(Thanks to Wade Jeffrey for forwarding this.) ABC drops "ReBoot" and "Bump in the Night" from their Saturday morning lineup ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- >From "Daily Variety", 30-Jan-96, page 4. == Disney Re-Toons ABC Saturday == = Web add 5 shows, including 3 from Mouse; DIC pair dumped = By BRIAN LOWRY ABC will dramatically overhaul its Saturday-morning lineup in the fall, including five new programs -- three of those from new parent the Walt Disney Co. Disney, which stated that it would take an active role in programming ABC's Saturday-morning schedule, will produce "The Jungle Book's Jungle Cubs", which ties into the movie; "The Mighty Ducks", a new concept related to the hockey franchise; and "Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles", new episodes spun off from the show that currently airs as part of the syndicated "Disney Afternoon." The other new shows are "All New Doug", picking up with new episodes of the Nickelodeon series; and "Bone Chillers", a live-action show from producer Fred Silverman and Hyperion Studios. A sixth new half-hour, the live-action sci-fi entry "Hypernauts", will premiere in March. ABC also announced that the ABC Afterschool Special" series will return for a 24th season, with eight specials planned for the coming season. Only two existing series, Warner Bros.' hourlong "The Bugs Bunny & Tweety Show" and "ABC Weekend Special", will return, with the latter expanding to an hour. Among the shows canceled are "What a Mess", "Free Willy", Madeline", "Bump in the Night", "ReBoot", "Dumb and Dumber", and the Amblin TV-produced "Fudge". The changes are particularly sweeping give that ABC essentially ranks second season to date in the daypart, running neck-and-neck with CBS behind the Fox Children's Network. DIC Entertainment, a limited partnership with CapCities/ABC, was particularly hard hit in losing two existing ABC series. Observers have speculated that DIC might be the odd man out with Disney acquiring ABC, though the company remains an active supplier of children's programming in the other webs as well as firstrun syndication. ABC pointed out that the lineup reflects "a diverse group of outside suppliers" while acknowledging the presence of three new Disney series. The network did drop its only existing Disney show, the long-running "Winnie the Pooh", which had been a late addition to the lineup. Nevertheless, "Mighty Ducks" represents the sort of cross-promotional synergy for which Disney is known. The show -- about "six crime-fighting ducks from an alien planet where hockey is a way of life, (who) have pursued the reptilian intergalactic conqueror Draconus to Earth" -- will help promote the Disney-owned NHL franchise. According to the network, "Jungle Cubs", "Doug" and the weekend special all will qualify under the Children's Television Act, meaning ABC will offer two hours of FCC-friendly programming each Saturday. The new lineup will premiere Sept. 7. Time periods are as follows (all Eastern time): "The Jungle Book's Jungle Cubs", 8 a.m.; "All New Doug", 8:30 a.m.; "The Mighty Ducks", 8; "Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles", 9:30; "Hypernauts", 10; "Bone Chillers", 10:30; "Bugs Bunny & Tweety Show", 11; "ABC Weekend Special", noon. UPN already has announced a revised Sunday-morning animation block, and other Saturday-morning schedules will be announced shortly as the webs head into the upfront selling season in that daypart.