Kids' WB
Encyclopedia
Kids' WB! was Warner Bros.
American childrens programing division brand for The WB Television Network
. In September 2006, the block moved to The CW Television Network
. The CW is the result of The WB
's merger with UPN
in 2006. Kids' WB! shut down on May 17, 2008, and was sold to 4Kids Entertainment
to form The CW4Kids
.
Kids' WB! was re-launched as an online network on April 28, 2008, a few weeks before it was replaced by The CW4Kids. The network allows viewers to watch shows of Looney Tunes
, Hanna-Barbera
and DC Comics
. It has different zones where users are linked to Kids' WB!, Kids' WB!, Jr., and DC HeroZone. It is also available on Fancast featuring full episodes of such TV shows such as Looney Tunes
, Scooby Doo, The Flintstones
, and The Jetsons
.
Even though the block is now defunct, there are still Kids' WB blocks in Australia
and Bulgaria
.
on Saturday, September 9, 1995, airing on Saturday mornings from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., and weekdays from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
On September 7, 1996, the Saturday block was extended by a full hour, airing from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. EST, and weekdays from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST.
On September 1, 1997, Kids' WB! started airing weekday mornings at 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. in most markets. Some stations, such as KTLA
in Los Angeles, California
and KWGN in Denver, Colorado
, aired the weekday morning hour in conjunction with the weekday afternoon block, expanding it to three hours, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST.
Pokémon
by 4Kids Entertainment
premiered. It was a big hit for its programming block, beating Fox Kids
with its animated block backed by Warner Bros.
In later years, other anime shows aired such as Cardcaptors
, Yu-Gi-Oh!
, Astro Boy, Megaman NT Warrior
, and Viewtiful Joe
.
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In July 2001, Kids' WB!'s afternoon lineup was rebranded Toonami on Kids' WB!, extending the Cartoon Network
action-cartoon brand Toonami
to broadcast television, and bringing shows such as Sailor Moon
, Dragon Ball Z, and The Powerpuff Girls
to network television. In addition, non-action programming such as The Nightmare Room
were also branded as Toonami. The afternoon block was re-branded Kids' WB! in June 2002.
On September 7, 2001, Kids' WB! ceased airing weekday morning programming, and gave that slot back to the local affiliates. On December 30, 2005, the weekday afternoon Kids' WB block was dropped "at the request of the local affiliates", replaced by Daytime WB
. As a result, the Saturday morning block was extended by an hour on January 7, 2006, running from 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., no longer affected by time zone
.
On January 24, 2006, The WB, Kids' WB!'s original broadcaster, announced they would merge with UPN
to form The CW Television Network
. The combined network utilized The WB's scheduling practices and brought the Kids' WB! block, still run by Warner Bros. Television
, and still maintaining its name, to the new lineup.
and CBS
, (parent companies of The CW), it would suspend the Kids' WB programming block due to the effects of children's advertising limits and cable competition and sell the programming time to 4Kids Entertainment
. Kids' WB! shut down broadcasting operations on May 17, 2008. However, on WUPA, Kids' WB shut down one day later.
On May 24, 2008, 4Kids launched The CW4Kids
in place of Kids' WB!. The lineup for the block consists of 4Kids produced shows such as Chaotic
(which also aired on Jetix
and currently shows re-runs of it on Disney XD and Cartoon Network) as well as new seasons of Yu-Gi-Oh! and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The official site, http://www.cw4kids.com, officially launched on April 20, 2008.
On April 28, 2008, Warner Bros. Entertainment announced that The WB
and Kids' WB brands would be relaunched as online networks, with the Kids' WB! network consisting of five subchannels: Kids' WB!, Kids' WB! Jr., Scooby-Doo, Looney Tunes, and DC Beyond.
It was that the new evolved and present close captioning of the NCI was first used and seen on Kids WB.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
American childrens programing division brand for The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
. In September 2006, the block moved to The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
. The CW is the result of The WB
The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
's merger with UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
in 2006. Kids' WB! shut down on May 17, 2008, and was sold to 4Kids Entertainment
4Kids Entertainment
4Kids Entertainment is an American film and television production company in bankruptcy since April 2011. It is known for English-dubbing Japanese anime and specializing in the acquisition, production and licensing of children's entertainment around the United States...
to form The CW4Kids
The CW4Kids
The CW4Kids is a Saturday morning cartoon block on The CW Television Network that premiered on May 24, 2008 in the place of Kids' WB...
.
Kids' WB! was re-launched as an online network on April 28, 2008, a few weeks before it was replaced by The CW4Kids. The network allows viewers to watch shows of Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
, Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was an American animation studio that dominated North American television animation during the second half of the 20th century...
and DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
. It has different zones where users are linked to Kids' WB!, Kids' WB!, Jr., and DC HeroZone. It is also available on Fancast featuring full episodes of such TV shows such as Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
, Scooby Doo, The Flintstones
The Flintstones
The Flintstones is an animated, prime-time American television sitcom that screened from September 30, 1960 to April 1, 1966, on ABC. Produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, The Flintstones was about a working class Stone Age man's life with his family and his next-door neighbor and best friend. It...
