Cartoon Network’s official website has officially closed down.
As of Friday, visitors to CartoonNetwork.com are greeted by a popup encouraging them to subscribe to Max, Warner Bros. Discovery’s main streaming service. The message informs users that they can find episodes of their favorite Cartoon Network shows on Max, although a subscription is required. It also mentions that cable subscribers can still access content through the linear channel and connected apps.
Clicking away from the popup takes users to the Cartoon Network channel on Max, where they are again prompted to sign up for the streaming service.
At this time, it appears that Cartoon Network is the only WBD cable channel site affected by this change; other sites such as TNT, TBS, HGTV, Discovery, and Adult Swim were still operational on Friday morning.
A representative from Cartoon Network stated, “We are focusing on the Cartoon Network shows and social media where we find consumers are the most engaged and there is a meaningful potential for growth. While we have closed some digital products, fans can continue to interact with Cartoon Network via the Cartoon Network app as well as select TV provider apps on platforms including mobile and connected devices like Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon, as well as through social channels like YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. Fans can also continue to subscribe to the Cartoon Network channel to watch 11 hours of their favorite series from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.”
The closure of the Cartoon Network website coincides with Warner Bros. Discovery reporting a $9.1 billion impairment charge in its quarterly earnings related to its networks division, which covers Cartoon Network and other cable channels. The company pointed to a weak advertising market as a significant factor for this financial setback.
In a similar context, Paramount made announcements in June regarding the shutdown of websites for several of its channels, including Comedy Central and TV Land, as part of a cost-cutting initiative.