MUMBAI: Following a marketing stunt that went all wrong, resulting in the bomb scare in the city of Boston, Cartoon Network head Jim Samples has announced his resignation via an internal memo sent to the network's staff.

"It's my hope that my decision allows us to put this chapter behind us and get back to our mission of delivering unrivaled original animated entertainment for consumers of all ages," Samples said.

"Compelled to step down, effective immediately, in recognition of the gravity of the situation that occurred under my watch," he added.

Samples has been with the network for 13 years.

On 5 February, Turner Broadcasting, of which Cartoon Network is a division, and the advertising agency involved agreed to pay $2 million in compensation for the emergency response the devices had spurred in Boston.

The agreement between Turner, Interference Inc. and several state and local agencies resolves any potential civil or criminal claims against the two companies, states an official release.

The guerilla marketing campaign by Cartoon Network was intended to promote the upcoming movie release of its late-night cult Aqua Teen Hunger Force which triggered a police alert for a possible terrorist threat on 31 January.