We came across several posts on Facebook and X claiming that Cartoon Network – the popular television channel – is shutting down. Many social media users expressed that Cartoon Network holds a special place in their hearts, having been a cherished part of their childhood, and therefore found the news of its potential shutdown devastating. Some X posts also included the hashtag #RIPCartoonNetwork, further fuelling the perception that the channel is ceasing operations.
How did the posts come about?
When we looked into the origins of the claim about Cartoon Network’s closure, we found that the hashtag #RIPCartoonNetwork appears to have first been used by an X account called Animation Workers Ignited, a community-run account based in the US that focuses on sharing information about the animation industry.
On 8 July 2024, the account posted: “Cartoon Network is dead?!?! Spread the word about what’s at stake for animation!!! Post about your favorite Cartoon Network shows using #RIPCartoonNetwork…,” along with a call for members of The Animation Guild, a US-based union of animation artists, to complete a survey.
The post, which had garnered 11.2 million views as of the time this fact-check was written, was accompanied by an animated video stating that Cartoon Network is essentially dead. The video highlighted the difficulties faced by animation workers, including high unemployment rates, project cancellations, and job outsourcing.
Is Cartoon Network shutting down for good?
Following their X post on 8 July 2024, Animation Workers Ignited issued a clarification in a subsequent post, stating that their earlier message did not imply that Cartoon Network as a channel was shutting down. Instead, they explained that the original Cartoon Network studio was no longer operational. The account noted, “Cartoon Network still exists as a brand and channel. Outsourcing and corporate mergers have led to less jobs for animation workers”.
In July 2023, it was announced that the Cartoon Network studio building in Burbank, California, would be shut down. This decision was part of a broader plan to merge Cartoon Network and Warner Bros. animator groups, which would relocate to a different site, as well as belt-tightening restructuring measures by Warner Bros. TV Group.
However, the Cartoon Network channel is still operational. Cartoon Network has also issued a statement to clarify that the network or channel is not shutting down.
Therefore, the claim that Cartoon Network is shutting down is false. The #RIPCartoonNetwork hashtag might have misled some social media users who lacked the complete context behind it, leading them to misinterpret it as the channel shutting down.
