Cartoon Network Blasts Off!

 It was on October 1st, 1992 that Turner Broadcasting Systems launched the Cartoon Network. After acquiring a large cartoon library through his acquisitions of companies like MGM and Hanna-Barbera, Ted Turner needed a home for all of these toons, and thus the Cartoon Network was conceived. To celebrate the grand occasion, Turner hosted a launch event, where he, alongside his cartoon compatriots, started the network with a bang! Below are two photos of the events, with Ted ready to launch a stick of dynamite, while the likes of Fred Flintstone and Yogi Bear brace for impact. It's also funny to see the second image, pulled from The Birmingham Post Herald, incorrectly refer to Jane Jetson as Wilma Flintstone. Somebody didn't know their cartoon redheads!

Next up, I thought I'd share a newspaper excerpt discussing the ceremony. This article, from the October 1st edition of News and Record, focuses more on the fact that the channel wasn't initially available in Atlanta, but for today, I'm only sharing the section focused on its launch.

Cartoon Network suffers slow start

By Jeffrey Scott
New York Times News Service

ATLANTA –  At noon today, several million Americans will have the chance to listen inside the visionary mind of Ted Turner, and what they'll hear is this: "Sploing! Boing! Bam! Splat!"

    That's the signature sound of Turner's latest 24-hour cable channel, the Cartoon Network. In a private ceremony today, Turner himself will launch the channel with a push of an Acme dynamite plunger on the front lawn of Turner Broadcasting System Inc.'s facility on Techwood Drive.

    The Plunger will spark a fuse, which will explode a barrel of colored chicken feathers and confetti. Then, on a huge TV screen will pop the picture: a cartoon character named Droopy Dog introducing the world to Turner's new "cartoon universe."

As an added bonus to today's post, here's probably the coolest find related to this event. Here's a short but neat clip of the ceremony, featuring a better look at the many characters who were in attendance. I have to say, it's interesting to see Jane and Judy Jetson among the crowd, as I've never seen those particular mascot costumes in any other context. Another interesting fact is that the man inside the Tom costume is, apparently, none other than Mike Lazzo. Lazzo was a key executive in shaping CN's early years, and later moved on to being the architect behind Adult Swim, where he stayed until he retired at the end of 2019. There's a great photo of him smoking a cigarette inside the costume during this, but I unfortunately couldn't remember the site I initially found it on.

I hope you've enjoyed this look at CN's humble beginnings, as this is only the start in a week-long dive into the early years of the station, back when all it aired was old Looney Tunes, MGM, and Hanna-Barbera cartoons. I've got some great stuff in store for this celebration, and I hope you are as eager about it as I am!