel carries a number of popular animated shows mainly from the WB Animation vault, the Cartoon Network Studios and some Japanese anime series. Classic Hanna-Barbera shows like The Flintstones and Swat Kats are no longer available on Cartoon Network since the launch of the separate TV channel Boomerang. Interestingly, Boomerang is not available in Pakistan, rendering these shows along with many other classic greats completely unavailable in Pakistan.

Cartoon Network Pakistan does not show the Hindi dub version of the new shows Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Fast Forward and Chowder. Even on the Hindi feed of the channel, the shows air in English only. No official reason has been stated for this by Cartoon Network Pakistan.

Programming blocks

Former programming blocks

Rise and Shine

Rise and Shine was started on August 3. It is a one-hour morning block on Cartoon Network Pakistan which is aimed at the preschool audience and runs Monday through Thursday from 8am to 9am PST. Shows in this block were Sesame Street and Oswald.

Cookie Jar is a one-hour evening block that includes many Cartoon Cartoons and classical series like Tom and Jerry, Courage the Cowardly Dog, and Richie Rich (1980 series). This block was aired Monday through Friday at 3:30 PST, but ended when Thundercats (2011 series) took Cookie Jar's place at 3:30 PST.

Toonami

The anime-dedicated block debuted with Cartoon Network on April 2, 2004. Toonami became the favorite for teenagers because of Japanese series like Pokémon, Bakugan, and Beyblade. According to many calculations, most 10 to 18 years old go online to the Toonami Blog Daily (due to the block mostly containing the Japanese anime). Initially when this block was started, it was run from 5pm to 7pm PST with the four anime series: Pokémon, Duel Masters, Beyblade, and Digimon. Recently Digimon Data Squad was replaced with Dragon Ball Z, and Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl replaced Swat Kats (due to the hours of Toonami being increased from 2 hours to 2.5 hours, now broadcasting until 7:30 pm PST). Nowadays, Toonami includes five anime series: Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl, Blue Dragon, Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Saga, Digimon Data Squad and Bakugan Battle Brawlers. From September 11, they changed the animation on the blog, made it more attractive, and added a third look. Cartoon Network stopped airing the block on March 8, 2010 due to unknown reasons, but it was reopened after a few weeks. Now, Toonami runs Monday through Friday from 4pm to 6pm PST.

Evening block

This half-hour block was started in 2005. The name of this block is unknown, but it is given by the viewers of the channel. Initially this block aired Ben 10, and nowadays also airs Ben 10: Alien Force. This block airs Monday through Friday from 6pm PST.

Candy Land

This block was started on March 16, 2009 and replaced Tom & Jerry Cat & Mouse Full House. Candy Land is a one-hour evening block that features Tom & Jerry, followed by Ben 10. Candy Land runs Monday through Friday from 6:30 to 7:30 PST.

Pogo

This is a 3-hour block, replacing Boomerang block which used to air at 10pm. Pogo was only available on Dish TV And Tata Sky in the whole of Pakistan and it was quite rare among cable operators. Pogo block was started on Cartoon Network Pakistan in 2008. It features many exciting Pogo shows like Just For Laughs Gags, Mister Bean, MAD, Blazing Teens and Sazer X. Nowadays it airs MAD, Just Kidding, Just For Laughs Gags, Skyland and Mr. Bean (animated series). A brand new show named F.A.Q will also land on CN Pogo block from 11 January.

As of April, 2013 the block starts with M.A.D., continues with Mojacko, repeats episodes of Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight, and concludes with Mr. Bean. From June 2010 Sasha and Frank do a 19-minute sketch comedy which tells about latest cartoons and world news aired on Saturdays at 9:30 pm. Sasha and Frank's first season consisted of 18 episodes and ended on September 4, 2010. The second season premiered on 16 October at 8:00 pm and ended on January 20, 2011. The third season premiered on 19 February 2011 and is ongoing.

