; 15 years ago 2001 09 02 network cartoon network nightly from 9 00 pm 6 00 am et pt owned by time warner through the turner broadcasting system subsidiary picture format 1080i hdtv 480i sdtv country united states language english spanish with sap broadcast area national headquarters atlanta georgia general burbank california west coast website www.adultswim.com availability programming block of cartoon network satellite directv usa 296 east ; hd sd 297 west ; sd dish network 176 east ; hd sd 177 west ; sd c band amc 11 channel 18 4dtv digital amc 18 channel 20 h2h 4dtv galaxy 14 3820 v 30000 3 4 dvb s2 ; sd cable available on many cable providers check local listings for channel number verizon fios 757 hd 257 sd iptv at & t u verse 1325 east ; hd 1326 west ; hd 325 east ; sd 326 west ; sd centurylink prism 1326 east ; hd 1327 west ; hd 325 east ; sd 326 west ; sd 3054 spanish feed ; sd google fiber 351 hd sd streaming media adult swim live available nightly from 9 00 pm until 6 00 am et pt sling tv internet protocol television adult swim stylized as adult swim or as is a programming block of the american cable network cartoon network that operates nightly from 9 00 p.m. to 6 00 a.m. eastern and pacific time . it is programmed by williams street productions a subsidiary of turner which also developed two prior television programming blocks seen on cartoon network toonami which later became a block on adult swim in 2012 and miguzi . the name comes from a phrase used by public swimming pools in the united states to label designated times when children are restricted from using the facilities in favor of adults . debuting on cartoon network in 2001 adult swim was established as alternative programming during the late night hours when cartoon network s primary target audience children between the ages of 7 to 15 would normally be sleeping . much of adult swim s general content is known for its risqu unorthodox and often bizarre presentation . the network was granted its own nielsen ratings report from cartoon network due to targeting a separate demographic . the block features stylistically varied animated and live action shows including original programming syndicated series mainly consisting of fox animated programming short films original video animation and anime generally with minimal or no editing for content . in the united states adult swim has frequently aired adult animation features anime mockumentaries sketch comedy live action and pilots . shows may have sexual themes frank sexual discussion nudity strong language and graphic violence . while the network features comedies and dramas of all types many of its programs are aesthetically experimental transgressive improvised and surrealist in nature . adult swim has contracted with various studios known for their productions in absurd and shock comedy . 1 in february 2015 adult swim was available to approximately 96 390 000 pay television households 82.8 % of households with television in the united states . 2 contents 1 history 1.1 creation and development 1.2 early years and revived series 2001 07 1.3 2007 boston bomb scare 1.4 later years and expansion 2007 present 1.5 stylistic history 1.6 april fools day stunts 2 programming 3 merchandise and media offerings 3.1 official website 3.2 online video streaming 3.3 video games 3.4 music 3.5 video on demand 3.6 podcast and adult swim mobile 3.7 live stream in the united states 3.8 app 4 international 4.1 australia and new zealand 4.2 canada 4.3 france 4.4 germany 4.5 latin america 4.6 poland 4.7 russia 4.8 united kingdom and ireland 5 high definition channels and service 6 references 7 external links history edit creation and development edit see also space ghost coast to coast cartoon network s original head programmer mike lazzo conceived 3 and continues to operate adult swim . the network grew out of cartoon network s previous attempts at airing content appropriate for teenagers and young adults who might be watching the channel after 11 p.m. et . the network began experimenting with its late night programming by airing anthology shows like toonheads and late night black and white both of which presented uncensored classic cartoon shorts . space ghost coast to coast one of cartoon network s first forays into original programming was created in 1994 specifically for late night audiences . the series was created by mike lazzo s ghost planet industries which eventually became williams street studios the eventual producers and programmers of adult swim . during early mornings in december 2000 while space ghost coast to coast was on hiatus several new williams street series made unannounced stealth premieres . sealab 2021 harvey birdman attorney at law aqua teen hunger force and the brak show all premiered unannounced ; 4 5 the official schedules listed the shows as special programming . 6 early years and revived series 2001 07 edit several creators and writers of adult swim shows at the san diego comic con 2006 adult swim panel . from left to right keith crofford seth green matthew senreich scott adsit dino stamatopoulos tommy blacha brendon small jackson publick and doc hammer . adult swim launched on september 2 2001 with the debut airing of the home movies episode director s cut 7 which was shelved before airing on its original network upn . the first anime broadcast on adult swim also aired on the night of its launch cowboy bebop . 8 9 the block initially aired on sunday nights with a repeat of the same block on thursday nights . on march 28 2005 atlanta based turner broadcasting system began recording adult swim nielsen ratings separately from for demographic purposes . 