Cartoon Network (Pakistan)

**Cartoon Network Pakistan** is a cable and satellite television channel created by Turner International Pakistan, a unit of Time Warner which primarily shows animated programming. The channel is Pakistani feed of Cartoon Network, officially launched on 2 April 2004. It is also available in Tajikistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. Cartoon Network Pakistan timings are according to PST (+5 UTC).

## History

### Launch

   The channel launched on April 2, 2004 as a separate feed dedicated for Pakistani viewers. Programs broadcast on this feed are almost identical to the programs broadcast on Cartoon Network India, with the exception of a few shows. It has a translation in some areas.

### 2005–2008

   In 2005 the bumpers were replaced with 3D animations of a 'city' that all the cartoon characters from the show lived in. Show-specific bumpers were replaced with 3D animations of a well-known scene from the particular show. The retro, checkerboard logo was replaced with the 'CN' city-style logo of today. In 2006, several new Cartoon Network originals premiered, including *Robotboy*, *The Life and Times of Juniper Lee*, and *Camp Lazlo*. The channel kept this brand until 2008.

### 2008–present

On September 1, 2008, the format of the channel's bumpers and commercials changed, and Cartoon Network Theatre was renamed Cartoon Network Popcorn. The major visual theme was the recurring 'dynamic line' in all the channel's identifications and bumpers. Also, the way of a normal continuity during cartoons was recreated as from September 1 when it comes between the shows. This was totally different from the old version.

## Programming

Cartoon Network Pakistan is available in English. The channel carries a number of popular animated shows mainly from the WB Animation vault, the Cartoon Network Studios and some Japanese anime series. Classic Hanna-Barbera shows like *The Flintstones* and *Swat Kats* are no longer available on Cartoon Network since the launch of the separate TV channel Boomerang. Interestingly, Boomerang is not available in Pakistan, rendering these shows along with many other classic greats completely unavailable in Pakistan.

Cartoon Network Pakistan always airs the repeats of *Ben 10*, *The Powerpuff Girls*, and movies from *Barbie*, *Dragon Ball Z*, *Looney Tunes*, Oggy and the Cockroaches and *Tom and Jerry*.

## Programming blocks

### Current programming blocks

#### Sunny Funny Afternoons

Sunny Funny Afternoons is a one-hour afternoon block on Cartoon Network Pakistan that was debuted on January 31, 2016. It runs Monday through Friday from 2:30pm to 4pm PST. *Oggy and the Cockroaches* and *Teen Titans Go!* are shown in this block.

On February 5, 2017, *Oggy and the Cockroaches* ended when *We Bare Bears* took place at 2:30 PST.

#### It's All About Action

It's All About Action was debuted on March 4, 2016. It is the one-hour late night block that runs Monday through Friday from 9pm to 10pm PST and mostly includes *Ben 10: Omniverse*.

#### Laughternoons

Laughternoons is a two-hour afternoon block on Cartoon Network Pakistan. It was debuted on June 6, 2016 and runs Monday through Friday from 12pm to 2:30pm PST. It includes shows *Oggy and the Cockroaches*, *Clarence*, *Mr. Bean* (animated series), and *Uncle Grandpa*. But *The Tom and Jerry Show* was shown in the advert of this block. On September 4, *Oggy and the Cockroaches*, *Clarence* and *Uncle Grandpa* have removed, when *Tom and Jerry Tales* and *Horrid Henry* took place at 12 and 1 PST, with the new season of *Mr. Bean* (animated series) aired at 1:30 PST.

On December 1, *The Tom and Jerry Show* was shown in another advert of this block. Also on February 5, 2017, *Horrid Henry* had removed and *The Amazing World of Gumball* took place at 1 PST.

### Former programming blocks

#### Breakfast Club

Breakfast Club was started on May 7, 2016. It is a one-hour morning block on Cartoon Network Pakistan that runs every Saturday at 8am PST. It includes *Adventure Time*, *The Amazing World of Gumball* and *The Tom and Jerry Show*. On October 9, *Steven Universe* took place at 8:30 PST and *Ben 10* (reboot series) also took place at 9 PST. But *The Amazing World of Gumball* and *The Tom and Jerry Show* was still shown in the advert of this block, that repeats.

