Locomotion (TV Channel)

Locomotion (TV Channel)

Locomotion was a TV channel that aired in Latin America from November 1, 1996 until July 31, 2005. The network, whose corporate offices were based in Miami, Florida (though the network was not available in the United States aside from a few cable systems in southern Florida) was a joint venture between the US-based Hearst Corporation (50%) and Claxson Interactive Group, Inc. (a subsidiary of the Venezuelan-based Cisneros Group) (50%) . In May 2002, Cisneros Group sold its shares in the network to Canadian-based Corus Entertainment and in mid-2004, the channel was brought by PRAMER (a subsidiary of Liberty Media). Following its acquisition by PRAMER, the channel transmitted from its headquarters in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It was also broadcast in Portugal through Cabovisão and TVCabo (now ZON Multimédia) and Spain (by defunct satellite TV operator Vía Digital) until 2003 due to financial reasons.

Initially, Locomotion was a children's channel dedicated to classic animation for all ages, but in 1997, the channel became a youth-oriented channel, airing titles from King Features (which was Hearst's animation division) like Phantom 2040, Popeye, and The Legend of Prince Valiant, and shows like Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light, G.I. Joe, He-Man, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Galaxy Rangers, Felix the Cat, Lupin III. However, the channel did not want to face competition against the already-established Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network, so the channel began removing the children's animation in favor for alternative animation, adult series, and anime by 1998, and by 2000, they began airing more alternative and adult-oriented animation from the US, the United Kingdom, and Latin America, as well as anime series. As the network grew, most of their programming consisted of Japanese animation titles from the likes of ADV Films, Bandai Entertainment, & Geneon and others as well as adult shows like South Park, The Critic, Crapston Villas and Duckman.

Locomotion was also dedicated to showing works of experimental animation from all over the world throughout the day on-air and online. They aired experimental programming featuring video jockeys, artists who worked with video as a medium. Some fans of the programming, particularly fans of anime, felt that these interstitials were unnecessary and pointless to the programming; however, many other fans of the channel itself appreciated the style the channel brought upon airing.