iTrashTV.com - ET. -Gossip, Entertainment News & Videos: Heads Roll At Cartoon Network Over Boston Bomb Scare

Cartoon Network "guerrilla-marketing efforts" doesn't boost ratings for 'Aqua Teen Hunger Force'

So much for the notion that any publicity, even bad publicity is helpful.

Ratings hardly went up for the Cartoon Network show with the ad campaign that briefly paralyzed Boston.

Blinking electronic devices planted around Boston to promote "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" caused authorities, who were worried they might be bombs, to shut down bridges and highways Jan. 31.

The fallout over Cartoon Network's guerrilla-marketing efforts for "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" has reached new heights as the head of the network has resigned.

Jim Samples, executive vice president and general manager of Cartoon Network, a Turner Broadcasting network, said in an internal memo that he felt "compelled to step down, effective immediately, in recognition of the gravity of the situation that occurred under my watch." He said he hoped his decision would put "this chapter behind us."

Turner Broadcasting has agreed to pay the city of Boston $2 million as a penalty for its marketing stunt. The supposedly suspicious-looking devices were placed near highways and bridges and raised public fears of bombs. That caused an increase in police and security, effectively paralyzing parts of the city.

The marketing effort was to promote an upcoming theatrical film based on the program "Aqua Teen Hunger Force." It was put together by an outside agency, New York-based Interference. Other agency clients include Discovery Channel, HBO, Clorox, MTV, Godiva, GE and CNN.

Many cable networks produce similar guerrilla-marketing efforts to promote TV shows, but often alert city officials beforehand. While apologetic for the incident, Cartoon still says it has a business to run.

"We have a lot of shows and a lot of brands," said a TBS spokeswoman. "We are not going to stop aggressively marketing."

The marketing devices were also placed in nine other cities. Those city officials held conversations with Turner Broadcasting executives since the Boston incident on Jan. 31.