Nickelodeon Posts Strong First Quarter

NEW YORK, April
2: Nickelodeon in the U.S. finished first across all kids demos in the first
quarter of 2008, ranking number one among kids 2 to 11, kids 6 to 11 and tweens
9 to 14.

According to
Nielsen Media Research, Nickelodeon was the number one kids’ network in total
day across all kids’ demos, earning a 3.7 share and averaging 1.3 million kids
2 to 11 for the first quarter, a 36-percent-plus increase in this demo’s lead
over Disney Channel and a 123-plus-percent advantage over Cartoon Network. The
network also posted year-on-year gains among its core kids’ demos. With kids 6
to 11, Nickelodeon showed gains of more than 7 percent in delivery over last
year, garnering a 3.3 share and averaging 707,000 kids 6 to 11. Nickelodeon
also grew its tween audience during the first quarter by more than 11 percent
in delivery from last year, earning a 2.5 share and averaging 522,000 among 9-
to 14-year-olds. Nickelodeon was the only kids’ network to showcase
year-to-year growth with tweens in both ratings and delivery for the quarter.

During the first quarter, Nickelodeon accounted for
the top-five rated kids’ programs on all television among kids 2 to 11. SpongeBob SquarePants captured the top spot,
followed by iCarly, Back at the Barnyard, The Fairly OddParents and Zoey 101. In addition, Zoey 101, along with iCarly, rank first and second,
respectively, on all of kids’ TV and cable with their core audiences of tweens
9 to 14, as well as kids 6 to 11.

Additionally,
Nick at Nite scored double-digit increases during the first quarter among total
viewers aged 2 and older and adults 18 to 49 in both prime time and total day.
In prime time, Nick at Nite was up more than 32 percent over the same year-ago
period, and was more than 37 percent higher among adults 18 to 49. George
Lopez has been the
network’s highest-rated program in 2008, with ratings growing consistently
since it joined the schedule, while Home Improvement ratings have also increased each month.

—By Irene
Lew