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Dimitri Petrakis
Mrs. Bedell
CAS 137H
3 November 2015
Paradigm Shift Essay
For as long as most people can remember, cartoons have been a staple of American society.
Parents and grandparents can remember sitting by the TV on Saturday morning and watching some
of their favorite cartoons. But over time, the cartoon industry has dramatically evolved since its
inception. Through the advancement of the creation of animation and a change in the perception of
cartoons, the demographic of cartoon viewers has shifted from being exclusively for children to
mainly adults.
In the very beginning, from 1928-1941, cartoons were only shown before movies and during
that time, many classics were created like Bugs Bunny and the Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry, and
popular animated films like Snow White, Pinocchio and Bambi which is why this period is referred
to the golden age of animation (The Golden Age of Animation). Cartoons eventually migrated
from the theaters to the television through a landmark case where in 1948, the U.S. Supreme Court
ruled in United States v. Paramount Pictures (also known as the Hollywood Antitrust Case of 1948)
that many of the studios were classified as monopolies. The ruling forced the studios to divest
themselves of their exhibition networks which they had been using to distribute their cartoon
material through their network of theaters (Santo). As a result, the studios looked into the
revolutionary technology of the television. By the 1950s, television cartoons became a big
business with giants like Disney, MGM, and Warner Brothers leading the way in providing a steady

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stream of cartoons to the public, often recycling their cartoon characters from the theaters and
adapting them to a television medium.
During the postwar era, abstract expressionism took hold and rejected the naturalistic
approach of cartoons from the past. After witnessing the atrocities and bloodshed of World War II,
society instead turned its focus to the abstract and emotion while rejecting much of the natural and
realistic values society held before the war (Abstract Expressionism Movement, Artists and Major
Works). These principles eventually filtered down from the art culture centered in New York to
animators and the rest of society, contributing to the rise of the classic kids cartoon style that
pervaded throughout the postwar era (Abstract Expressionism Movement, Artists and Major
Works). These new cartoons had short, choppier movements of characters, a lack of depth
perception, and saturated bright colors, all of which appealed to children (The Museum of
Broadcast Communications - Encyclopedia of Television - Cartoons). Even the times of the shows
were tailored to a child audience. Kids shows were scheduled right after kids got home from
school and before the parents got home from work (Cartoons). This marketing to children
established cartoons as purely an entertainment for children with shows like Disneys Mickey
Mouse Club, Warner Brothers Looney Tunes, and MGMs Tom and Jerry.
Beginning in the 19631964 season, the networks started running cartoons on Saturday
mornings, eventually solidifying the commonplace of Saturday morning cartoons for kids. In the
early days of television, there were essentially five networks: ABC, CBS, NBC, and later on
FOX and PBS. Consequently, these five networks had to cater to the tastes of all people.
As a rule of thumb, networks aired childrens programming in times when adults did not
want to watch TV. For this reason, cartoons were syndicated during weekday afternoons
in the hours after children arrived from school and before adults arrived from work (The

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Disappearance of Saturday Morning). Large corporations like Kellogg's sponsored these cartoons
and forced the networks to expand their selections because of their widespread popularity
(Cartoons). CBS realized that both adults and children would watch, so it tailored its shows to a
family friendly subject that adults and children alike would enjoy. These cartoons entrenched the
network's first-place standing in the Saturday morning time slot. ABC and NBC eventually
followed, and in 1970 the three networks combined made nearly $67 million in advertising revenue
from their Saturday morning programming (Cartoons).
In 1980, Reagan was elected president and with that, came a new era of cartoons that
questioned the notion that kids cartoons were purely entertainment. As a firm conservative, Ronald
Reagan believed in the de-regulation of government. On November 6, 1988 Reagan vetoed a bill
that would have limited advertising during children's programming to 10.5 minutes an hour on
weekends, and 12 minutes an hour on weekdays. It would also have required broadcasters to
provide educational and informational programs for children as a condition of license renewal
(Molotsky). He also eliminated many other television standards that allowed the animators to put in
more promotional content that advertised products instead of educational or informational content.
As a result, the cartoon industry completely changed the standards of cartoon making and
merchandising, effectively tailoring cartoons as marketing to children. Instead of producing a
cartoon and then later introducing merchandise to accompany it, a line of products was introduced
before the cartoon and the cartoon would only serve to introduce new products, toys, costumes, and
accessories (Santo). For the Transformers series, the transformer toys accompanied with it would
be incorporated into half-hour animated show in which the toy in question becomes a hero or
antihero as a way to advertise (Dougherty). Parents were worried that their children were being
over-commercialized and that they didnt know where the advertisement ended and the show began.

