Thread: Nickelodeon is thriving as it battles the Disney Channel for tween viewers

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/31/bu...wt&twt=nytimes

For the first time in years, Nickelodeon has heat. Ratings are up across the board, powered by buzzy new live-action hits like “Victorious,” centered on life at an elite performing-arts high school, and “iCarly,” a series about an everyday girl with her own Web show. A new animated program, “The Penguins of Madagascar,” is a solid success. Even the decade-old “Dora the Explorer” has perked up, thanks to a yearlong birthday celebration.

Nickelodeon’s spinoff channels are also spiking upward, albeit from smaller bases. For Nicktoons, ratings among the target demographic of boys 6 to 11 are up 33 percent so far this year, compared with the year-earlier period, according to Nielsen Media Research. Nick Jr., aimed at preschoolers, is up 12 percent. And TeenNick has climbed 10 percent among its target audience, ages 12 to 17.

“We’re winning in a way that we haven’t been in a very long time,” Ms. Zarghami says. “That sounds braggy, but we’ve worked really hard, and we’re pleased it’s finally paying off.”

Nickelodeon has also struggled to come up with a new generation of cartoons to replace aging stalwarts like “SpongeBob SquarePants” and “Dora the Explorer.” Animated series are much more valuable than live-action programs like “iCarly” because they are easier to export overseas and generate a larger array of merchandise. But while Nickelodeon has poured tens of millions of dollars into the development of new animated hits, a parade of efforts — “El Tigre,” “The X’s,” “Catscratch,” “Mighty B,” “Back at the Barnyard” — have failed to catch substantial wind.

Ms. Zarghami concedes that Nickelodeon needs animated reinforcements but points to promising shows like “Team Umizoomi,” a preschool series centered on learning math; “Fanboy & Chum Chum,” about two science-fiction aficionados; and “The Penguins of Madagascar,” based on the DreamWorks Animation films.


http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/31/bu...wt&twt=nytimes




While a bloated Nickelodeon was basking in its top-dog status, Disney Channel cracked the code for the “tween” audience — ages 9 to 14 — with “Hannah Montana” and “High School Musical.” That audience was once the icing on the kids’ TV cake, but became hugely important as younger children started to follow its lead. Although Nickelodeon has been the top-rated children’s network for 16 years, by 2007, Disney had started to regularly beat Nickelodeon by certain measures.

By her own account, she started off slowly. She was pregnant with her third child at the time of her promotion and spent part of her first year on maternity leave. Upon her return, she stepped cautiously, putting into motion a grinding two-year brand review.
Inch by inch, changes started to click. The spinoff channels for preschoolers and teenagers — then called Noggin and the N — were rebranded Nick Jr. and TeenNick to improve consumer recognition, a move that ratings growth indicates is working. Nick at Nite, the prime-time block of programs for adults, was expanded by an hour and scheduled with reruns families could watch together. (Out: “Murphy Brown.” In: “My Wife and Kids.”) As a result, Nick at Nite has also perked up in the ratings, reversing years of declines.

Ms. Zarghami also attacked Disney’s tween flank with “iCarly.” It is currently the No. 1 show on television among children 2 to 11, as measured by new episodes and not repeats, according to Nielsen Media Research, and it has spawned at least one cultural craze: spaghetti tacos, a dish created by an oddball character on the show.

To me, Nickeloden's current strategy for the most part reeks of "lets just poach ideas from other people and see what sticks" like Disney, Dreamworks or Saban.

Nickelodeon was so much better when I was a kid. I can’t believe how terrible it is. I scan through the EPG now it's either Dora, Spongebob or iCarly.

I miss the original Nicktoons block on Sunday mornings. 'Rugrats, Ren & Stimpy, Rocko, Real Monsters and the only Nicktoon that doesn't begin with an R, Doug'. Snick was great, Clarissa, Round House, Are You Afraid Of The Dark was a kickass show, All That (when it first came out), Keenan & Kel. Not to mention the other shows like Hey Dude and Solute Your Shorts. Good stuff right there. I was hoping Nick GAS would turn into a Nick Classic type channel since GAS aired some of the good game shows from my day, Legends Of The Hidden Temple, Nick Arcade, Double Bare, and What Would You Do but sadly they made The N a full time channel. Do kids today really watch crap like Degrassi? I had it on for 5 minutes once, so much teen drama that means nothing in life, it’s sickening. It reminded me of that other mind numbing stupid show 7^th Heaven, where all the characters make a big deal out of the stupidest things and there’s so much teen drama it made me want to puke.

Originally Posted by Steve Mehs

Nickelodeon was so much better when I was a kid. I can’t believe how terrible it is. I scan through the EPG now it's either Dora, Spongebob or iCarly.

I miss the original Nicktoons block on Sunday mornings. 'Rugrats, Ren & Stimpy, Rocko, Real Monsters and the only Nicktoon that doesn't begin with an R, Doug'. Snick was great, Clarissa, Round House, Are You Afraid Of The Dark was a kickass show, All That (when it first came out), Keenan & Kel. Not to mention the other shows like Hey Dude and Solute Your Shorts. Good stuff right there. I was hoping Nick GAS would turn into a Nick Classic type channel since GAS aired some of the good game shows from my day, Legends Of The Hidden Temple, Nick Arcade, Double Bare, and What Would You Do but sadly they made The N a full time channel. Do kids today really watch crap like Degrassi? I had it on for 5 minutes once, so much teen drama that means nothing in life, it’s sickening. It reminded me of that other mind numbing stupid show 7^th Heaven, where all the characters make a big deal out of the stupidest things and there’s so much teen drama it made me want to puke.

I'll just ditto everything you mentioned. Two of daughters are in their 20s and I actually enjoyed watching Nick with them from time-to-time. However, my youngest daughter is 8 and find myself doing other things when she turns on Nick or Hannah Montana.

Originally Posted by Steve Mehs

Nickelodeon was so much better when I was a kid. I can’t believe how terrible it is. I scan through the EPG now it's either Dora, Spongebob or iCarly.

I miss the original Nicktoons block on Sunday mornings. 'Rugrats, Ren & Stimpy, Rocko, Real Monsters and the only Nicktoon that doesn't begin with an R, Doug'. Snick was great, Clarissa, Round House, Are You Afraid Of The Dark was a kickass show, All That (when it first came out), Keenan & Kel. Not to mention the other shows like Hey Dude and Solute Your Shorts. Good stuff right there. I was hoping Nick GAS would turn into a Nick Classic type channel since GAS aired some of the good game shows from my day, Legends Of The Hidden Temple, Nick Arcade, Double Bare, and What Would You Do but sadly they made The N a full time channel. Do kids today really watch crap like Degrassi? I had it on for 5 minutes once, so much teen drama that means nothing in life, it’s sickening. It reminded me of that other mind numbing stupid show 7^th Heaven, where all the characters make a big deal out of the stupidest things and there’s so much teen drama it made me want to puke.

It is amazing how different Nick is now. I wish Nicktoons (the TV channel) would actually show all the old Nicktoons at decent times. I suppose they do not draw in the ratings or demographics they would like. I catch Rugrats sometimes at around five in the morning and random marathons of Rocko's Modern Life in the early hours of the morning.