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The Rise and Fall of Saturday Morning Cartoons

Weird History | April 18, 2025



Saturday mornings used to be sacred animation time. Generations of kids, fueled by bowls of sugary cereal (likely advertised during their Saturday TV sessions), flocked to screens for a binge-worthy block of cartoon programming – whether it was Looney Tunes, Animaniacs, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the aptly named The Weekenders, or any other classic animated series. So, what happened to Saturday morning cartoons?

From the 1960s to the 1980s, cartoons dominated kids’ early Saturday TV schedules. Most people probably can’t recall when this long-running, popular tradition stopped because cartoons gradually phased out of their lives as they aged. Perhaps, like the downfall of G4 TV, the phenomenon could never last. Profitability, changing viewing habits, and even legislation played a part in the eventual extinction of blocks of animated programming from weekend airwaves.

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#cartoon #saturdaymorningcartoons #weirdhistory

Written by Weird History




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