|
Post by mattpricetime on Sept 5, 2018 16:20:50 GMT -5
This all really stems from the failed attempt to merge several things after the Aol Time Warner merger back in 1996. Originally Warner Bros Animation and Hanna Barbera (Cartoon Network Studios was only the dominant unit of the studio then) were supposed to be folded into one another. But they gave up that in 2001 when they realized all the inner problems weren't going to be settled. When Bill Hanna was pretty much known to be on his deathbed they rearranged the companies into how we know it today in 2001. Warner Bros Animation answers to Warner Bros and has rights to all the Looney Tunes, Hanna Barbera, MGM, etc properties. Cartoon Network Studios answers to Turner and has rights to all the Cartoon Network and Adult Swim original series.
Turner however has retained dibs on all the properties they brought to the table as far as airing went. When Kids WB ceased to exist they also got dibs on some of the new material. This is why certain DC and WB shows were able to licensed out to other networks and others can't. Things that were brought to the table from the Warner side of the merger weren't apart of that. This was of course part of the reason why when the Warner Archive Instant existed they couldn't get Hanna Barbera and Looney Tunes shorts to air there but could air some of the DC shorts. The ones they couldn't work with still had broadcasting dibs with Turner.
They still attempted to merge the WB Network into Turner up until 2003 as Jamie Kellner former head of the WB Network was put in charge of Turner Broadcasting from 2000-2003. Some of you may also remember this time was when there were some of the first attempts to synergize Cartoon Network and Kids WB. But when he left his position that idea ended as well which is why the successor to the WB Network, the CW isn't in the crosshairs on this issue. Although some things introduced during this period of time are of course still showing after effects in how Turner operates today.
|
|
|
Post by mattpricetime on Sept 5, 2018 19:12:25 GMT -5
To be fair, we are kind of mentioning a lot of what-if's for the appeal going through. It is also possible it won't be. But we as Scooby fans will need to still pay attention to see how AT&T rearranges Turner in February 2019 or earlier if they settle.
Now the result that would make the changes to us the least possible would be: If they put CN/AS/Boom into it's own little unit with an executive (similar to the person who will do the same for HBO and CNN) and that person decides "yeah everything looks good, keep up the good work."
Now by the same token if that new executive is someone who thinks Scooby Doo and Tom and Jerry are some of the conglomorate's biggest franchises and should be on air the most in various forms, then we'd see more changes.
But another idea we've seen circulated is that either just Boomerang or the whole thing could end up answering to WB once the head of Turner is out. In this scenario we can pretty much rest easy Boomerang would get a facelift.
Now while I admit we here at "Scooby addicts" may have our prefered version compared to say some people on a Cartoon Network forum. However from a business perspective i'm incline to think the idea that AT&T is clearly planning to rearrange the parts of Turner away from the old way sends less the "everything is great as is" message and more the "we're trying to make this better" message.
|
|
|
Post by futurerocker on Sept 5, 2018 22:56:45 GMT -5
I don't think CW would be the channel to pick up Scooby Doo. The kids block is for educational programs and doesn't air any cartoons anymore and i;m pretty sure CW won't air a cartoon during prime time.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2018 5:23:54 GMT -5
It depends on the tone of the show whether it's daytime or primetime. Mystery Inc is something that aired in primetime because it's tone was just so different that it would not fit on Saturday morning. 13 Ghosts might have fared better if it had been given the same treatment.
|
|
|
Post by mattpricetime on Sept 6, 2018 23:46:25 GMT -5
I'd think the CW would get the first option in that version of events. Whether they'd accept is of course a variable question.
I edited my second post here with a little updated information I got from reading some more sources on what AT&T's plans are. I also checked out some of the various takes on how John Stankey's meeting with HBO went.
I used a metaphor in that edited post to think of the head of Warner Media like a hall monitor. He wants the individual parts of his system to do their own thing, as long as they follow to where they want them togrow and don't get into trouble. While some people seemingly over-reacted the sense I got from reading the transcript makes it feel like he wants HBO to get more diverse in probably both the new material and the movies they air. (I say probably because he was clearly talking mostly to people who make original content for HBO, but it wouldn't make sense to only diversify one part)
So if that kind of thinking gets to CN/Boom, I wonder if that might swing the network back to it's roots some degree? Because that idea for HBO sounds quite a lot like the Cohen era of CN. Oh and one point of interest, Stankey apparently thinks HBO's reach on the people is too low as is.....Boomerang's reach is even lower. So if he applies that same strategy at CN as HBO, Boomerang is likely to be altered. But we shouldn't still rule out that Boom or the whole thing may be rearranged under Warner Bros.
|
|
|
Post by velmablake on Sept 14, 2018 17:08:31 GMT -5
If the separation of Turner means that Warner Bros. will start their own TV channel again, I'm here for it.
That's all I'll say on this for now.
|
|
|
Post by wileyk209 on Sept 15, 2018 9:12:58 GMT -5
I discussed about this when it initially happened months ago, doing a vlog as Wile E. Coyote (and yes, I talk as Wile E.)...
