Cartoonito (British and Irish TV channel)

Cartoonito
	Logo used since 2022
Country	United Kingdom
Broadcast area	United Kingdom; Ireland; Malta
Network	Cartoon Network Too; (2006–2007); Cartoon Network; (2022–present)
Headquarters	London, England, United Kingdom
Programming
Language(s)	English
Picture format	16:9 576i SDTV
Ownership
Owner	Warner Bros. Discovery EMEA
Sister channels	Cartoon Network; Boomerang; CNN International
History
Launched	Block; 4 September 2006 (original); 1 March 2022 (relaunch); Channel ; 24 May 2007
Replaced	Cartoon Network Too; (original version)
Closed	Block; 23 May 2007 (original)
Links
Website	www.cartoonito.co.uk
Availability
Terrestrial
	See separate section

Cartoonito is a British pay television channel which targets children between the ages of 3 and 6.^[1] It is run by Warner Bros. Discovery under its International division. Unlike Cartoon Network and Boomerang, Cartoonito doesn't have a +1 or an HD simulcast in the UK.^[2]

History

Launch as a strand on Cartoon Network Too (2006–2007)

Former logo with purple eyes, used from 2006 to 2018

On 14 August 2006, Turner Broadcasting System Europe announced they would launch a new pre-school-oriented strand for Cartoon Network Too known as Cartoonito, which would launch on 4 September, running from 6:00AM to 3:00PM.^[3]

Relaunch as a full channel (2007–2017)

Former logo with black eyes, used from 2018 to 2022

On 2 May 2007, Turner announced that they would expand Cartoonito to a full-time network on 24 May 2007. This allowed Cartoon Network Too to merge and replace Toonami, allowing the full Cartoonito channel to launch in the ex-Cartoon Network Too slot.^[4]

On 24 May 2007, at 3:00 AM, Cartoonito launched as a standalone channel on Sky channel 619, just after the old version of Cartoon Network Too closed at 7 PM the previous day. The channel was broadcast from 3:00AM until 7:00PM and originally timeshared with Turner Classic Movies 2 (later became Turner Classic Movies +1 after 13 August 2013).^[5]

On 28 August 2009, it was announced that a Cartoonito block would air on Boomerang from 9:00am-10:30am on school-term weekdays beginning in September. The block aimed to introduce the Cartoonito brand to viewers who had never seen the programmes the channel offered.^[6]

On 1 March 2010, it was announced that Cartoonito would be added to Virgin Media by April, and wad added as such on 25 March.^[7] For the launch, the channel's broadcast hours was changed by one hour, from 3:00AM until 7:00PM to 4:00AM until 8:00PM.

On 26 October 2013, Cartoonito was launched on BT TV, and Cartoonito launched on Plusnet in May 2015. On 15 December 2016, Cartoonito was added to TalkTalk.^[8]

Introduction of 24 hour broadcasting and 2018 UK rebrand (2017–2022)

Cartoonito shifted its aspect ratio to 16:9 widescreen on 1 November 2017. The channel moved to a full 24 hour schedule on 15 January 2018.^[9] On 2 March 2018, the channel was announced for a rebrand with an updated website. The logo remained the same, with the only difference being that the eyes were changed from purple to black.^[10]

2022 UK rebrand and strand relaunch on Cartoon Network (2022–present)

On 1 February 2022, the channel rebranded with the new 2021 logo and bumpers.^[11] Following the rebrand, a Cartoonito strand launched on its sister channel Cartoon Network, airing weekdays from 9:00AM until 10:00AM (was briefly extend to end at 11:00AM from Spring until the Summer of 2022).^[12]

On 1 October 2023, the channel transitioned to utilising the same style of promos as Discovery's free-to-air channels, although it remains a pay network.