Adult Swim Expands With New Daytime Digital Slate to Keep Millennials Watching

As Adult Swim looks to keep its grip on millennials—it's been the No. 1 network in adults 18-34 for the past 11 years in total day viewing, where it currently tops in the 18-49 demo—it's turning to the top show on television: The Walking Dead. The channel announced a new Robot Chicken special focused on The Walking Dead as part of its new upfront slate, announced this morning. Adult Swim's stop-motion animated comedy, which has previously spoofed Star Wars and DC Comics, will team up with Walking Dead executive producers Robert Kirkman and Scott M. Gimple for the special. In addition to new seasons of Rick and Morty and The Eric Andre Show, the slate includes several shows, on both linear and digital, as the network has expanded its programming reach to daytime for the first time, with a lineup of shows on AdultSwim.com. While its linear network airs from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., and shares real estate with Cartoon Network, Adult Swim is now also streaming live, original series all day long. "Adult Swim is a one-of-a-kind destination that simply knows its audience," said Christina Miller, president and gm of Adult Swim, Cartoon Network and Boomerang, in a statement. "Mike Lazzo, [evp and creative director for Adult Swim] and his team have always found new and interesting ways to produce and distribute content that can't be found anywhere else." The network will be part of Turner's upfront presentation to advertisers and buyers next Wednesday at New York's Theater at Madison Square Garden. It will throw its annual upfront party that evening with a performance by Nicki Minaj. "Adult Swim has developed a relationship with millennials like no other media brand," said Donna Speciale, president of ad sales for Turner, in a statement. "That connection is a key access point for advertisers who want to utilize an authentic voice across custom, branded content and partnerships rich with direct-to-fan experiences." The network's new series and specials include Montana James (a special about an Indiana Jones-like explorer searching for the Holy Grail Cup), Mr. Neighbor's House (about a kids show host with rage issues who hosts his own not-for-kids version of a children show at his home), Dream Corp, LLC (executive produced by John Krasinski and Stephen Merchant, it's a workplace comedy that takes place in a dream therapy facility) and the return of animated series Samurai Jack, which is back with new episodes for the first time since 2004. Adult Swim has also ordered a pilot, executive produced by Dan Harmon (Community and Rick and Morty), called Art Prison, a live-action comedy about convicts inside a prison for the performing arts. Its daytime streaming shows include Stupid Morning Bullshit, where hosts talk about pop culture events, "while occasionally setting things on fire," according to the release; Crosswords, where people call in to tackle the day's toughest puzzles, including the New York Times crossword; Call of Karaoke, which combines music and gameplay; and Development Meeting, where viewers can call in and pitch show ideas to network development execs.

Convergent TV

Adult Swim Expands With New Daytime Digital Slate to Keep Millennials Watching

Robot Chicken will spoof The Walking Dead

Jason Lynch

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Jason Lynch