Nickelodeon Finishes First Quarter as Top-Rated Basic Cable Network Far Outdistancing Closest Competitors and Marking Record 56th Straight Quarter as Number One

Nickelodeon Finishes First Quarter as Top-Rated Basic Cable Network Far Outdistancing Closest Competitors and Marking Record 56th Straight Quarter as Number One

Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards and iCarly Nab Cable's Top Three Kid, Tween 1Q Telecasts; SpongeBob SquarePants and iCarly are 1Q's Top Kids' Shows

Nick at Nite, The N, Nicktoons Network and NOGGIN Post Best 1Qs Ever

NEW YORK, March 31 /PRNewswire/ -- As it marks its 30th anniversary on April 1, Nickelodeon scored a major milestone in first quarter '09, finishing as basic cable's top total day network for kids, tweens and total viewers (P2+) -- its 56th consecutive quarter at number one, marking the longest run of its kind. With double- to triple-digit leads against its closest competitors, Nick averaged a 3.6/1.2 million K2-11 and 2.3 million P2+ in 1Q, led by number-one kids' shows iCarly and SpongeBob SquarePants (NMR 12/29/08-3/29/09). Nickelodeon also scored the top three kid and tween telecasts on cable for the quarter: Nickelodeon's 22nd Annual Kids' Choice Awards (March 28, 8 p.m. [all times ET/PT]); "iLook Alike" (March 7, 8 p.m.); and iCarly's "iKiss" (Jan. 3, 8 p.m.).

Additionally, Nickelodeon Kids and Family TV networks -- NOGGIN, The N, Nicktoons Network, and Nick at Nite -- all posted their best first quarter performances ever and delivered solid year-over-year growth. Across the entire Nickelodeon Kids and Family Group portfolio, the Group's television properties reached an average of 26.2 million K2-11 (source: NMR NPower 12/29/08-3/29/09) each week in first quarter -- more than any other kids' brand.

   Nickelodeon's 1Q highlights include:    --  Nick is number one with K2-11, earning a 3.6/1.2 million -- a +33%       lead over the next closest kids' competitor (The Disney Channel,       2.7/925,000 K2-11) and +112% ahead of Cartoon Network (1.7/587,000       K2-11).    --  Nick tops with total viewers, tallying 2.3 million P2+, +39% ahead of       the number-two total day network, The Disney Channel (1.6 million P2+)       and +106% over Cartoon Network (1.1 million P2+).    --  Nick is number one with K6-11, averaging a 3.1/667,000 K6-11, +15%       ahead of the number-two kids' net (The Disney Channel: 2.7/563,000       K6-11) and +72% ahead of Cartoon Network (1.8/377,000 K6-11).    --  Nick leads with tweens, averaging a 2.3/490,000 T9-14, a +15% lead       over closest tween competitor (The Disney Channel, 2.0/428,000 T9-14)       and +92% ahead of Cartoon Network (1.2/266,000 T9-14).    --  Nick is the number-one destination for preschoolers on commercial TV,       averaging a 4.2/577,000 K2-5, +56% ahead of The Disney Channel       (2.7/362,000) and +180% ahead of Cartoon Network (1.5/210,000).     --  Nickelodeon owns four of the top five animated shows for kids 2-11 in       1Q09, including: SpongeBob SquarePants (#1); Back at the Barnyard       (#2); The Mighty B! (#3) and The Fairly OddParents (#5).    Nickelodeon's programming highlights for 1Q include:     --  Nickelodeon's 2009 Kids' Choice Awards (Saturday, March 28) slimed its       way to become basic cable's number-one telecast of 2009 with kids and       tweens.  The star-studded telecast set a new record as the biggest       Kids' Choice Awards to date, drawing a record 7.7 million total       viewers (P2+) and earning its highest ratings ever among kids and       tweens.    --  iCarly is basic cable television's number-one show for kids 2-11, kids       6-11 and total viewers for 1Q.  iCarly's "iLook Alike" (March 7, 2009)       is the year's number-two cable telecast with kids, behind only       Nickelodeon's 2009 Kids' Choice Awards.  iCarly's "iKiss" (Jan. 3,       2009) follows the Kids' Choice Awards as the year's number-two       telecast with tweens on cable television.       --  iCarly's ratings are up +63% with K2-11 (8.8/3.1 million K2-11)           and up +104% among tweens (10.2/2.2 million T9-14) over last year.        --  iCarly is the highest-rated program with K6-11 and T9-14 on           Saturday nights.     --  Nickelodeon's premiere of the CGI-animated series The Penguins of       Madagascar (Saturday, March 28) broke records as the most-watched       series premiere in Nickelodeon's history with 6.1 total million       viewers (P2+), delivering the most kids 6-11 for an animated series       premiere on Nick, and the best new series premiere performance ever       with tweens.     --  True Jackson, VP is television's second highest-rated show for kids       6-11 and tweens 9-14 on Saturday nights, behind number-one iCarly.        True Jackson, VP ratings are up +24% among K6-11 (7.2/1.5 million       K6-11) and +40% among T9-14 (6.3/1.3 million T9-14) year-to-date.     --  Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, SpongeBob SquarePants is       the number-one animated show with kids 2-11 for the quarter.        SpongeBob SquarePants has been the number-one animated program with       kids 2-11 for more than seven consecutive years.    Nickelodeon's Kids and Family portfolio highlights for 1Q include:    --  Nick at Nite scored its most-watched quarter ever with Adults 18-49       and Men 18-49, netting 16 consecutive months of year-over-year growth.       --  It is total day's number-one cable network with W18-49 this           quarter, averaging a 0.8/436,000 W18-49 (up +14%); and the number           two with A18-49, averaging a 0.6/690,000 A18-49 (up +20%) and 1.5           million total viewers (up +5%).   --  Led by the success of new hit series Wolverine and The X-Men,       Nicktoons Network earned its best 1Q performance and posted       double-digit gains with all key demos.       --  1Q09 is Nicktoons Network's most-watched and highest-rated 1Q with           kids 6-11, boys 6-11, tweens 9-14, boys 9-14 and total viewers.       --  The network is up +33% over last year with K6-11; +25% with B6-11;           +50% with T9-14; +33% with B9-14; and +58% with total viewers.   --  The N delivered its best quarterly performance ever and its biggest       teen and total viewer audience in 1Q.       --  Delivery for the quarter during its total day with teens (T12-17)           and total viewers is up double-digits by +23% and +47%,           respectively, over last year.        --  January marked The N's most-watched month ever with total viewers.    --  NOGGIN delivered its most-watched and highest-rated quarter ever with       kids 2-5 and total viewers, posting double-digit yearly gains in 1Q.       --  NOGGIN ends 1Q as the number-two preschool cable network in total           day, second only to Nickelodeon, posting growth of +40% K2-5 and           +41% P2+.        --  January 2009 was NOGGIN's best monthly delivery with total viewers           and March 2009 was its most-watched month ever with kids 2-5.   

Nickelodeon, now in its 30th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products online, recreation, books, magazines and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 98 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 14 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com/. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE: VIA.B) .

All numbers above are based on Nielsen Media Research 12/29/08-3/29/09 and Nickelodeon's total programming day unless otherwise noted. Nickelodeon: M-Th: 6 a.m.-9 p.m.; Fr-Sat: 6:00 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sun: 6 a.m.-9 p.m. (ET/PT)

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Nickelodeon

CONTACT: Joanna Roses, +1-212-846-7326, or Thamar Romero,
+1-212-846-7491

Web Site: http://www.nickpress.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment