Animation World Magazine: The Disappearance of Saturday Morning "Six key factors have led to children watching less Saturday morning cartoons: more recreational sports, the introduction of cable and satellite TV, the Internet and video games, a poorer quality of animation, and a greater emphasis on family time.

Today, ¡®Saturday morning cartoons¡¯ is a phrase that emotionally means nothing to anyone under the age of twenty-five.

I know Discovery Kids¡¯ plan: they wanted a mixture of animation, reality series and live-action to reflect the breadth and complexity of kids today. It¡¯s hard to find a kid who likes just animation anymore. Kids have evolved. You don¡¯t have many boys watching cartoons when they¡¯re thirteen. That¡¯s not happening anymore. They are evolving emotionally faster. Lizzie McGuire is a live-action Ally McBeal for kids on The Disney Channel and it¡¯s a huge hit with girls, and boys oddly enough.

The animation business has always been driven by ancillary, meaning toys and games." The (cartoon) show must go on!