The Reason Why Cartoon Network UK and Boomerang UK Airs Make, Shake and Jake Once A Month

Usually at the start of each month, both Cartoon Network and Boomerang in the UK air a show called "Make, Shake and Jake", this show has been known to air quite late in the evening (around 9pm), but lately it now airs in the early hours of the morning usually around 1am to 3am. Make, Shake and Jake follows Shaun Shake, his dog Jake and friend Mel Make learn about all the sights, smells and rhythms around them, the main purpose of this programme is to teach children sign language, so they can communicate with deaf children and adults. What's also unusual about this programme, is that it's a live-action show airing on two channels mostly dedicated to animation and there's no Later/Next/Now bumpers for it.

The Reason
Both Cartoon Network and Boomerang have to meet accessiblity requirements, these include subtitling and sign-language, these rules are set by the UK media regulator - Ofcom (Office of Communications), "Make, Shake and Jake" airs to meet this regulatory requirement. Ofcom decides what channels should meet accessiblity requirements based on channel revenue and audience share, this changes every calendar year and Ofcom makes a decision for the following calender year in the middle of each year.

The accessiblity requirements are split into three tiers:
Level One equates to the full current annual targets for subtitling, signing and audio description, as well as any alternative requirements;

Level Two equates to 66% of the current annual target for subtitling, as well as 100% of the targets for signing and audio description, and any alternative requirements;

Level Three equates to 33% of the current annual target for subtitling, as well as 100% of the targets for signing and audio description and any alternative requirements.

According to Ofcom's accessiblity arrangements for 2022, Both Cartoon Network and Boomerang are both "Level 2" channels. In addition, the amount of sign language programming each channel should air each month also depends on how old the channel is, for channels with smaller audience shares this can range to 30 minutes for channel that's 1-4 years old to 75 minutes for a TV channel that's 10 years old or older, as both Cartoon Network and Boomerang are older than 10 years old, they should air the full 75 minutes of sign language programming each month. However if Ofcom approves, a minimum annual contribution can be made towards alternative arrangements.