, and The Jetsons
The Jetsons
The Jetsons is a animated American sitcom that was produced by Hanna-Barbera, originally airing in prime-time from 1962–1963 and again from 1985–1987...
.
Even though the block is now defunct, there are still Kids' WB blocks in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
.
Early years
Kids' WB! debuted on The WBThe WB Television Network
The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
on Saturday, September 9, 1995, airing on Saturday mornings from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., and weekdays from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
On September 7, 1996, the Saturday block was extended by a full hour, airing from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. EST, and weekdays from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST.
On September 1, 1997, Kids' WB! started airing weekday mornings at 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. in most markets. Some stations, such as KTLA
KTLA
KTLA, virtual channel 5, is a television station in Los Angeles, California, USA. Owned by the Tribune Company, KTLA is an affiliate of the CW Television Network. KTLA's studios are on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, and its transmitter is located atop Mount Wilson...
in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
and KWGN in Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, aired the weekday morning hour in conjunction with the weekday afternoon block, expanding it to three hours, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST.
Changes at Kids' WB!
In 1999, Kids' WB made a breakthrough when the English dub of the animeAnime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
Pokémon
Pokémon (anime)
, abbreviated from , is a children's TV anime series, which has since been adapted for the North and South American, Australian and European television markets...
by 4Kids Entertainment
4Kids Entertainment
4Kids Entertainment is an American film and television production company in bankruptcy since April 2011. It is known for English-dubbing Japanese anime and specializing in the acquisition, production and licensing of children's entertainment around the United States...
premiered. It was a big hit for its programming block, beating Fox Kids
Fox Kids
Fox Kids was the Fox Broadcasting Company's American children's programming division and brand name from September 8, 1990 until September 7, 2002. It was owned by Fox Television Entertainment airing programming on Monday–Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings.Depending on the show, the...
with its animated block backed by Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
In later years, other anime shows aired such as Cardcaptors
Cardcaptor Sakura
, abbreviated as CCS and also known as Cardcaptors, is a Japanese shōjo manga series written and illustrated by the manga artist group Clamp. The manga was originally serialized monthly in Nakayoshi from the May 1996 until the June 2000 issue, and later published in 12 tankōbon volumes by Kodansha...
, Yu-Gi-Oh!
Yu-Gi-Oh!
is a Japanese manga created by Kazuki Takahashi. It has produced a franchise that includes multiple anime shows, a trading card game and numerous video games...
, Astro Boy, Megaman NT Warrior
MegaMan NT Warrior
Mega Man NT Warrior or Mega Man Battle Network, known in Japan as , is an anime and manga series based on the Mega Man Battle Network video game series...
, and Viewtiful Joe
Viewtiful Joe (anime)
is a Japanese anime series based on the video game series of the same name.The series follows a similar plot of the games, but there are many differences. The series, comprising fifty-one episodes, was shown every Saturday on the Japanese television station TV Tokyo from October 2, 2004 until...
.
Cartoon Network (United States)
Cartoon Network is an American cable television network owned by Turner Broadcasting which primarily airs animated programming. The channel was launched on October 1, 1992 after Turner purchased the animation studio Hanna-Barbera Productions in 1991...
action-cartoon brand Toonami
Toonami
Toonami was a registered trademark of Cartoon Network, used initially for action-oriented programming blocks on Cartoon Network television channels worldwide, mostly showing American cartoons and Japanese anime, originating in the United States on March 17, 1997 and ended on September 20, 2008.The...
to broadcast television, and bringing shows such as Sailor Moon
Sailor Moon
Sailor Moon, known as , is a media franchise created by manga artist Naoko Takeuchi. Fred Patten credits Takeuchi with popularizing the concept of a team of magical girls, and Paul Gravett credits the series with "revitalizing" the magical-girl genre itself...
, Dragon Ball Z, and The Powerpuff Girls
The Powerpuff Girls
The Powerpuff Girls is an American animated television series created by animator Craig McCracken and produced by Hanna-Barbera for Cartoon Network...
to network television. In addition, non-action programming such as The Nightmare Room
The Nightmare Room
The Nightmare Room is an American children's anthology horror series that aired on Kids' WB. The series was based on the short-lived book series The Nightmare Room children's books created by Goosebumps author, R.L. Stine. The Nightmare Room originally aired from August 31, 2001, to March 16, 2002,...
were also branded as Toonami. The afternoon block was re-branded Kids' WB! in June 2002.
On September 7, 2001, Kids' WB! ceased airing weekday morning programming, and gave that slot back to the local affiliates. On December 30, 2005, the weekday afternoon Kids' WB block was dropped "at the request of the local affiliates", replaced by Daytime WB
The CW Daytime
The CW Daytime is an afternoon programming block broadcast by The CW Television Network. It was formerly known as Daytime WB, which aired on the defunct The WB Television Network.-History:...
