So awhile back I had made a thread about how I was concerned about the state of Canadian Youth Media after Corus Entertainment made some decisions that even though wouldn't really effect me because I am an adult now would probably have bothered me as a child. And now they're doing it again at the end of August

Two years after I made my concern thread, YTV is still standing (Thank god) though since that thread closed MTV shut down in Canada as well (something I would have been sad about if they were a music channel still but they were airing reruns of shows by then)

Five Channels are shutting down including Nickelodeon Canada and ABC Spark. The others include the Disney Channel Spinoffs Disney Junior and Disney XD but Disney Channel will stay put...for now. Nickelodeon launched in Canada in 2009 the same year I started College. While the channel came a little too late for me I did happily revisit shows like Rugrats and Doug.

When ABC Spark launched in 2012 I thought "Finally we're getting ABC Family" because that's kind of what it was they had some decent original programming but it was kind of a letdown because they weren't airing Whose Line is it Anyway (and sadly ABC Family had stopped showing this by then) Also while they did bring in their Halloween and Christmas blocks during the holidays their programming didn't match up. We got Hocus Pocus during Halloween alot I'm glad I got to see it eventually Once Disney+ because a thing it stopped showing their blocks, and I no longer had a reason to watch.

But I'm sure you're wondering at this point is "What does any of this have to do with Spongebob?" I'll tell you, what with Nickelodeon going away YTV is going to have a monopoly on Spongebob when Nick Canada shuts down and it's a show I couldn't get into even if I tried and again I'm not sure I would if it had aired on Teletoon because it aired on YTV which I was no longer watching at this time (though I did try to watch newer episodes of Sailor Moon it was nice to see the Outer Solar System scouts in action finally). I kind of categorized Spongebob in the same place as the Simpsons because they are long running and not really nostalgic (oh don't get me wrong there isn't going to be a Why I couldn't get into the Simpsons thread because I got into it early in life this series came to be around the same time I was starting my life and it's an early memory of it aired on CKND (now a part of Global tv) heck I watched it alot when it aired on Teletoon and those are very positive memories because I was starting to understand what I was laughing at)

I'm not even sure I would have gotten into the Sponge if it started airing three years earlier when Rugrats had it's revival and Hey Arnold was a thing (yes I actually did watch it and yes I watched the Jungle Movie when it came out that kid deserved closure.) Heck the Sponge didn't really take off right away like not til 2001, but I was in sixth grade going onto seventh grade by then I was firm on watching Teletoon. I don't think I would have been interested in Fairly Odd Parents either.

By the way for those wondering the other channel being shut down is Disney Channel French.

Sponge Bob was just coming out when I was in high school. Me and my friends thought he was annoying and I just never got into him. Now my friends knew more about him than I did because they had younger siblings that watched him.

Why are they shutting down the networks in Canada? Is it political reasons, funding cuts, or lack of interest? Just wondering cause I'm in the states.

tornadocam: Well Corus had been making some pretty bad decisions finance wise, it wouldn't bug me much is they were rebranding or replacing it with something (we got the USA network earlier this year but this feels a little too late) rather than replace it with nothing

I doubt they would shut a network down because of politics though, they also said something about "Changing viewership climate" or something like that because when these channels launched Netflix was still just a DVD rental delivery service (though when Disney Channels officially did come in 2015 Netflix was making a name for themselves with original programming)

Bell Media is guilty of shutting down stuff too not just tv stations but also radio stations #BellLetsTalk my foot for a company that raises awareness about mental health each January they really do put quite a few hits on their employees

Right now I'd kill to have MeTV or MeToons up here

I love Spongebob, grew up with it and it has caused plenty of laughter in our living room. I do think it's a show that you had to have experienced to fully appreciate it now. As a kid it's just funny silly jokes, but there are so many innuendos, satirical takes on societal topics etc that make it fun to revisit episodes you remember from your childhood.

I experienced it in the Dutch dub and still find enjoyment in commonly shared English clips.

In my opinion it's also a great source show for gif reactions and simple memes which I do enjoy.

I like Spongebob I won't say I'm a die hard fan because tv has never really been my thing to begin with but when I was a teen I saw so much Spongebob cause my grandpa always had the tv on Nick. I do think your missing out on it never getting into it lol.