It is the flagship property of The Cartoon Network, Inc. Founded by Betty Cohen who was also appointed by Ted Turner as the first president of the network , [ 1 ] the channel was launched on October 1, , and primarily broadcasts animated television series , mostly children's programming, ranging from action to animated comedy.
It currently runs from 6 a. Cartoon Network primarily targets children aged 6 to 12, [ 2 ] while its early morning block Cartoonito is aimed at preschool -aged children, [ 3 ] and evening block Adult Swim targets teenagers and young adults aged 13 to As of November [update] , Cartoon Network is available to approximately 66 million pay television households in the United Statesβdown from its peak of million households in However, Turner kept much of the film and television library made before May including some of the UA library and formed Turner Entertainment Co.
This show debuted in , offering original animated shorts. The network could then continue more original productions. The network's original programming is produced at Cartoon Network Studios, while other shows have either been co-produced with or acquired from other studios, including the affiliated Warner Bros.
In the past, Cartoon Network has also produced and aired live-action and animated hybrid programming. Over the years, Cartoon Network has aired various Looney Tunes , Merrie Melodies , Tom and Jerry , and Droopy shorts in constant rotation, dating back to the network's launch in until In its early days, Cartoon Network benefited from having access to a large collection of animated programming, including the libraries of Warner Bros.
Turner's ownership of Hanna-Barbera gave the network access to an established animation studio, something its rivals didn't have. Much of Cartoon Network's original programming originates from the network's in-house studio, Cartoon Network Studios.
