Turner Broadcasting is set to launch its first UK radio channel to
promote the Cartoon Network brand.
Lifting characters straight from Cartoon Network, Toon FM107 will
broadcast across north-west and central London under a restrictive
service licence.
The channel will run for a ten-day period from 1 November, timed to
coincide with the school half-term break.
Programmes ranging from Scooby Doo to Jack Potato’s Cult Toons will
feature in a mix of stories, jokes, competitions and an events listings
guide, also accessible via the Cartoon Network website. The format will
feature 80 per cent music and 20 per cent news and child-orientated
discussions.
James Greville, Cartoon Network head, said it will concentrate on
getting the content right before it starts looking for advertisers - but
he confirmed the network had already secured Virgin Cola and Nestle to
sponsor the trial run.
Promotions will be broadcast on Cartoon Network’s satellite and cable
channel.
Greville said: ’Cartoon Network has already extended its offering from
TV, including Toon Text. The move is purely experimental. We’ll have to
see what the listener response is before we look at the future.’