What Happened to Network Syndication of ‘Family Guy’ & ‘Bob’s Burgers’?
If you’re a fan of late-night local cartoon binges on your local networks, and you’re wondering where Family Guy and Bob’s Burgers went, you’re not the only one!
As of this week, both shows have gone off air locally, leaving The Simpsons as the only remaining cartoon still in syndication on your local channels. Family Guy disappeared first on Aug. 18, likely due to the new licensing deal it made with Comedy Central, and on Sept. 1, Bob’s Burgers was removed from broadcast syndication due to an expiring contract. This leaves a temporary gap in local station lineups for the next few weeks, with most filling the time slots with extra viewings of other existing shows or paid programming.
20th Century Fox Film Corp./Courtesy: Everett Collection
However, this doesn’t mean you can’t watch your favorite animated series at all. You can still find these adult animated series if you have cable or satellite dish, as Family Guy has joined other adult cartoon hits such as South Park, Futurama, and Beavis and Butt-Head, on Comedy Central. Prior seasons will continue to also air on FX and FXX, and are available to stream on Hulu.
While it’s a big change, it’s probably for good reason. Ratings for both shows have declined over the years, leading to numerous time-period downgrades, such as midnight and overnight showings. Additionally, more viewers have moved to streaming, as all existing episodes of Bob’s Burgers and Family Guy are on Hulu.
The future of all these Fox animated shows remains uncertain, as contracts expire in 2025.
Remind 
Kid Stuff
June 2018
Unleash your inner child by reliving your favorite kids TV shows, cartoons, toys and more!
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