Cartoon Network Chief Quits Over Terrorist Scare

The head of the Cartoon Network has resigned over the marketing stunt that turned into a terrorist scare -- and a public relations fiasco. Jim Samples, General Manager of the network, wrote in an internal memo to colleagues, "I deeply regret the negative publicity and expense caused to our company as a result of this campaign."
Cartoon Network signs.
The network had to pay $2 million in fines to the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office, and to the city of Boston. The light-board signs, placed to advertise a show in its Adult Swim block of programming, caused major traffic snarls and other disruptions when residents mistook them for explosive devices.

Reader Comments

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46. We forgive you Gaggle. Now run to the hills. Run Gaggle..............Run!!!

Posted at 5:20PM on Feb 9th 2007 by Teisco

47. He should!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ra0QkWMpFWk

Posted at 5:35PM on Feb 9th 2007 by Suezque

48. They were friggen LITE-BRITES!!! 1980's technology! Funny how Los Angeles and Seattle knew what they were and they were up WEEKS before the first one in Boson went up and NO ONE thought they were bombs (obviously). I guess Boston wasn't aware of 1980's LITE BRITES since they had no connection to the outside world prior to winning the 2004 World Series.

Posted at 7:31PM on Feb 9th 2007 by D-BO

49. "Post 9/11" This phrase cracks me up. How about post Pearl Harbor or Post George Bush. I don't understand it. We were stupid when it came to protecting American soil before as we still are now. 9-11 has nothing to do with it. How is it that all the other cities took it for what it was- a marketing campaign. Boston for whatever reason freaks out and now some head guy quits over it and the "stupid" city gets 2 million. That's as stupid as that lady that sued McDonalds because her coffee was too hot. If that's all it takes to get Flint of the lowest economical rating lis then I'm going to go search for anythign that lights up and yell bomb and sue the company that made it!!! I am seriously.

Though it was a rediculous was to advertise it wasn't that big of a deal.

Posted at 5:49PM on Feb 9th 2007 by Jennifer

50. Makes me glad I DON'T live in Boston. What an incompetent police force to send the public into a panic as all they had to do was check out the device and make an announcements they were just lights but Noooo they make TV spots of "Strange Devices being found". Boston is the laughing stock of the U.S.

Posted at 9:09PM on Feb 10th 2007 by Laughing at YOU

51. It DID happen in MY town and were all laughing at Boston

Posted at 6:38AM on Feb 12th 2007 by Laughing at YOU

52. How did they get those boards up without ever being noticed anyway? The fuzz way overexaggerated, they probably felt guilty that the signs were put up unnoticed. As far as Cartoon Network, they could have put a little inscription with their logo or something.

Posted at 10:31AM on Feb 10th 2007 by Weezie

53. it kills me with laughter about this whole thing really.

i say we make a cartoon about it all "Mooninites Invade U.S. Cities" or something like that.

love music?
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love crazy stuff:
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love computers, Internet and games?
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Posted at 6:08PM on Feb 9th 2007 by Philip E. Dox

54. Most people on this response board ASSUME that the whole world knows what Aqua Teen Hunger Force is!!! A very small portion of the US population watches Adult Swim. It is a 15 minute show late at night! Any rational person would take a worried note at a blinking sign giving all who pass under it the FINGER. Any idiot, let alone an advertising agency, knows that you have to get permits to post anything on public property, ESPECIALLY a bridge. I am a fan of Aqua Teen Hunger Force and have three of their seasons on disc but I 100% agree that the placement choices were made in order TO get a public stir and get their movie even more publicity. It backfired. The head of Cartoon Network was not fired, he RESIGNED. That is how embarrassing this situation is. NO COMMON SENSE. Be responsible for someone other than yourself and realize that other people exist in this world. We can't be 911 alarmists but we can't be stupid as hell either. War is real. Knock on the door of the families of people who've died on 911 and as a result of this war. Ask them to get a sense of humor.

Posted at 6:25PM on Feb 9th 2007 by Lady T

55. How can they think this could be a bomb? Do you remember the guy who had a SHOE bomb? No electric or energy inputs - A SHOE!

Posted at 7:16PM on Feb 9th 2007 by Lady T

56. It's called Public relations.. And Cartoon Network guess what it is? A BUSINESS. and good business needs a good reputation to suceed. he did fine at stepping down for the sake of the Network.

Posted at 5:14PM on Feb 10th 2007 by Arcangel

57. Clearly anyone who thought these signs might be bombs is CRAZY, because as all sane people know, real bombs are always made with big red sticks of dynamite, so everybody can tell.

Good job Boston... now let's see those stinky grinning hippies do some hard time...

Posted at 9:25PM on Feb 9th 2007 by mrwoo

58. That is ridiculous! i see nothing terrorist about that. i actually feel really sorry for that guy.

Posted at 11:46PM on Feb 9th 2007 by hollywoodgirl

59. These assholes cried that they had no idea what panic their dumb ass stunt caused, but they have security video of them at the first bomb scare call . They were in the front of the crowd of people at times pushing to get so close that the police had to push them away and they had VIDEO CAMERAS they were TAPING the police blowing this thing up! So they knew it was causing panic and they did NOTHING about it, they allowed it to continue all day instead of call and just say they knew what these devices were. These assholes say that they had every right to tape the bomb scare because they are video media artists or some such shit like that. They should fry

Posted at 9:03AM on Feb 10th 2007 by julie

60. This 'marketing campaign' is kind of like a 'comedy tour', isn't it?
You know, like the guys who immigrated to this country, pretended to be good citizens, took flying lessons, then hijacked some airplanes and flew them into national monuments?
Is the joke on us, or what?
Maybe after careful consideration, it's not that funny after all...
don't you think?

Posted at 10:26AM on Feb 11th 2007 by B.B. Wolffe

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