Teletoon to disappear after more than 25 years as a Canadian TV channel
It's a sad day for millennials in Canada as Corus Entertainment announces that Teletoon will soon cease to exist as we've known it for the past 25 years.
One of Canada's original animation-focused television channels, Teletoon was founded in 1997. While initially geared toward kids and teenagers, the channel ended up attracting a wide variety of audiences with edgier programs like Clone High, Undergrads and Robot Chicken.
We can also thank the channel for bringing Canadians such iconic original programs as Angela Anaconda, Braceface, Donkey Kong Country, Ned's Newt, 6teen, and that weird CGI Inspector Gadget reboot.
Many of these programs, and others that have been broadcast via Teletoon over the past few decades, are now available on a newish streaming service called TELETOON+. The TV channel itself, however, will no longer exist as of March 27, 2023.
Corus, which acquired full ownership of the channel in 2013, announced the news in a press release on Wednesday.
"After more than 25 years of delighting fans with hilarious hijinks and gut-busting antics, TELETOON is revamped as Cartoon Network," reads the release, which states that the brand's legacy is "marked by industry-leading animation across the country, shaping the landscape of children’s entertainment for generations."
Teletoon has for years been broadcasting content from the U.S.-based Cartoon Network, a local version of which Corus also owns, making the move a logical — albeit era-ending — one.
According to Corus, Cartoon Network will take over the channel currently known as Teletoon in late March, while the current Cartoon Network will become a new channel called Boomerang.
"Debuting in the Canadian market for the first time, but bringing with it scores of fans worldwide, the Boomerang brand stands for the best in retro content, classic animation series and foundational kids programming," said the mass media company on Wednesday.
Boomerang's lineup of programs is said to include The Tom & Jerry Show, The Powerpuff Girls, Jellystone and Total Drama Island, while the revamped Cartoon Network that will replace Teletoon is set to air content like Animaniacs season 3, Teen Titans Go! and Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai.
"Staying true to our loyal fans across generations has been our top priority as we reimagine the future of our kids’ networks,” said Corus SVP Jennifer Abrams of the impending switch.
"By partnering with Warner Bros Discovery Inc. and strengthening our portfolio of brands across linear platforms, STACKTV, and TELETOON+, we will usher Cartoon Network into a new stage of hilarious comedy and edge-of-your-seat action — all while keeping the TELETOON legacy alive in the digital space."
Whether or not the new streaming service survives in an increasingly crowded market, Teletoon's legacy will indeed live on, if only in our horrifying Angela Anaconda-style nightmares.
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