New network for classic cartoons is coming: MeTV Toons

Classic cartoon fans will soon have another source for watching Bugs Bunny, Jonny Quest, Rocky and Bullwinkle, Speed Racer, and more. Bruce Haring on Deadline.com reports that a new network, MeTV Toons, is set to launch June 25, 2024

The new MeTV Toons collaboration between Warner Bros. Discovery and Weigel – the company behind the MeTV Network – will welcome dozens of the world's classic cartoons, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Scooby Doo, Tom & Jerry, George Jetson, Top Cat, Yogi Bear, Popeye, Johnny Quest and Fred Flintstone, among others.

Alongside Warner Bros. properties, other cartoon characters joining MeTV Toons include Rocky and Bullwinkle, Woody Woodpecker, Casper, Betty Boop, Speed Racer and more. The network will be available for multi-platform distribution on over-the-air broadcast television, traditional MVPD's and virtual MVPD's, along with a complimentary offering for ad-supported streaming services.

I've always felt that the Looney Tunes (Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, etc.) cartoons in particular have not been treated with the amount of prestige and reverence that they deserve. Many (e.g., me) believe that the best of them are among the best pieces of comedy ever made.

This seemed to be on the way to being corrected when the Warner Bros. Discovery's HBO/Max streaming service debuted, with Looney Tunes getting prominent placement, presented with historical context. However, among the Zaslav regime's anti-entertainment self-sabotages was a decision to greatly scale back their availability on the service.

So I'm glad they'll get more opportunities to to air on this new network. As well as some other genuinely hilarious classic cartoons, like Rocky and Bullwinkle. The fact that comics historian Jerry Beck is on board is a great sign that all these cartoons will be presented with some dignity and respect for their history.