Cartoon Network is forming Cartoon Network Studios, an independentproduction facility to develop and produce original animated programmingfor the 24-hour, all-cartoon cable channel. The new, Los Angeles-basedfacility, due to begin operation by the end of the year, will give CartoonNetwork more control over series development, production, andadministration procedures. Among the series that the new studio willproduce are the currently airing THE POWERPUFF GIRLS, JOHNNY BRAVO, andDEXTER'S LABORATORY. Staff and talent currently associated with these showswill retain their positions at Cartoon Network Studios. Before this newswas officially announced, there were rumors that the Hanna-Barbera studiohad been renamed Cartoon Network Studios. This is not true. According to aCartoon Network spokesperson, "Cartoon Network Studios is a separate entitycreated for production of Cartoon Network originals. Hanna-Barbera stillexists under the Warner Bros. domain and will continue to create 'classic'material such as Scooby-Doo specials." This move appears to be the finalchapter in the reorganization of Time-Warner's animation divisions sincethe merger with Turner Broadcasting in late 1996. Now Warner's FeatureAnimation and TV Animation production divisions, as well as Hanna-Barbera,are united under President Jean MacCurdy, while Cartoon Network is forminga separate studio to feed their competing network.
