by Thinus Ferreira
Warner Bros. Discovery's Boomerang kids channel is ending its run across Africa on 25 March is and being replaced by Cartoonito, targeting a younger audience and family viewing as part of the company's linear kids channels restructuring, with the company saying Cartoon Network as a top TV brand in Africa remains safe.
Boomerang is becoming the first pay-TV channel lost to South African viewers in 2023 as Warner Bros. Discovery is phasing out the brand in Africa and territories, terminating the channel on 25 March and replacing it with Cartoonito across the continent.
Where Cartoon Network and Boomerang - both Warner Bros. Discovery linear channels - targeted roughly the same demographic of younger viewers, Cartoonito is geared towards a younger pre-set of three year olds and family viewing. Cartoon Network, which reaches over 15 million viewers monthly in South Africa, is aimed at seven to 12-year olds.
Cartoonito, which will now more directly compete with DStv channels like Disney Junior and the BBC's CBeebies, was first added in October 2011 as a preschool kids' programming block to Boomerang's schedule.
The channel flip in Warner Bros. Discovery's kids content portfolio is part of Warner Bros. Discovery's larger adjustment of phasing out the Boomerang brand across Europe - something also impacting Africa in terms of pay-TV channel distribution.
Several Boomerang shows will however remain on the Cartoonito channel (DStv 302) when Boomerang is replaced and rebranded on 25 March with Cartoonito.
Cartoonito will add new shows aimed at a pre-schooler audience like Batwheels from 25 March, Bugs Bunny Builders from 10 April and Intersteller Ella from June.
Cartoonito will keep Boomerang hold-overs like Zig & Sharko, Mr Bean, Masha and the Bear, Tom & Jerry, Scooby-Doo and Looney Tunes Cartoons, Lucas the Spider, Dino Ranch and Thomas and Friends: All Engines Go.
Cartoonito will launch on 25 March with a TV special, Secret Origins of the Batwheels at 08:40.
"The rebrand of Boomerang Africa
into Cartoonito Africa enriches our channel universe, bringing together the
crème de la crème of Boomerang with more adventures and more friends to be part
of one big Cartoonito family" says Ana Gonzalez, editorial lead for Southern
Europe and Africa for kids brands at Warner Bros. Discovery.
"We know kids and
families love our shows, and we're looking forward to adding even more amazing
content that brings the whole family together."
Cartoonito change part of global realignment
"Boomerang has been very, very successful in Africa. It's a very well-known brand so that's not the reason why we're changing it," Ana Gonzalez told TVwithThinus.
"The reason is very simple. The reason is that we are aligning with our international strategy. Cartoonito is now a global brand for the company and all Boomerang channels in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region will become Cartoonito."
"Everything depends on a country-by-country basis since the pipeline of brands we have is not the same in every country, but overall that's the strategy." She said that "we are rebranding everything that's Boomerang now, so everything that currently is Boomerang from 25 March, will become Cartoonito".
Cartoon Network is safe
Following rumours a few months ago that Warner Bros. Discovery is no longer looking at investing in new content for Cartoon Network and even considering shuttering the linear TV channel in certain territories to shift the focus on its HBO Max video streamer, Ana Gonzalez told TVwithThinus that Cartoon Network is not going anywhere.
"Definitly not - Cartoon Network is not closing, it's not disappearing; and specifically in terms of Africa - it is our first and most popular brand there. It's very successful, so definitely Cartoon Network will stay in Africa, and I hope for very long."