10 promotions for adult swim are targeted towards the college age and those in their twenties and thirties constituting the majority of their viewers . according to a september 1 2004 article in promo magazine representatives travel to 30 universities across the u.s. to promote the adult swim lineup including handing out posters for students dorm rooms . 11 it would become increasingly common for adult swim to burn off episodes of shows that never finished airing on its original network mission hill baby blues the oblongs and the family guy episode when you wish upon a weinstein . adult swim also had a direct and important role in the revival of two popular animated series the aforementioned family guy and futurama . family guy premiered in reruns on adult swim on april 20 2003 and immediately became the block s top rated program dominating late night viewing in its time period vs. cable and broadcast competition and boosting viewership by 239 percent . 12 13 on march 29 2004 less than one year later fox announced it would be renewing family guy for a fourth season and reviving it from cancellation . 12 shortly after the announcement jim samples then general manager and executive vice president of cartoon network commented bringing family guy to the adult swim lineup last april really helped turn the block into a cultural phenomenon with young adults . 13 futurama was also revived in 2007 by comedy central for similar reasons impressive viewership in syndication as well as high dvd sales . 14 adult swim obtained futurama s exclusive cable syndication rights in march 2002 for a reported 10 million 15 and the series first aired on the network in january 2002 . 16 in 2006 twentieth television struck a deal to produce four direct to video animated features based on futurama and in 2009 the series was revived in normal half hour installments beginning in 2010 on comedy central . 14 in a 2006 interview futurama creator matt groening explained there s a long regal history of misunderstood tv shows and to fox s credit the studio looked at the ratings on the cartoon network and how the show does overseas and saw that there was more money to be made . 17 2007 boston bomb scare edit main article 2007 boston mooninite panic on wednesday january 31 2007 both the boston police department and the boston fire department mistakenly identified battery powered led placards resembling two characters from the adult swim animated television series aqua teen hunger force as improvised explosive devices . these devices were in fact part of a guerrilla marketing advertising campaign . the next day boston authorities arrested two men involved with the incident . peter berdovsky 27 a freelance video artist from arlington massachusetts and sean stevens 28 were facing charges of placing a hoax device to incite panic as well as one count of disorderly conduct according to cnn 18 which is also owned by turner broadcasting system . on february 5 turner broadcasting and marketer interference inc. announced that they would pay 2 million in amends one million to the city of boston and one million in goodwill funds . 19 four days later on february 9 jim samples general manager and executive vice president of cartoon network since 2001 resigned . 20 turner broadcasting later issued an apology for the ad campaign that caused the bomb scares . a statement emailed to the boston globe from turner broadcasting said the packages in question are magnetic lights that pose no danger . they are part of an outdoor marketing campaign in 10 cities in support of adult swim s animated television show aqua teen hunger force . they had been in place for two to three weeks in boston new york city los angeles chicago houston atlanta seattle portland austin san francisco and philadelphia . parent company turner broadcasting is in contact with local and federal law enforcement on the exact locations of the billboards . we regret that they were mistakenly thought to pose any danger . later years and expansion 2007 present edit in 2007 adult swim announced it would expand to seven nights a week starting that july . up until then it was only on saturdays thursdays with cartoon network airing 24 hours on friday . on july 6 of that year adult swim had its first broadcast on a friday with an all night marathon of family guy with one episode peter s two dads rerunning the april fools gag of that year running the first half hour of aqua teen hunger force colon movie film for theaters in a small square on the bottom left hand corner . angus oblong creator of the oblongs said new episodes of the series will return to adult swim . 21 adult swim stated on july 4 2010 that they asked studios to produce new episodes and some said yes some said no . 22 on december 27 2010 adult swim s sign on time was moved one hour earlier from its longtime start time of 10 00 p.m. et to 9 00 p.m. et extending the network s daily schedule to nine hours . 23 furthermore on march 31 2014 adult swim s sign on time was moved to 8 00 p.m. et further extending the network s daily schedule to ten hours and effectively matching the airtime of most nights that nick at nite has . 24 on september 26 2016 adult swim once again started airing at 9 00p . m. et . stylistic history edit original adult swim channel logo used from september 2 2001 until may 25 2003 . adult swim s original bumpers shown in between shows featured footage of elderly people swimming in public pools eating exercising and doing other pool related activities . some of these bumpers were narrated by a lifeguard who spoke through a megaphone . the logo was the words adult swim in all capital letters shown after a freeze frame of the footage . 25 when the saturday night block debuted on february 23 2002 it featured clips from the various