Following the controversy surrounding Filmation's adaptation of the 19th century comic strip
The Katzenjammer Kids, the Screen Cartoonists' Guild feared the Big Four networks would tighten their standards and practices to more strictly police the content of the studios' small-screen output. There were also fears of the networks completely eliminating their Saturday Morning blocks altogether. To counter the threats from the networks, the Guild was quickly reorganized from a union to a trade association that would become the Screen Cartoonists Association of America, representing all the major animation studios in Hollywood.
After Zack Dillinger of Nelvana and Whitey Larkin of Disney were rumored to head the new group, the union reps instead voted on January 14, 1981 to appoint former Touchstone Television vice president Margaret Loesch, then 34, as the new "cartoon czar."
Margaret Loesch (on the left; Circa 1986 IOTL) with Stan Lee and Jim Galton.
Excerpts from Loesch's inauguration speech from February 1, 1981.
"I am grateful for the opportunity to preside over the entire animation industry of North America."
"The
Nancy Drew controversy five years ago and the
Katzenjammer disaster of the last five months have unquestionably dealt severe public relations black eyes to the business."
"Today, we begin a new balancing act of self-regulation amongst the major studios while maintaining existing relationships with our broadcast partners."
"If the networks have questions about the age-appropriateness of a family-oriented program's subject matter going forward, we will appoint only the most qualified and reputable experts on child psychology to review an episode at any stage of production before it is put on the air."