On February 4, 2017, *The Powerpuff Girls* (reboot series), *Tom and Jerry Tales* and *Steven Universe* are shown in another advert of this block. But *Adventure Time*, *Steven Universe* and *Ben 10* (reboot series) are still aired on the block, this was ended.

#### Rise and Shine

Rise and Shine was started on August 3. It is a one-hour morning block on Cartoon Network Pakistan which is aimed at the preschool audience and runs Monday through Thursday from 8am to 9am PST. Shows in this block were *Sesame Street* and *Oswald*.

#### Cookie Jar

Cookie Jar is a one-hour evening block that includes many Cartoon Cartoons and classical series like *Tom and Jerry*, *Courage the Cowardly Dog*, and *Richie Rich* (1980 series). This block was aired Monday through Friday at 3:30 PST, but ended when *Thundercats* (2011 series) took Cookie Jar's place at 3:30 PST.

#### Toonami

The anime-dedicated block debuted with Cartoon Network on April 2, 2004. Toonami became the favorite for teenagers because of Japanese series like *Pokémon*, *Bakugan*, and *Beyblade*. According to many calculations, most 10 to 18 years old go online to the Toonami Blog Daily (due to the block mostly containing the Japanese anime). Initially when this block was started, it was run from 5pm to 7pm PST with the four anime series: *Pokémon*, *Duel Masters*, *Beyblade*, and *Digimon*. Recently *Digimon Data Squad* was replaced with *Dragon Ball Z*, and *Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl* replaced *Swat Kats* (due to the hours of Toonami being increased from 2 hours to 2.5 hours, now broadcasting until 7:30 pm PST). Nowadays, Toonami includes five anime series: *Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl*, *Blue Dragon*, *Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Saga, Digimon Data Squad* and *Bakugan Battle Brawlers*. From September 11, they changed the animation on the blog, made it more attractive, and added a third look. Cartoon Network stopped airing the block on March 8, 2010 due to unknown reasons, but it was reopened after a few weeks. Now, Toonami runs Monday through Friday from 4pm to 6pm PST.

#### Evening block

This half-hour block was started in 2005. The name of this block is unknown, but it is given by the viewers of the channel. Initially this block aired *Ben 10*, and nowadays also airs *Ben 10: Alien Force*. This block airs Monday through Friday from 6pm PST.

#### Candy Land

This block was started on March 16, 2009 and replaced *Tom & Jerry Cat & Mouse Full House*. Candy Land is a one-hour evening block that features *Tom & Jerry*, followed by *Ben 10*. Candy Land runs Monday through Friday from 6:30 to 7:30 PST.

#### Pogo

This is a 3-hour block, replacing Boomerang block which used to air at 10pm. Pogo was only available on Dish TV and Tata Sky in the whole of Pakistan and it was quite rare among cable operators. Pogo block was started on Cartoon Network Pakistan in 2008. It features many exciting Pogo shows like *Just For Laughs Gags*, *Mister Bean*, *MAD*, *Blazing Teens* and *Sazer X*. Nowadays it airs *MAD*, *Just Kidding*, *Just For Laughs Gags*, *Skyland* and *Mr. Bean* (animated series). A brand new show named *F.A.Q* will also land on CN Pogo block from 11 January.

As of April, 2013 the block starts with *M.A.D.*, continues with *Mojacko*, repeats episodes of *Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight*, and concludes with *Mr. Bean*. From June 2010 *Sasha and Frank* do a 19-minute sketch comedy which tells about latest cartoons and world news aired on Saturdays at 9:30 pm. *Sasha and Frank*Template:'s first season consisted of 18 episodes and ended on September 4, 2010. The second season premiered on 16 October at 8:00 pm and ended on January 20, 2011. The third season premiered on 19 February 2011 and is ongoing.

#### Boomerang

Boomerang was originally a Cartoon Network block for the lesser-known Hanna-Barbera classic cartoons that didn't already have half-hour slots, but the channel was not available in Pakistan, rendering all of the cartoons unavailable. Therefore, a two-hour block was started in 2007 from 10pm to 12am and was intended to cater mainly to adults returning home after work.
It features classical series like *The All New Popeye Show*, *Johnny Bravo*, *The Jetsons*, and *The Tom and Jerry Show* (1975 series). It was also launched as an attempt to re-showcase the old Hanna-Barbera creations which had been put off the air due to the incoming of new, more popular cartoons like *Courage the Cowardly Dog*, *Samurai Jack*, *The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy* and *Teen Titans*. But due to no success, it was put off the air and re-launched with more popular shows like *Johnny Bravo* and *Tom and Jerry*. Now, this block has been replaced by the Pogo block.

