Cartoon Network’s (CN) official website has been erased from the web and visitors are being redirected to its content page on the streaming service Max. Both CN and Max belong to Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Discovery shut down the entirety of cartoonnetwork.com on 8 August. Redirected visitors who wish to view CN content need to sign up for a Max subscription.
A pop-up message on the new Max landing page says: “Looking for episodes of your favorite Cartoon Network shows? Check out what’s available to stream on Max (subscription required). Sign up for Max, where you can also create a Kids Profile with ratings restrictions and additional privacy protections to keep it fun and kid-friendly! Cable subscribers, continue to enjoy your favourite CN programming on your TV and connected apps as well!”
CN website visitors from India are being redirected to its official YouTube channel in the country, which features promos and clips of the well known shows airing on the network’s TV channel – Teen Titans Go, Ben 10, Powerpuff Girls and anime like My Hero Academia and Dragon Ball Z.
A Cartoon Network spokesperson told Variety that the company is focusing on its shows and social media with the most engagement as they have more potential for growth. The representative noted that on linear TV, the channel will continue to offer 11 hours of programming from 6 am to 5 pm daily.
The CN website had previously offered full episodes and video clips for its lineup of shows including Adventure Time, Craig of the Creek, The Amazing World of Gumball, Teen Titans GO!, Steven Universe, We Bare Bears and Clarence. The site offered access to free web-based online games, including those based on its shows like Teen Titans GO!, Adventure Time and Gumball.
The termination of cartoonnetwork.com came after WB told subscribers that it will axe Boomerang, a cartoon streaming service effective from 30 September and transfer its content catalogue to Max.