Bartcasting

Bartcasting was a promotional television event produced for the Fox Kids programming block in the United States. It was created to promote The Simpsons and its upcoming eighth season, with Bart Simpson presented as taking control of the Fox Kids broadcast. The event was scheduled for November 2, 1996, one day before the eighth-season premiere of The Simpsons.

Broadcast

Bartcasting aired on Saturday, November 2, 1996, as part of the Fox Kids programming block. The day's lineup included C Bear and Jamal, Big Bad Beetleborgs, Casper, Spider-Man, Goosebumps, Life with Louie, X-Men, and The Tick. The promotion incorporated The Simpsons clips and a preview of the upcoming season premiere.

Plot

The event was presented as a fictional takeover of Fox Kids by Bart Simpson. Bart acted as the host of the programming block, appearing in promotional bumpers and introducing the scheduled programs. The concept extended beyond conventional advertisements by integrating the character into the presentation of the network's regular programming.

Production

The campaign was developed by Fox Kids' On-Air Promotions department. Television writer Charlotte Fullerton later identified the project as the Fox Kids Bartcasting campaign and stated that it featured Bart taking over the network. According to her biography, the campaign received the department's first Promax International Gold Medallion Award nomination and won the award.

Status

Because Bartcasting was a one-day promotion, the original bumpers were rarely seen after their initial broadcast. In 2022, recordings from the 1996 broadcast were uploaded online, including a compilation containing the surviving Bartcasting bumpers.

External links

• Fox Kids Bartcasting (November 2, 1996) complete