What happend to TV

[mjgrass]

Why, do you think that TV back then was different then it is today. I have a few theories, one might be because the youth of the 80s was really different from kids of today, even kids of the 90s.It seems kids back in the 80s were more inocent, our heros were luke sky walker, Indiana Jones, and certain sports stars, now adays the heros are well mainly anit heros. It could also be because America is trying to take a better step in the health continues direction, this might be hurting the industry like cereals, and other sweets that were widely publicized on TV back then. Iv also noticed that today’s cereal prizes are pretty much all but gone. Now instead you get activates on the back of the box and that’s if your lucky. Sorry I jumped off topic there.

Also the high influx of cable and satellite TV might have something to do with the way television is now a days. Saturday morning cartons have pretty much become nonexistent along with those great commercials. Could this be because kids are watching TV and sparatic times of the day now, so its harder to target on a specific market group at a specific time.

I don’t know what are some of your theories.

[8-Bit]

my thoughts:

1) The internet and video game industry has a LOT to do with it - kids these days would rather play games online or with a home console than watch cartoons.

2) The demand for hand-drawn cartoons has gone down the toilet - now, it's 3D animation or nothing at all. The problem with that is that traditional artists, especially ones who have been in the industry for 20 years, are probably not willing to learn how to do 3D animation because it involves a complete career change from square one.

3) Back when I created the first version of this site, I spoke to a former Filmation artist who drew He-Man, Jem and several other cartoons. She said that a lot of it had to do with that new broadcasting rule from the early 90s, where all Saturday morning programming had to be educational (watch Saturday morning cartoons today and you'll usually see a E/I watermark on the upper right - it signifies that you're watching an educational show) - that basically killed off all of the action cartoon series entirely. The industry changed completely, too.

[the80sruled]

Sounds like you hit the nail on the head Mark.


I'd like to comment on the cereal prize problem, that has to do with the internet and money through site traffic.

Now, if you notice, most contests give you codes to go put in at web sites etc, this is retarded and pisses me off. >:(

As for cereal commercials, they do have them , such as the Fruit Loops pirate series, which was all hype and no deliver. >:(

But atleast they tried.


There are a lot of commercials for cereal and things of such nature, it is just that I don't watch their crappy cartoons so i wouldn't even see them.

[TMC1982]

my thoughts:

1) The internet and video game industry has a LOT to do with it - kids these days would rather play games online or with a home console than watch cartoons.

2) The demand for hand-drawn cartoons has gone down the toilet - now, it's 3D animation or nothing at all. The problem with that is that traditional artists, especially ones who have been in the industry for 20 years, are probably not willing to learn how to do 3D animation because it involves a complete career change from square one.

3) Back when I created the first version of this site, I spoke to a former Filmation artist who drew He-Man, Jem and several other cartoons. She said that a lot of it had to do with that new broadcasting rule from the early 90s, where all Saturday morning programming had to be educational (watch Saturday morning cartoons today and you'll usually see a E/I watermark on the upper right - it signifies that you're watching an educational show) - that basically killed off all of the action cartoon series entirely. The industry changed completely, too.

I sometimes wish that the government/FCC would mind their own business, instead of insisting that networks and TV stations play nanny. Why does television have to be the source for educating our kids instead of us adults? But of course, special interests groups and the Peggy Charon's of the world always need to find a scapegoat when they see the younger generation has gotten slightly askew. I'm pretty sure that advertisers don't like the E/I watermark either (a lot of the old shows like "He-Man", "G.I. Joe", and "Transformers" were designed in large part to sell action figures).

[TMC1982]

Why, do you think that TV back then was different then it is today. I have a few theories, one might be because the youth of the 80s was really different from kids of today, even kids of the 90s.It seems kids back in the 80s were more inocent, our heros were luke sky walker, Indiana Jones, and certain sports stars, now adays the heros are well mainly anit heros. It could also be because America is trying to take a better step in the health continues direction, this might be hurting the industry like cereals, and other sweets that were widely publicized on TV back then. Iv also noticed that today’s cereal prizes are pretty much all but gone. Now instead you get activates on the back of the box and that’s if your lucky. Sorry I jumped off topic there.

Also the high influx of cable and satellite TV might have something to do with the way television is now a days. Saturday morning cartons have pretty much become nonexistent along with those great commercials. Could this be because kids are watching TV and sparatic times of the day now, so its harder to target on a specific market group at a specific time.

I don’t know what are some of your theories.

What basically killed Saturday morning television are several things:
*The rise of 24 hour-7 days a week cable networks like Disney Channel, Cartoon Network, and Nickelodeon.

*American based studios like Filmation, Ruby-Spears, and Hanna-Barbera going under or losing signicance in favor of imported anime from Japan (a la the stuff on 4KidsTV).

*The FCC's ruling around 1996 that TV stations must air at least three hours of "educational content" a week (hence the E/I watermark).