. As a result, the Saturday morning block was extended by an hour on January 7, 2006, running from 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., no longer affected by time zone
Time zone
A time zone is a region on Earth that has a uniform standard time for legal, commercial, and social purposes. In order for the same clock time to always correspond to the same portion of the day as the Earth rotates , different places on the Earth need to have different clock times...
.
On January 24, 2006, The WB, Kids' WB!'s original broadcaster, announced they would merge with UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
to form The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
. The combined network utilized The WB's scheduling practices and brought the Kids' WB! block, still run by Warner Bros. Television
Warner Bros. Television
Warner Bros. Television is the television production arm of Warner Bros. Entertainment, itself part of Time Warner. Alongside CBS Television Studios, it serves as a television production arm of The CW Television Network , though it also produces shows for other networks, such as Shameless on...
, and still maintaining its name, to the new lineup.
The End and Rebirth of Kids' WB!
On October 2, 2007, the network announced that due to a joint decision between Warner Bros.Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
and CBS
CBS Corporation
CBS Corporation is an American media conglomerate focused on commercial broadcasting, publishing, billboards and television production, with most of its operations in the United States. The President and CEO of the company is Leslie Moonves. Sumner Redstone, owner of National Amusements, is CBS's...
, (parent companies of The CW), it would suspend the Kids' WB programming block due to the effects of children's advertising limits and cable competition and sell the programming time to 4Kids Entertainment
4Kids Entertainment
4Kids Entertainment is an American film and television production company in bankruptcy since April 2011. It is known for English-dubbing Japanese anime and specializing in the acquisition, production and licensing of children's entertainment around the United States...
. Kids' WB! shut down broadcasting operations on May 17, 2008. However, on WUPA, Kids' WB shut down one day later.
On May 24, 2008, 4Kids launched The CW4Kids
The CW4Kids
The CW4Kids is a Saturday morning cartoon block on The CW Television Network that premiered on May 24, 2008 in the place of Kids' WB...
in place of Kids' WB!. The lineup for the block consists of 4Kids produced shows such as Chaotic
Chaotic
Chaotic is originally a Danish trading card game. It expanded to an online game in America which then became a television program based on the game. The program is seen on 4Kids TV , Jetix, The CW4Kids, Cartoon Network and Disney XD. It was brought over to the United States from Denmark by Bryan C...
(which also aired on Jetix
Jetix (US)
Jetix USA was a television programming brand running on Toon Disney, owned by The Walt Disney Company. It first officially began programming as a children's programming block on ABC Family in September 2002 as the ABC Family Action Block...
and currently shows re-runs of it on Disney XD and Cartoon Network) as well as new seasons of Yu-Gi-Oh! and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The official site, http://www.cw4kids.com, officially launched on April 20, 2008.
On April 28, 2008, Warner Bros. Entertainment announced that The WB
The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
and Kids' WB brands would be relaunched as online networks, with the Kids' WB! network consisting of five subchannels: Kids' WB!, Kids' WB! Jr., Scooby-Doo, Looney Tunes, and DC Beyond.
Close Captioning
Every one of the shows on Kids WB as seen in the United States is close captioned by the National Captioning Institute.It was that the new evolved and present close captioning of the NCI was first used and seen on Kids WB.
Voice Over Announcements
- Jim CummingsJim CummingsJames Jonah "Jim" Cummings is an American voice actor who has appeared in almost 100 roles. He has appeared in classic animated movies such as Aladdin and The Lion King, as well as taking on roles in more current films, such as Bee Movie, Princess and the Frog, and Winnie the Pooh.-Personal...
- Rino RomanoRino RomanoRino Romano is a Canadian voice actor who has portrayed Batman in the animated series The Batman, Spider-Man in Spider-Man Unlimited, and Tuxedo Mask in the English dub of the anime Sailor Moon...
- Jeff BennettJeff BennettJeffrey Glenn "Jeff" Bennett is an American voice actor and musician, listed "among the top names in the voice-over field", best known as the voice of Johnny Bravo in the series of the same name...
- Maurice LaMarcheMaurice LaMarcheMaurice LaMarche is an Emmy Award winning Canadian-American voice actor and former stand up comedian. He is best known for his voicework in Futurama as Kif Kroker, as Egon Spengler in The Real Ghostbusters, Verminous Skumm and Duke Nukem in Captain Planet and the Planeteers, Big Bob Pataki in Hey...
- Jonathan David Cook
- Tom KennyTom KennyThomas James "Tom" Kenny is an American actor, voice actor and comedian. He is especially known for his long-running-role as SpongeBob SquarePants in the television series of the same name, as well as the live-action character Patchy the Pirate, Gary the Snail and the French narrator based on...
- Dana SnyderDana SnyderDana Snyder is an American actor, voice artist, and comedian, best known for playing Master Shake on the Aqua Teen Hunger Force show, and the film Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters, both part of Cartoon Network's Adult Swim franchise.- Early life :Dana Snyder was born in...