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Boomerang is the name of at least two TV networks owned by Cartoon Network, one in the US and one in the UK, which shows classic animated cartoons, mainly from the Warner Brothers, MGM, and Hanna-Barbera archives. The UK channel has also screened the puppet show Thunderbirds (the US rights of which are owned by G4TechTV). Formerly a segment of programming within the Cartoon Network, the channel was launched at the end of the 20th century and introduced to satellite in 2000.
The United States channel
The United States version of Boomerang carries a weekly looping programming format. Notably, Boomerang does not carry product commercials. The only advertising on the channel is for Boomerang or Cartoon Network programming.
Program days begin at 8 AM Eastern time (5 AM Pacific time). Monday through Thursdays are normal programming days, with a variety of half-hour and hour-long cartoon programs shown. Fridays, 'monthly feature' cartoons are shown for the entire day; one cartoon is featured for each Friday of a given month for 24 hours straight. On Saturdays, a calendar year is featured with the cartoons of that year (ranging from approximately 1963 to 1983, one year per week in sequence). Sundays carries the "Boomeraction" theme, with animation featuring action and adventure.
Boomerang has carried both theatrical animated shorts and television series from several libraries, including Warner Brothers, MGM, Hanna-Barbera (The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Scooby-Doo), Ruby-Spears (Thundarr the Barbarian), Jay Ward Productions and Total Television: (Rocky and Bullwinkle and Underdog), Paramount (Popeye the Sailor, Betty Boop, and properties later sold to Harvey Comics: Casper the Friendly Ghost, Modern Madcaps, etc.), United Productions of America (Mr. Magoo, Gerald McBoing-Boing, etc.), and Format Films (in turn later sold to Ross Bagdasarian: The Alvin Show and Clyde Crashcup).
The United Kingdom and Ireland channel
There is also a version of Boomerang broadcast in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. It is broadcast 24 hours on the Sky Digital, NTL, Telewest Broadband and Chorus Digital platforms. Like the US channel, the station's programming consists almost exclusively of Hanna-Barbera and Warner Brothers archive programming. Unlike the US station, commercials are broadcast. The channel occassionally suspends its regular programming for theme weeks, most often for Scooby-Doo.
The Australian channel
An Australian version of Boomerang was launched in March 2004 as part of the Foxtel Digital launch, with a lineup very similar to that of the UK version.
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