*The popularity of "Saved by the Bell", which inspired NBC to drop their animation line-up on Saturday mornings, in favor of cheaply produced, "SBTB" clones (e.g. "Hang Time", "California Dreams", "City Guys", "Saved by the Bell: The New Class", "Running the Halls", etc.) via TNBC.

*Major corporations/film studios taking over networks like Disney (with ABC), Viacom (with CBS), Universial (with NBC), or the WB merging with UPN (to become the CW). Tune into ABC's Saturday morning line up today, and it's basically, Disney Channel lite (in part, in order to fill-out the FCC mandates). For sometime, CBS (before it spun off into its own company and away from Viacom) aligned themselves with Nick Jr. Now, CBS shows DiC produced cartoons, but not the ones we care about like "Inspector Gadget" or example. Instead, the stuff CBS shows is more "girl-centric."

*The increasing popularity of home video/straight to DVD films, which have less restrictions than stuff on network television.

[silverfire150]

First off the E/l watermark was bogus. The shows that had that mark were not education in the least. Come on Recess, Doug and so on. Show me where those shows taught you anything. It's so sad when I talk about cartoons from the 80's only a hand full know what I'm talking about at all. Case in point I was at a pawn shop by my work and found the dungeon and dragons dvd set there. Only one person who worked there knew what it was and we talk about how saturday mornings in the 80's were worth getting up in the mornings( and those people born at the end of the 80's who disagree two tv shows: wish kid and ProStars. Need I say more?) Now when I turn on the tv to the network channels it's just plain sad. What kid wants to see Good Morning America, The Today show or CBS morning. It just burns me how everything went down hill. Also those parents that blame tv should be ashamed of themselves :shame:. We all watched a lot of tv and we all came out fine :gap:. If given a chance to do my life again as a child in the 80's I would do the same thing. Except pray I would have an even better memory and a friend(s) to enjoy it with me :). Also a vcr ;)

[TMC1982]

Death_of_Saturday_Morning_Television (http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/Death_of_Saturday_Morning_Television/?v=1&t=search&ch=web&pub=groups&sec=group&slk=1) :badmood:

[The-Dom]

OHhhhhhhh the fire that burns inside me at the FCC and adults who think that including education in TV and putting complete garbage on TV to replace the classic good cartoons is more appropriate for kids. And thinking that violence in cartoons somehow makes kids grow up to be bad.>:( If kids learned some decent values from cartoons like GI Joe and He-man, they can take in those good values, every kid wants to be a hero and follow their morals. Not get turned into a damn drone

[RetroSurferNews2008]

What basically killed Saturday morning television are several things:
*The rise of 24 hour-7 days a week cable networks like Disney Channel, Cartoon Network, and Nickelodeon.

*American based studios like Filmation, Ruby-Spears, and Hanna-Barbera going under or losing signicance in favor of imported anime from Japan (a la the stuff on 4KidsTV).

*The FCC's ruling around 1996 that TV stations must air at least three hours of "educational content" a week (hence the E/I watermark).

*The popularity of "Saved by the Bell", which inspired NBC to drop their animation line-up on Saturday mornings, in favor of cheaply produced, "SBTB" clones (e.g. "Hang Time", "California Dreams", "City Guys", "Saved by the Bell: The New Class", "Running the Halls", etc.) via TNBC.

*Major corporations/film studios taking over networks like Disney (with ABC), Viacom (with CBS), Universial (with NBC), or the WB merging with UPN (to become the CW). Tune into ABC's Saturday morning line up today, and it's basically, Disney Channel lite (in part, in order to fill-out the FCC mandates). For sometime, CBS (before it spun off into its own company and away from Viacom) aligned themselves with Nick Jr. Now, CBS shows DiC produced cartoons, but not the ones we care about like "Inspector Gadget" or example. Instead, the stuff CBS shows is more "girl-centric."

*The increasing popularity of home video/straight to DVD films, which have less restrictions than stuff on network television.

And let's not forget the rise of the internet, and youTube.

[silverfire150]

I just wish they would put more of the cartoons on dvd or reissue the dvd's that went out of print. I would love to get G.I. Joe for a good price rather than pay almost $100 just because its o.o.p. I will admit there are some pretty cool cartoons now, but not many. I know I'm going to sound nostalgic (so please forgive me) but I wish they would release more of the cartoons from the 80's. Like Ghostbusters (only up to season 2 or 3. I thought Dave Coulier rendition of Dr. Venkman was pretty sucky:badmood:. Sorry if I pissed off people with this comment) the Centurions, or Sky Commanders to name a few. I hope they never ever release Hulk Hogan's rock 'n' roll wrestling:shame:. It's a guilty pleasure that should never be shared. I remember I found it on youtube and after 10mins. I got embarrassed. Let's hope that sometime in the future the cartoons we want will make it to dvd. Long live the 80's:gap: