ENI published detailes on the Cartoon Network’s upfronts from this past week on their site…

At the Cartoon Network Upfront presentation held today in New York, the network announced its programming line-up for 2008. On the heels of February’s announcement that Star Wars: The Clone Wars will come to Cartoon Network as a series in the fall, George Lucas, the creator and steward of the Star Wars brand, attended the Upfront event to provide additional details on this highly anticipated offering. Building on the unprecedented success of last fall’s live-action movie Ben 10: Race Against Time-the highest-rated telecast in Cartoon Network history-and the standout new series Chowder, the network announced a two-pronged, 360 degree programming strategy that speaks to its success in developing and acquiring first-rate brands. This approach incorporates a Sunday night movie franchise, two new nights of original programming, the launch of The Cartoonstitute-an unprecedented, swift development program for animated pilots-and a continued commitment to healthy living through its GET ANIMATED initiative.

“Cartoon Network has proven with the success of great brands and series like Ben 10 and Chowder that we have what kids want,” said Stuart Snyder, president and COO, Turner Animation, Young Adults & Kids Media. “Star Wars: The Clone Wars is a game changer for us and continues our commitment to staying in the forefront of offering kids something completely different than what they are seeing anywhere else.”

“The time being spent by kids across all of our platforms lets us know that they are deeply engaged in what is being offered by Cartoon and are experiencing the network in a variety of ways,” said Beth Goss, executive vice president of Cartoon Network Ad Sales, Marketing and Enterprises. “Our portfolio is appealing to our audience and with marketers as well, thanks to strong branding, dynamic programming and innovative promotion.”

Mirroring the network’s effort to diversify its on-air offerings with live-action originals as well as more sophisticated dramatic and adventure programming, Cartoon Network will develop content in two primary tracks: fantasy/adventure and comedy.


— Star Wars: The Clone Wars will anchor this strategy with fantasy/adventure on Friday nights, the network announced, along with the new animated action series from Warner Bros. Animation, Batman: The Brave and the Bold; Ben 10: Alien Force; and the previously announced The Secret Saturdays, which will premiere with 26 episodes in the fall.

Click HERE to read the rest of the details about the Cartoon Network’s fall schedule.