I'm asking because I'm still not sure myself.

Saturday morning as "childrens entertainment day" only came to form in the 1950's with the widespread adoption of "the small screen" in the Television Age. Shows aimed at kids did make money for television networks, but that was dependant on circumstances that allowed producers and networks to "fine-tune" their products for maximum profits.

So what killed SatAM cartoons?

A) The VCR - Recordable TV frees viewers from TV schedules, any day can be Saturday.

B) "DuckTales" - This is a Biggie! Never before had animation of this quality been available as a syndicated weekday afternoon series. This was a total sidestep to the Big 3 televisin networks. Once proven that kids TV can make more money Monday trrough Friday - "SatAM's" days were numbered!

C) Children's Television Act of 1990 - Congress put into law mandatory requirements surrounding all programming aimed at kids. The effect of the CTA was to turn SatAM into a money losing situation fro TV networks and sponsors as well.

The Saturday Morning Cartoon Universe that made up the lives of generations of kids, (of all ages), only existed as long as it made money. Just like newspapers, radio, magazines and online content; there's a price tag attached to everything, especially if you don't notice it.

Maybe some braindead parents, who's never really lived, figured kids would like the educational stuff better. 

Hello! They get all that during the school week!

There is a mindset that puts "Kids + Education", into everything. Toys must be educational. Books must be educational. Kids aren't suppose to have fun, books and toys simply for enjoyment.

Action for Children's Television, ACT, kept the pressure on until Congress got involved.

Honestly, there are so many features of life that are carryover from the previous century. It makes sense to me that a kid born in 2010 would enjoy a different media experience from a kid born in 1980. It is a different world though because kids are expected to pay for everything they watch. I've seen families with a dvd collection that rivial the Library of Congress, with matching online subscriptions to Warner Bros. or Disney.

In my own childhood I never wondered how much it costs a TV station to air my favorite shows. The cost of entertainment on television was hidden in a way that made it appear free. But each generation has it's own experience with the world, most kids today will never miss, what they never had.