I think CNN/Cartoon Network got every penny of its 2 million dollar fine in advertising exposure.
And then some.
Wasn't the going rate $2.6 million for a 30 second commercial on SB? That's for a 30 second exposure when half of the audience is in the bathroom or kitchen. Instead, Turner gets real news coverage for days on end. Let's assume Turner didn't intend for any of this to happen. What is the lesson for the next would-be network with a deadend show that has a 0.001 rating? You could blow all the venture capital on an expensive ad campaign that might or might not get noticed. Or you could create a controversy, apologize, and watch the ratings climb.