Boomerang

Boomerang was originally a Cartoon Network block for the lesser-known Hanna-Barbera classic cartoons that didn't already have half-hour slots, but the channel was not available in Pakistan, rendering all of the cartoons unavailable. Therefore, a two-hour block was started in 2007 from 10pm to 12am and was intended to cater mainly to adults returning home after work. It features classical series like The All New Popeye Show, Johnny Bravo, The Jetsons, and The Tom and Jerry Show (1975 series). It was also launched as an attempt to re-showcase the old Hanna-Barbera creations which had been put off the air due to the incoming of new, more popular cartoons like Courage the Cowardly Dog, Samurai Jack, The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy and Teen Titans. But due to no success, it was put off the air and re-launched with more popular shows like Johnny Bravo and Tom and Jerry. Now, this block has been replaced by the Pogo block.

Recent programming blocks

Pogo

Pogo

Launched in March 2008, Cartoon Network currently runs a three-hour programming block showcasing POGO’s original productions, which include the multi-award winning show M.A.D. (Music Art and Dance), F.A.Q., and others, and it has been very well received by kids in Pakistan. A sketch show, Sasha and Frank, premiered on June 26, 2010 and concluded on September 4. A second season was released on October 30, 2010 and concluded on January 1, 2011. A third season premiered on February 5 but was pulled off air after the season premiered. The season returned on May 14 before concluding on October 29. The fourth season was a mash up of the second and third seasons with occasional commentary by Sasha. It premiered on April 21, 2012 before October 26, 2012. The fifth season concluded the series. It shifted from Saturdays to Mondays. It also featured a new character named Joe and premiered on January 28, 2013 before concluding with a mega series finale on May 13, 2013.

Toonami

The anime-dedicated Toonami block started on the broadcast premiere day of Cartoon Network Pakistan, April 2, 2004. Initially, it was a two-hour block that featured Pokémon, Duel Masters, Beyblade, and Digimon.

In late 2009, the block was extended to two and a half hours and the programming line-up was shuffled up once again. As a result, Digimon Data Squad replaced Dragon Ball Z and Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl replaced Swat Kats, followed by Blue Dragon and Bakugan Battle Brawlers. On September 11, 2009, the Toonami block went through a major overhaul along with the premieres of some new anime.[4]

The block was pulled off from airing on March 8, 2010 but was renewed back to its original timings in 2011.

On 29 April 2013 Cartoon Network again removed the Toonami block and instead started new episodes of Adventure Time, moving to Oggy and the Cockroaches and concluding with a one-hour block of Tom and Jerry Tales.

Toonami returned to Cartoon Network on 1 October 2013.

Criticism and controversy

In 2005, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority issued an order regarding the ban of several non-private channels because they were airing programmes in Hindi that were dubbed in India. Later, the Cartoon Network and another channel of Hindi versions had been switched to English versions on the Pemra's instructions but the mixed so-called Hindustani feed of the channels were back after a few months.[5]

In early 2010, PEMRA again issued a notice against the non-private channels, which resulted in a complete ban of Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network's Pakistan feed. Once again, the issue was the Hindi dubbed shows on its schedule line up and the Government's demand for a private kids' channel affiliated with PTV instead. The ban stayed and was not lifted till the end of July 2011.

On August 1, an announcement was made by the Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Firdous Ashiq Awan.[6] She said "Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon, have been granted permission to air programmes in Pakistan." But at the closure, she expressed her interest in a private TV channel once again and said, "The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority will accommodate private TV channel if someone wished to launch channel for children."

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Cartoon Network Begins Dedicated Pakistani Transmission". PakPositive. Retrieved 2014-04-02.
  2. ↑ "Pakistans very own Cartoon Network". Defence.pk. Archived from the original on 2011-10-01. Retrieved 2014-04-02.
  3. ↑ Archived June 11, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
  4. ↑ Cartoon Network Pakistan anime Series Update Archived July 4, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
  5. ↑ "PAKISTAN: Operators slam Pemra move to ban channels, UCLA International Institute". International.ucla.edu. 2005-12-22. Archived from the original on 2014-02-20. Retrieved 2014-04-02.
  6. ↑ "Two foreign channels for kids get Pakistan's nod - Thaindian News". Thaindian.com. 2011-08-02. Retrieved 2014-04-02.
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