Cartoon Network’s website has officially shut down. As of Friday, visitors to CartoonNetwork.com are greeted by a popup that encourages them to subscribe to Max, the primary streaming service of Warner Bros. Discovery. The popup states, “Looking for episodes of your favorite Cartoon Network shows? Check out what’s available to stream on Max (subscription required).” It also informs cable subscribers that they can still access content through the linear channel and associated apps.
Clicking through the popup takes users directly to the Cartoon Network channel on Max, where they are again prompted to sign up for the streaming service.
Currently, Cartoon Network is the only Warner Bros. Discovery cable channel website that has been affected; other sites such as TNT, TBS, HGTV, Discovery, and Adult Swim remained operational as of Friday morning.
A representative for Cartoon Network commented, “We are focusing on the Cartoon Network shows and social media where we find consumers are the most engaged and there is 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 through select TV provider apps on mobile and connected devices like Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon. They can also engage with us through social platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. Fans can still enjoy 11 hours of their favorite Cartoon Network series from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily on the Cartoon Network channel.”
The closure of the website comes in the wake of Warner Bros. Discovery reporting a $9.1 billion impairment charge linked to its networks division, which includes Cartoon Network as well as other cable channels, partially due to a challenging advertising market.
Earlier in June, Paramount also made significant cuts by closing websites for Comedy Central, TV Land, and others as part of cost-reduction efforts.