Prodcos pump up boys action offerings

If you had any doubts about males ages six to 11 being the demo du jour for U.S. networks, you need look no further than Nickelodeon to quell them. The net that proudly rode the gender-neutral comedy (see Rugrats and Hey Arnold!) to the top of the kids cable heap took the unprecedented move of launching its first boys block last month. Of course, Nick is not alone in trying to beef up its boys action schedule. Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh! distributor 4Kids Entertainment will also come out swinging with a boys-heavy lineup when the curtain rises on Fox Box, its four-hour Saturday morning window that's set to debut September 14 on Fox. Other indications of this boys action bonanza: In the last eight months, both Cartoon Network and Disney's ABC Family have significantly upped their draw of boy-centric shows.