MeTV
MeTV, an acronym for Memorable Entertainment Television, is an American broadcast television network owned by Weigel Broadcasting. Marketed as "The Definitive Destination for Classic TV", the network airs a variety of classic television programs from the 1950s through the late 2000s. It was launched on January 6, 2003 as a programming block on WFBT-CA and eventually as a national network on December 15, 2010.
On January 2, 2021, the network began airing Bugs Bunny and Friends, an hour-long program consisting of classic Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies theatrical shorts, as part of the Saturday Morning Cartoons block.[1]
Later on January 4, 2021, MeTV debuted Toon in with Me, an anthology TV series that broadcasts theatrical shorts from the Golden Age of American animation, and hosted by Bill the "cartoon curator" and his fish sidekick Toony in various segments.[2] Like the Saturday Morning Cartoons block, the program primarily consists of cartoons from Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, in addition to others such as the Tom and Jerry series from MGM, and Popeye the Sailor Man from Fleischer and Famous Studios (both of which are owned by Turner Entertainment under Warner Bros.; with license from King Features Syndicate for the latter). Toon in With Me also airs on the MeTV Plus digital network, usually in repeats of episodes aired earlier at the same day.
On June 25, 2024, Weigel Broadcasting announced that they will launch a sister channel called MeTV Toons, which will be dedicated to classic cartoons from the 1930s to the 1960s, including the library owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, including the above, and various TV cartoons by Hanna-Barbera such as Scooby-Doo, The Flintstones and Yogi Bear. Additionally, Warner's animated library will also be aired on the channel alongside other licensed properties, including Woody Woodpecker from Universal.[3]
Programs
- Toon in With Me
- Bugs Bunny and Friends[Note 1]
Behind the scenes
- Unlike other free-to-air and basic cable channels in the United States, MeTV primarily airs the Warner Bros. shorts uncut and uncensored, with rare exceptions to depictions of gun violence and self-harm in some shorts. However, MeTV still edits and bans some shorts for outdated racial content, including use of racist language, caricatures, and imagery.
- Ironically, most depictions of Native Americans and other Indigenous people remain unedited in airings of the cartoons they appeared in.
External links
Notes
- ↑ The program consists of reruns of classic Warner Bros. cartoons, namely Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies.
References
- ↑ Saturday Morning Cartoons are coming to MeTV this January! MeTV.com (Nov 25, 2020).
- ↑ "'Toon in With Me' Premieres January 4 on the MeTV Network". Animation World Network (December 22, 2020).
- ↑ Nemetz, Dave (May 1, 2024). "New Channel MeTV Toons to Air Classic Cartoons Like Looney Tunes, Scooby-Doo, Tom & Jerry and More". TV Line. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