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Accusations of increasingly violent content also pervaded this new era with shows like G.I Joe and
Transformers which featured scenes that many parents considered not suitable for children (Santo).
This time period also brought up many concerns about violence in children which prompted
the slow shift away from cartoons being purely for children. Beginning in the 1960s when John F.
Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Robert Kennedy were shot, parents became concerned with
some of what they perceived to be violent programming that their kids were watching (Cartoons).
This prompted psychiatrists to conduct multiple studies into the behavior of children while watching
violent shows. The results from these tests, which began in the 1960s as an emerging ideology,
didnt become prominent in society until the late 70s and 80s. One of the main concerns was that
by witnessing lots of violent shows as a kid, one becomes desensitized, less sensitive to the pain and
suffering of others, more jaded towards the world around him, and may be more likely to behave in
aggressive or harmful ways toward others. One study shows that children who watched many hours
of violence on television when they were in elementary school tended to show higher levels of
aggressive behavior when they became teenagers (Television and Video Violence). By observing
these participants into adulthood, psychologists found that the ones who had watched a lot of TV
violence when they were 8 years old were more likely to be arrested and prosecuted for criminal
acts as adults (Television and Video Violence). Critics of this experiment point out that not all
variables were controlled such as mental health and family life, which may have impacted the
results. Other experiments has found that children who are already at risk may be more likely to
choose to play violent video games. According to one psychiatrist, these other risk factors, as
opposed to the games, cause aggressive and violent behavior (Television and Video Violence). A
different researcher also points out that Japanese cartoons are traditionally much more violent than
American ones and he argues that the Japanese are in general, a very polite, non-aggressive people

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(Does Cartoon Violence Make Kids More Aggressive?). While not all researchers are in agreement
with the findings, most of the psychiatric community agree that the more violent the cartoons one
watches, the more likely he is to becoming desensitized and more likely to be prone to violence.
Up until this time, most if not all cartoons have been geared towards children or families
with traditional values for everyone, but all of that changed with the release of The Simpsons. The
release of The Simpsons on Fox Network in 1989 was the perfect kairotic moment that allowed the
demographic to switch from kids to adults.
Critically acclaimed, culturally cynical and economically very successful, The
Simpsons helped to define the satirical edge of prime-time television in the early 1990s and
was the single most influential program in establishing FOX as a legitimate broadcast
television network. The Simpsons shows the rich as greedy, politicians corrupt, police
officials stupid, parents easily manipulated, and the children devious which feeds into the
social criticism it employs to mock our everyday lives and satirize commonly held beliefs.
Some of the most striking characteristics of The Simpsons are its social criticism and its
references to other cultural forms. John O'Connor, television critic for The New York Times,
labeled the program "the most radical show on prime time" for parodying the hypocrisies
and contradictions found in social institutions (The Simpsons).

When it was originally received, The Simpsons was thought to be for kids just like every
other cartoon that had been released so far, but when watched, many parents adults thought that
Bart, the boy in the show, was a bad role model as an underachiever and a mischievous boy.
Schools and administrators across the country banned what became known as the underachiever
shirt which featured Bart saying he is an underachiever and proud of it. Administrators cite that the

