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by Kirk Bangstad
kirk.bangstad@animationschoolreview.com
Animation School Review Columnist

British Telecom (BT) is planning to revolutionize at-home communications by offering Internet/phone/TV access on their broadband network. To get the ball rolling, they’ve teamed up with some popular television networks who will offer content to subscribers. The Cartoon Network was the latest company to ink a deal.

The next wave of communication is about to hit the general public—the English public, that is. A number of communication companies in England are gearing up to offer high speed internet, voice, and TV service. BT and NTL, England’s largest cable providers, are racing against each other and BskyB, a satellite TV provider, to be the first to offer these new packaged services.

Cartoon Network among Many Content Providers to Ink Deals

To make their services more attractive, these companies need to provide content that people want to see. Along with contracting the services of the Cartoon Network, BT has signed deals with other large networks, including BBC Worldwide, Paramount, Warner Music Group, and National Geographic, among others.

These companies want to be the one-stop-shop for communications. By packaging phone, internet, and TV services together, they can charge their customers a higher monthly rate, but make them feel like they’re getting their money’s worth. This may be true, because the customer won’t have to pay three separate companies’ monthly bills that could possibly amount to more than a combined service package.

Cartoons and Other Content are Key

Content is a big issue however, and the public will just have to wait and see what they’ll get with their subscriptions. Cartoon Network is just the first in what BT hopes will be a comprehensive entertainment package.

Source

Cartoon Network/BT Partnership

About the Author

Kirk Bangstad is a singer living in Chicago, IL. Having received his B.A. in Government at Harvard, Kirk previously worked as a management consultant.

by Kirk Bangstad
kirk.bangstad@animationschoolreview.com
Animation School Review Columnist

Tony Millionaire, creator of the famous underground comic strip named “Maakies,” is making his animating debut in a show called “The Drinky Crow Show,” which will be aired on the Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim program.

Tony Millionaire was recently interviewed by a writer at Adventures Underground, a website and purveyor of books, comics, and art. Millionaire made his rather unique name even more unforgettable as the creator of “Maakies,” a hugely popular comic strip. “Maakies” became so popular that representatives from the Cartoon Network approached Millionaire about creating a cartoon that would syndicate on Adult Swim, the format for the Cartoon Network’s more mature audience.

Millionaire New to Cartoons, but Not to Humor

Millionaire had never written for TV before, nor had he ever animated a cartoon. He had proven that he was extremely funny and that his style of illustration was unique. The Cartoon Network helped him put together a team that would enable him to overcome his inexperience. Eric Kaplan, a writer for “Futurama” and “Malcolm in the Middle,” is helping Millionaire with the script, and a Romanian animation studio is turning Millionaire’s illustrations into 3d animation.

Cartoon Network Waiting for Pilot

At the time of the interview, Millionaire had almost finished the cartoon’s pilot episode. He said that if execs at the Cartoon Network liked the cartoon, they would probably buy a season’s worth of them and then evaluate audience response before adding another season.

Source

Interview With Tony Millionaire
Adventures Underground

About the Author

Kirk Bangstad is a singer living in Chicago, IL. Having received his B.A. in Government at Harvard, Kirk previously worked as a management consultant.