Sadly, Gravity Falls Creator Alex Hirsch ISN'T Buying Cartoon Network
· BCPosted in: Movies, TV | Tagged: Alex Hirsch, cartoon network, paramount
Sadly, Gravity Falls Creator Alex Hirsch ISN'T Buying Cartoon Network
No, Gravity Falls creator Alex Hirsch isn't really buying Cartoon Network - but wouldn't it be cool if a group of writers/animators did?
Published Sun, 07 Jun 2026 11:08:09 -0500
by Ray Flook
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Article Summary
- Bloomberg reports Paramount Skydance may divest kids TV assets, putting Cartoon Network at the center of EU scrutiny.
- Alex Hirsch joked about buying Cartoon Network with a giant bake sale, sparking plenty of buzz on social media.
- Hirsch quickly clarified he is not buying Cartoon Network, while stressing animation deserves owners who truly care.
- If the merger closes, Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network under one company could intensify competition concerns in Europe.
Over the weekend, a report hit that the deal between David Ellison's Paramount Skydance and David Zaslav's Warner Bros. Discovery had hit a bit of a snag, with Bloomberg reporting that Paramount Skydance "is prepared – if necessary – to divest some children's TV network assets" if it helps in getting the $110 billion deal across the finish line with the European Union. Sources report that there are hopes of avoiding that, but Paramount is concerned that EU regulators could take issue with unfair competition in kids' programming. The EU has given Paramount until July 7th to respond to the concerns, at which point the deal will either be cleared or a deeper dive will be opened (meaning more delays). Not long after the report hit, animator, director, writer, producer, and voice actor Alex Hirsch (Gravity Falls) responded on social media, dropping a very cool idea.
"How much does Cartoon Network cost? What if we threw the BIGGEST bake sale…," Hirsch posted, offering a light moment to the conversation – but it turned out to be an idea that a whole lot of folks on social media liked. Except, there's a huge problem – one that Hirsch made clear in a follow-up post. "This is a joke guys, cartoonists don't have Zazlov money. But I do wish SOMEONE who actually loved animation and didn't just want to scrap these beloved iconic brands for tax write offs would protect them from these horrifying mergers," the animator added.
And Hirsch is absolutely right – across the board. We already see how poorly writers and animators are compensated for their work and their art. To pull something like that off, you would need to sell a cupcake the size of four football stadiums. Or if you're more into lemonade stands, you would need to sell five-Great-Lakes-worth of lemonade to even have a shot. Maybe in the late 70s or early 80s, you might be able to buy a local television station in the Midwest – but these days? Those plans are best left to late-80s/early-90s John Cusack films. That said, Hirsch couldn't be more spot-on when it comes to the idea of having an animation network run by folks who care as much about the art as they do the next quarterly report conference call.
If the deal were to be completed, Paramount Skydance would control Paramount's Nickelodeon and Warner Bros Discovery's Cartoon Network, along with the kids programming available on Paramount+ and HBO Max. Considering nearly half of the European market for kids' programming is US-owned, the deal raises legitimate concerns. "It's certainly likely that the commission will scrutinize overlaps between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery in the wholesale supply of children's television channels across the region," shared Jennifer Rie, a Bloomberg Intelligence analyst. "Concerns would be raised if combined market shares exceed 40% in any country."
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