Yeah, I agree that the new cartoons are no good. If it's not anime, it's Spongebob. The quality is horrible.
Next time you're in a room with spongebob, close your eyes and just listen to it. The auditory overload is incredible. Just the pace of the soundtrack is enough to make ME want to bounce off the walls, it's no wonder that parents complain about kids' hyperactivity.
Do the "close your eyes" test to spongebob, and then change the channel to PBS and do the same on one of their kids' shows. The difference will astound you. Even when you discount the educational value of PBS's programming, the pace is much slower, it's calmer, there's hardly any screaming (which seems to happen in every spongebob episode). Why would anyone want their kid to watch the crap on Nickelodeon?
I know I've singled out Spongebob, but my sister (5 yrs old) is addicted to it, so I get to see it most often.