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shirt sends an anti-school message (Stein). The controversy only made The Simpsons even more
popular and established it as an icon of American pop culture.
Other controversial events only added to its fame. President Bush Sr. made a comment that
he wanted Americans to be more like the Waltons and not the Simpsons and in the very next
episode of The Simpsons, Homer, the main character, responds directly saying that the Simpsons are
just like the Waltons, saying that they are praying for an end to the depression too, snidely
criticizing the presidents inability to help fix the nations economic woes. The president later lost
the general election to Bill Clinton 9 months later because he was thought of as out of touch with
the American public ('The Simpsons': Poking Fun at U.S. Presidents for a Quarter Century).
Although some kids did watch this show, as the Simpsons progressed, it became easily
recognizable with the political satire, religious references and sex jokes that this show was
definitely geared towards adults. What also facilitated this shift was in the transition in the main
character from Bart, the mischievous boy, to Homer, the clumsy father. Originally, the show
centered around Barts mischievous antics and adventures which was more appealing to younger
viewers, but the writers felt that viewers responded more to Homer which resonated more with adult
viewers (The Simpsons: History). The shift in the main character solidified the shows presence as
an adult show. The initial criticism fell away and the new audience of mainly adults remained.
A major technological advance for cartoons that furthered their popularity occurred in 1995
with the invention of CGI (computer generated images) animation first used in Toy Story by Disney
and Pixar. Before this invention, a huge staff of animators was necessary to be drawing 2D cells by
hand and basically projecting a flipbook onto a screen to produce a cartoon (How CGI Has Changed
the Face of Animation). With computer animation, the animations could become much more
complex and detailed while using three fourths of the original budget and using one eighth of the

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animation staff (How CGI Has Changed the Face of Animation). Now it is relatively easy to make
and produce cartoons allowing for a vast variety of cartoons to be seen every day, establishing
cartoons as a staple of American entertainment.
Coupled with the technology of CGI animation, the creation of The Simpsons opened a door
of vast possibilities for cartoons with an entirely new audience craving for more. In 1997, South
Park was released on cable which freed it from stricter FCC regulations, and with advanced
computer animation programs, the writers of South Park could parody political events almost
immediately after they happen (Santo). In 2001, Cartoon network unveiled its adult swim block as
a way to attract adult viewers. Since then, about a third of Cartoon Networks viewers are aged 1834 and as a result, Cartoon Network is the eighth largest advertiser-supported basic-cable network
on television (Santo). Also influential is Nickelodeans Spongebob Squarepants, which premiered
in 1999 and although it is mainly a kids show, it has gained widespread popularity with many
adults. Of its 56.1 million monthly viewers, its core demographic is 6-11 year olds but 13.3 million
are 9-14 year olds and 18.6 million are in the 18-to-49 category (Life's Good for SpongeBob).
Since the success of Toy Story and coupled with the speed and ease of CGI animation,
Disney and Pixar went on to create many more animated films like Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc,
Shrek, and The Incredibles, boosting the success and popularity of cartoon animation even higher
(Animated Films). This established a precedent that every few years, Disney and Pixar would
release a major animated feature film which would be a big hit at the box office (Animated Films).
Although many of these Disney and Pixar movies are traditionally meant for kids, many adults
viewers have also been drawn in. When Toy Story 3 was first released, forty percent of the audience
was recorded to be from 17-24 years old, showing that these types of movies are not only for

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children anymore (Hugel). These animated films originally intended for children have now shifted
to entertain almost mainly adults.
From being mainly for kids to mainly for adults, cartoons have gone through a dramatic shift
in the last half century. Although cartoons began as brief entertainment between movies, they have
steadily grown to become a major source of entertainment as a multimillion dollar industry geared
mainly for children. Because of The Simpsons, and its success with edgy social criticism, it
prompted the creation of more daring animations that allowed the perception of cartoons to shift
from kids to adults. As technology improved, cartoons became cheaper to make and allowed the
cartoon industry to become a staple of American entertainment. Thanks to a change in the
perception of cartoons, and advancing technology, cartoons have become a commonplace of
American television where mainly adults can enjoy all kinds of cartoons and the possibilities of
future cartoons are endless.