The new name, WarnerMedia, reminds me of how in the 70s and 80s they were called Warner Communications, before merging with Time Inc. in 1990 (and now Time Inc. is split up from Warner.)
|
|
|
Post by barneynedward on Sept 15, 2018 15:18:35 GMT -5
Supposedly the appeal will have no effect on Scooby. I'm guessing that if At&T loses the appeal, they'll probably just move the Boomerang and Cartoon Network properties over to WarnerMedia and then sell off whatever properties still remain part of Turner.
|
|
|
Post by mattpricetime on Sept 17, 2018 22:52:31 GMT -5
In that case I think the idea of AT&T buying out the Turner part of the Boomerang and Filmstruck apps is probably the more likely scenario. The new Turner owner would still have Cartoon Network Studios so the main channel would be fine except it could stand to lose Teen Titans Go and Adult Swim would lose a few things.
Admitedly before this, I didn't expect the appeal to matter. But most sites thought the appeal was still to block the whole merger. The idea it's only one part (a part that another part has had long-standing issues with) is what gives it a little more shot of happening. After reading up on what we've seen AT&T do to move forward with HBO and Otter Media, i'd say even with a failed appeal a shakeup is still happening.
Even taking aside we're on "scooby addicts", let's take this scenario. You're the AT&T guy, you just heard you've got control now of a set of channels that has one of the largest back catalogs of animation and exclusivity to all their legacy properties. Then you see said channels barely use most of it and even the creators behind those legacy series aren't even sure how and when they are airing. Are you going to tell those people to "keep up the good work" in that regard? Probably not.
|
|
|
Post by mattpricetime on Nov 3, 2018 13:43:18 GMT -5
Been a while since I posted here but for those curious here, the oral arguments are set now for early December. I'd imagine we'll hear a result in either December or January. While this could in theory stretch out longer should they take it to the higher court, I doubt that's likely. AT&T was rather mum about all over Warner Media on their last conference call, if they lose this ruling they might not bother with the court proceedings in favor of just pressing forward with what they did get. If they draw it out all of the Turner properties could be in limbo for years, something I doubt anyone wants at this point.
|
|
|
Post by scoobnick on Nov 4, 2018 17:47:15 GMT -5
thanks for the info matt. keep us up to date.
|
|
|
Post by mattpricetime on Nov 18, 2018 18:44:26 GMT -5
We're still a few weeks away from the court date, but there's a new development that hasn't reached us on the Scooby/Warner Bros Animation front but it could be a sign of things to come. Apparently the Filmstruck streaming service which I believe to be the Boomerang streaming service equivalent for the film back catalog is being shut down. But the big swerve is that Warner Media is letting the Criterion Collection run their own channel on the new upcoming Warner Media streaming service bundle platform that will launch late next year. For those that have no clue what that means, let me put it this way. Warner Media just ditched the streaming service that they had to work with Turner and a Turner channel on, and just announced there's going to be an option to replace it coming to their own venture. This is a safety precaution in case they do lose Turner.
EDIT: The "official" story being circulated that they back peddled due to fan reaction, but let's be serious that was a smokescreen. I don't think there was anything illegal about the move but it just sounds better than the more likely explanation of it being a safety net.
We may end up seeing something similar happen to the Boomerang one in the future. Where all the shows owed there would probably migrate to a new service on the general Warner Media service. At the worst case scenario there may be a delay but I'd say all the shows they are making now for Boomerang now have a safety net to save them from any fallout of the court case. I suppose if AT&T does keep Turner the Turner stations would probably close down their own versions and they would each be a part of the bigger service, but I bet if that does happen the new place where WB Animation shows go probably may not have much influence from CN anymore one way or the other. The one big picture on this we still don't have is how much this would affect the live feeds on the various channels but i'd imagine they won't be unchanged either.
EDIT: This news doesn't need a new post. So AT&T announced another flowchart rearrangement of some assets. This one has nothing to do with Turner but is clearly another example of them rearranging the map to eliminate could-be problems. The odds a move is planned to eliminate Warner Bros vs Turner issues at CN/Boom just keep getting larger.
|
|
|
Post by dizagaox on Nov 24, 2018 23:22:26 GMT -5
I'd say the biggest appeal for a Scooby-Doo fan is I could see a high-budget live action TV series becoming a reality (perhaps initially on The CW), as the cost would be offset by the entire vertical integration of WarnerMedia and AT&T.
|
|
|
Post by mattpricetime on Nov 25, 2018 9:13:42 GMT -5
At this point I will happily keep updating anything relevant here but as Scooby fans we are looking pretty safe. I don't see a scenario left on the board that puts Scooby in any worse situation than he was before. There are still several possible paths forward that could happen but each either betters Scooby or generally keeps him at the same level.
One way or another Scooby may just get a groovy early birthday present from this. But let's wait and see how things officially roll out before we bring out the scooby snacks and celebrate.
|
|
|
Post by mattpricetime on Dec 6, 2018 16:49:09 GMT -5
Today was court day people. There was no decision rendered based on the testimony so we can expect that to take days to weeks basically.
From what I read the general feeling is that the appeal is going to fail and AT&T will get to keep Turner however there is one glaring point that is going to be watched very closely. Two of the three judges hearing this case heard the Microsoft anti-trust case years back. For those too young or unfamiliar in that case the judges did allow Microsoft to continue forward but what the judges said in their decision is cited as having caused Microsoft major changes to their original plan forward. Something like that could happen here quite easily.
In this case though given AT&T's other actions I have posted about if AT&T is given the all clear (which many think they will get) there are still going to be major rearranging of the flow chart. It seems obvious negating some of the Turner vs WB issues are going to be one of the goals AT&T will probably try to do. So like I said, for Scooby things continue to look good no matter the result here. But the result will clearly still have an impact to AT&T going forward.
|
|