Warner Bros. output wind down, behind Kids WB end
Nine once had an expensive output deal with Warner Bros. but as its expiry leads to the end of long-running kids' show.
- Published by David Knox
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More detail has come to light around the end of Kids WB on Nine.
Last week TV Tonight revealed staff had been given 2 weeks notice, ending a run after just over 13 years.
Hamish Turner, Director of Programming at Nine, has since explained the expiry of an expensive output deal with Warner Bros. was pivotal to the decision to discontinue the show, hosted by Lauren Phillips and Andy Sunderland at GTV9.
“WB Kids came from a time when we had the output deal with Warner Brothers and we had to maximize the utility of animation, which was that part of that package. If I look back now I think ‘That was madness,'” he explained.
“The deal was originally in ’97 or something. I think at one point they were probably paying $200 million a year. Crazy times.”
Former host Shura Taft last week said the show kicked off his career.
“We were actually Live across Australia for many years and most people who work in TV will tell you nothing is better than being live. The feeling that anything could happen at any time, is the best energy you can find. We were lucky to have a cavalcade of stars come through and appear as guests and in the years since I left, Lauren, Andrew, Shane and Andy certainly did the show proud taking over from Georgia, Heidi and I. It was always the little show with the big heart,” he said.
Nine still plans to show children’s content in the timeslot when Kids WB ends shortly.
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8 Responses
Does that mean the end of cartoon series from Cartoon Network / Warner Bros on Nine? maybe more Disney content? or another wasteland of repeats?
What was really crazy and madness, was that Nine didn’t even bother to show the cartoon series from Cartoon Network / Warner Bros back in the late 90s/ early 2000s, only a few were shown at random times in the dead of the night.
See follow up story under News.
They would’ve made their money back from ER and Friends alone
AT&T, the owners of Warner Media, must be watching with interest the public’s reaction to Disney’s streaming model. FTA will be a desolate place tor entertainment if Warner’s content disappears.
HBO MAX is where the Warner content will turn up, the question will be how they handle this service internationally. Launching in a few international markets, but with various WB titles across Nine, Ten and Seven local rights may need to be pulled back.
Wasn’t the movies, ad rev from Big Bang, Friends, Without a Trace, Cold Case alone would have paid for the overall deal.
And Without a Trace has just gone to Seven. I’d expect more.
$200 million for an output deal in Australia!? Geez, I know they were once vital (and to an extent still are) and back then did massive numbers especially when US sitcoms/dramas were leading the way here.
But I sure hope all those B-grade Warner Bros Steven Seagal movies they used to run as nauseam worked a treat 😉