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Works Cited
"Abstract Expressionism Movement, Artists and Major Works." The Art Story. N.p., n.d. Web. 30
Nov. 2015.
"Animated Films." Filmsite. AMC, n.d. Web. 3 Dec. 2015.
"Cartoons." Dictionary of American History. 2003. "Cartoons." Encyclopedia.com. HighBeam
Research, 01 Jan. 2003. Web. 30 Nov. 2015.
"The Disappearance of Saturday Morning." AWN. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Nov. 2015.
"Does Cartoon Violence Make Kids More Aggressive?" School A to Z. N.p., n.d.
Web. 3 Nov. 2015.
Dougherty, Philip H. "Advertising; Explaining Toys to Children." The New York Times. The New
York Times, 04 Aug. 1985. Web. 30 Nov. 2015.
"The Golden Age of Animation." Tvtropes. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Nov. 2015.
"How CGI Has Changed the Face of Animation." My Vue. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2015.
Hugel, Melissa. "Why Children's Movie Audiences Are Filled With 24-Year-Olds." Mic. N.p., 13
Dec. 2013. Web. 03 Dec. 2015.
"Life's Good for SpongeBob." USATODAY.com - Life's Good for SpongeBob. N.p., 17 May 2002.
Web. 30 Nov. 2015.
Molotsky, Irvin. "Reagan Vetoes Bill Putting Limits on TV Programming for
Children." New York Times [New York] 7 Nov. 1988: n. pag. Print.
"The Museum of Broadcast Communications - Encyclopedia of Television - Cartoons." The
Museum of Broadcast Communications - Encyclopedia of Television - Cartoons. N.p., n.d.
Web. 30 Nov. 2015.
Santo, Avi. "Cartoons, History of." Encyclopedia of Children, Adolescents, and the Media. Vol.

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1. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Reference, 2007. 143-148. Gale Virtual Reference Library.
Web. 3 Nov. 2015.
Stein, Sharman. "Bart: It's Buy Him Or Bash Him." Chicago Tribune (1963-Current file): 2. Jun
03 1990. ProQuest. Web. 3 Nov. 2015.
"The Simpsons: History." Infoplease. Infoplease, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2015.
"The Simpsons." Museum.tv. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Nov. 2015.
"'The Simpsons': Poking Fun at U.S. Presidents for a Quarter Century." AEI. N.p., n.d. Web.
30 Nov. 2015.
"Television and Video Violence." Psychology: Science in Action. APA, Nov. 2013.
Web. 3 Nov. 2015.

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(watchmojo)http://www.watchmojo.com/video/id/10644/
(museum)http://www.museum.tv/eotv/cartoons.htm
(schoolatozhttp://www.schoolatoz.nsw.edu.au/technology/using-technology/does-cartoon-violencemake-kids-more-aggressive
(apa)http://www.apa.org/action/resources/research-in-action/protect.aspx
(outpost10f)http://members.outpost10f.com/~lindax/spongebob/spongebob%20history.html
(encyclopedia)http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3401800690.html
(fool)http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/02/01/how-family-guy-got-canceled-twice-andstill-made-s.aspx
(proquest)http://search.proquest.com/docview/1444213922/fulltextPDF?accountid=13158
Stein, Sharman. "Bart: It's Buy Him Or Bash Him." Chicago Tribune (1963-Current file): 2. Jun 03
1990. ProQuest. Web. 3 Nov. 2015

(sk8es)http://sk8es4mc2l.search.serialssolutions.com/?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&ctx_enc=info%3Aofi
%2Fenc%3AUTF8&rfr_id=info:sid/summon.serialssolutions.com&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.gen
re=article&rft.atitle=Bart+Simpson+is+chic
%2C+but+educators+dislike+his+cheek&rft.jtitle=Chicago+Tribune+%281963-Current+file
%29&rft.date=1990-05-23&rft.pub=Tribune+Publishing+Company+LLC&rft.issn=10856706&rft.eissn=2165-171X&rft.spage=D3&rft.externalDocID=2564023302&paramdict=en-US
(tempest)http://search.proquest.com/docview/281160491?pq-origsite=summon
(tvtropes)http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheGoldenAgeOfAnimation

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Santo, Avi. "Cartoons, History of." Encyclopedia of Children, Adolescents, and the Media. Vol. 1. Thousand
Oaks, CA: SAGE Reference, 2007. 143-148. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 3 Nov. 2015.

(NYTimes)http://www.nytimes.com/1988/11/07/us/reagan-vetoes-bill-putting-limits-on-tvprogramming-for-children.html
(museum Simpsons)http://www.museum.tv/eotv/simpsonsthe.htm
(awn)http://www.awn.com/animationworld/disappearance-saturday-morning