It’s a rough time to be in any facet of the entertainment industry besides CEO or “Minion.” Massive unemployment as the result of poor business decisions at the top, along with the flirtations with AI, means that following your talent and getting a job in the medium you love is much less of an option for the public at large. (Miss me with your “gEt a reAll jobbb” takes.)
Nowhere is that struggle more prevalent as of late than in the animation industry.
Folks across social media are mourning the shuttering of the Cartoon Network building in Burbank, CA.
As you drove down N. 3rd street, that giant logo was impossible to miss, reminding all passing drivers of classic shows like Dexter’s Laboratory, Johnny Bravo, Powerpuff Girls, and countless others.
While the network is not technically dead—it’s just very sick, having been severely downsized and moved into a single building on the Warner Brothers lot down the road—it still signifies the end of an era.
It also marks another sign of the times for the industry.
The tributes come as negotiations are heating up for the next TAG (The Animation Guild) contract with the studios, which could lead to a potentially imminent strike. Twitter/X account Animation Workers Ignited shared a video tweet captioned: "Cartoon Network is dead?!?! Spread the word about what's at stake for animation!!! Post about your favorite Cartoon Network shows using #RIPCartoonNetwork."
The video lays out the sorry state of things for animation workers. (Full disclosure: former animation worker and TAG member here!)
So while the industry is in a sorry state, it’s not too late for things to turn around. If Cartoon Network still has life in it, there is hope. Stay tooned…
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