Adult Swim Timeslot Faces Questions Amid Expansion Rumor
In the era of streaming, it can be hard to suss out what hits on cable and what doesn't. From sitcoms to thrillers and beyond, Hollywood has tried it all. Now, Warner Bros. Discovery may be ready to shake up its strategy for Cartoon Network in light of new data, and the shift would reportedly put Adult Swim on the air at 6 pm EST.
Yes, you read that right. Adult Swim may be getting another hour-long expansion, and Warner Bros. Discovery says the shift is due to cable television's demographic these days.
So of course, let's break down the data. Earlier today, Warner Bros. Discovery allegedly announced plans to expand Adult Swim by an hour, and this comes shortly after the late-night block was moved up to 7 pm EST. It looks like the results have been good given this new move by the network, and this timing coincides with data detailing cable television's demographic. It seems kids greatly prefer watching content online which leaves adults responsible for cable ratings. It is worth noting this info surfaced during an upfronts event and has not been confirmed through any official channels (i.e. press release).
According to information from Statista, 75% of Cartoon Network viewers sampled are over the age of 18. Of that group, more than 40% of the audience is over 30 years old, so that is a far cry from the target demo Cartoon Network markets itself towards. As of 2022, the network's standard primetime block from 6-8 pm was dominated by audiences over the age of 18. In fact, 68% of viewers fell in that category, so Adult Swim is now moving up to catch those older fans.
Currently, there is no set date for Adult Swim's time change, but fans are curious to see how it goes into effect as summer rolls in. The season is marked by family vacations and school breaks, so TV networks will be looking to scoop up audience numbers. Adult Swim could bring in older audiences with this primetime swap. And of course, netizens are hoping this program expansion will push Warner Bros. Discovery to upgrade Toonami as well.
For now, we will have to wait and see how Adult Swim's schedule shifts in all of this upheaval. Currently, the late-night program kicks off with King of the Hill before shows like Bob's Burgers, American Dad, and Rick & Morty come around. New or returning shows could be added to spruce up the schedule for new viewers. So if you have