### Recent programming blocks

#### Pogo

Launched in March 2008, Cartoon Network currently runs a three-hour programming block showcasing POGO’s original productions, which include the multi-award-winning show *M.A.D.* (*Music Art and Dance*), *F.A.Q.*, and others, and it has been very well received by kids in Pakistan. A sketch show, *Sasha and Frank*, premiered on June 26, 2010 and concluded on September 4. A second season was released on October 30, 2010 and concluded on January 1, 2011. A third season premiered on February 5 but was pulled off air after the season premiered. The season returned on May 14 before concluding on October 29. The fourth season was a mash up of the second and third seasons with occasional commentary by Sasha. It premiered on April 21, 2012 before October 26, 2012. The fifth season concluded the series. It shifted from Saturdays to Mondays. It also featured a new character named Joe and premiered on January 28, 2013 before concluding with a mega series finale on May 13, 2013.

#### Toonami

The anime-dedicated Toonami block started on the broadcast premiere day of Cartoon Network Pakistan, April 2, 2004. Initially, it was a two-hour block that featured *Pokémon*, *Duel Masters*, *Beyblade*, and *Digimon*.

In late 2009, the block was extended to two and a half hours and the programming line-up was shuffled up once again. As a result, *Digimon Data Squad* replaced *Dragon Ball Z* and *Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl* replaced *Swat Kats*, followed by *Blue Dragon* and *Bakugan Battle Brawlers*. On September 11, 2009, the Toonami block went through a major overhaul along with the premieres of some new anime.

The block was pulled off from airing on March 8, 2010 but was renewed back to its original timings in 2011.

On 29 April 2013 Cartoon Network again removed the Toonami block and instead started new episodes of *Adventure Time*, moving to *Oggy and the Cockroaches* and concluding with a one-hour block of *Tom and Jerry Tales*.

Toonami returned to Cartoon Network on 1 October 2013.

## Criticism and controversy

In 2005, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority issued an order regarding the ban of several non-private channels because they were airing programmes in Hindi that were dubbed in India. Later, the Cartoon Network and another channel of Hindi versions had been switched to English versions on the Pemra's instructions but the mixed so-called Hindustani feed of the channels were back after a few months.

In early 2010, PEMRA again issued a notice against the non-private channels, which resulted in a complete ban of Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network's Pakistan feed. Once again, the issue was the Hindi dubbed shows on its schedule line up and the Government's demand for a private kids' channel affiliated with PTV instead. The ban stayed and was not lifted till the end of July 2011.

On August 1, an announcement was made by the Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Firdous Ashiq Awan. She said "Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon, have been granted permission to air programmes in Pakistan." But at the closure, she expressed her interest in a private TV channel once again and said, "The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority will accommodate private TV channel if someone wished to launch channel for children."

## See also

* List of Kids channels in South Asia
* Cartoon Network
* Cartoon Network India
* Pogo
* Deepto TV

## References

1. ↑ Cartoon Network Begins Dedicated Pakistani Transmission. PakPositive. Retrieved on 2014-04-02.
2. ↑ Pakistans very own Cartoon Network. Defence.pk. Archived from the original on 2011-10-01. Retrieved on 2014-04-02.
3. ↑ [1] **Script error: No such module "webarchive".**
4. ↑ Cartoon Network Pakistan anime Series Update **Script error: No such module "webarchive".**
5. ↑ PAKISTAN: Operators slam Pemra move to ban channels, UCLA International Institute. International.ucla.edu (2005-12-22). Archived from the original on 2014-02-20. Retrieved on 2014-04-02.
6. ↑ Two foreign channels for kids get Pakistan’s nod - Thaindian News. Thaindian.com (2011-08-02). Retrieved on 2014-04-02.

## External links

* Official website (region-locked)
* Cartoon Network Pakistan on Facebook