From Monday 6th March, Toonami will be adding live action drama and comedy to its cartoon line up so broadening the appeal of the channel.

On the same day Toonami will move lower down on the Sky EPG to channel 602 (currently on 621), the position next to Cartoon Network.

Aimed at boys and girls 6 to 12 years old, Toonami is the first kids channel from Turner Broadcasting to include live action series which will be added to the channel’s popular cartoons including The Batman, Pokémon, Justice League, Teen Titans and Static Shock.

New shows include the smash hit US comedy, Life With Derek, sun and surf based Aussie soap, Blue Water High and the ultimate pranksters guide to high-school life, Parker Lewis Can’t Lose. Stencil is a daily sports show concentrating on surfing, skateboarding, BMXing and breakdancing and Backyard Science teaches kids simple experiments they can do at home.

In addition to the new shows the channel will have an entirely new on air look with a novel and unique presentation style and a brand new website to match.

Two television campaigns promoting the new look and live action shows with both 30 and 60 second spots have been booked on children’s channels including Nickelodeon and Trouble in addition to substantial press advertising, online banners, competitions, emails and texts. The media was bought by Mediacom, with the creative prepared in partnership between Turner’s in-house design team and communications agency, Fold 7.

“Now that Toonami is well established and moving to its new position we are broadening its appeal. It will be the natural choice for pre-teen boys and girls looking for a general mix of entertainment from a channel that they can feel is their own,” said Paul Cackett, Toonami’s Channel Manager.

“By broadening the mix of shows and moving to a prime location on the Sky EPG we are adding an extra dimension to our traditional core audience. This is crucial in a market characterised by increased competition. We have always been at the forefront of audience delivery for our clients and this move will further strengthen our position,” said Simon Cox, vice president of entertainment ad sales.

Turner Broadcasting is also launching Boomerang +1 on March 6th on EPG 621 as well as brand new channel Cartoon Network TOO later in the year so increasing its kids portfolio and boosting its penetration in the UK market. Turner Broadcasting owns the premiere group of UK kids channels and these new launches will bolster its position and improve its audience share in an increasingly fragmented and fiercely competitive market.

Related link:
Boomerang +1 confirmed for March launch