Nickandmore!

via Nickelodeon press release:

Nickelodeon Caps Year with Biggest Kids’ Audience Yet,
Wins ’01 and Fourth Quarter

Nick Sticks at Number One, Buoyed by TV’s Most Absorbing Show, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Rugrats’ 10th Anniversary “All Growed Up” 70-Share Phenomenon

Nick Tops Tweens, Catches More Kids than B’Cast Nets in Saturday-Morning Season to Date

New York, NY — Jan. 2, 2002— Nickelodeon has finished 2001 with its biggest kids’ audience in the network’s 22-year history, breaking the audience-level record it set just last year and also advancing its standing (25 consecutive quarters) as basic cable’s number-one network among kids and households in total day for ’01 and fourth quarter, according to Nielsen Media Research (1/1-12/30/01). Nickelodeon–distributed to more than 84 million U.S. homes–scored its most-watched year ever among its core demo of kids 2-11 by growing last year’s total-day average audience of 866,000 kids 2-11 by +3% to 895,000 year to date.

Among households, Nickelodeon completed the year first among basic cable with a 1.4/1.1 million HH in total day, +17% ahead of number-two-ranked Lifetime Television (1.2/998,000). For fourth quarter ’01, Nick also finished at number one in total day with a 1.4/1.1 million HH, +17% ahead of number-two Lifetime Television (1.2/995,000 HH).

During Nickelodeon’s “Kids’ Day”* schedule, the daypart where the network offers its premier kids programming and goes head-to-head against other kid-net competitors, the network ranked as number one in all kid demos for the year and fourth quarter, pacing +56% ahead of the closest competitor in kids 2-11 for ‘01. Among the primary kids 2-11 demo, Nick finished ’01 with a 4.2/24 rating and share (1.3 million average kid viewers) in the “Kids’ Day,” ahead of number-two Cartoon Network (2.7/15 rating and share [744,000 average kid viewers]) by +56% in rating and +75% in delivery. For fourth quarter, Nick averaged a 4.2/24 rating and share (1.3 million average kid viewers), +62% ahead of second-ranked Cartoon Network (2.6/15 rating and share [783,000 average kid viewers]).

With tweens (9-14), Nickelodeon ended the year and quarter at number one for the 10th consecutive year on a full 24-hour basis, posting its highest tweens 9-14 ratings and delivery ever. For ’01 with tweens, Nick averaged a 1.9/14 rating and share (369,000 average tween viewers), up +5% in rating and +12% in delivery over last year and +27% ahead of number-two The Disney Channel (1.5/ 11 rating and share [264,000 average kid viewers]).

Contributing to Nick’s ’01 success were kid faves such as Rugrats, the breakout hit The Fairly OddParents, preschool topper Dora the Explorer and the show that kids and adults alike find most absorbing, SpongeBob SquarePants:

• SpongeBob SquarePants: Soaking up the [sea] lion’s share of attention this year, and taking over the top spot from Rugrats in the third and fourth quarter, is the irrepressible SpongeBob SquarePants (M-F at 8 p.m.; Sat-Sun 10 and 10:30 a.m. [All Times ET/PT]). Since moving to prime time in July, SpongeBob earned a 6.4/25 rating and share (2.0 million average kid viewers) among kids 2-11, up +6% in rating and +10% in delivery as compared to prior-year time period levels. SpongeBob’s strong third-and-fourth-quarter finish as television’s number-one kids show makes the program stand second only to sibling show Rugrats for the year.

• Rugrats, which ranks as television’s number-one kids show for the year (7.0/26 rating and share [2.2 million average kid viewers]), broke even further out of the pack when its “All Growed Up” 10th anniversary special (July 21, 8-9 p.m.) drew the highest share (70 kids share) ever recorded for a basic-cable program. “All Growed Up” will finish the year as basic cable’s number-three entertainment program** thanks to its 7.2 rating/5.9 million HH delivery–making it Nick’s highest-rated program ever among households. With its kids 2-11 audience, the special amassed a 20.4/70 rating and share (6.2 million average kid viewers), surpassing all of Nick’s prior ratings records.

• The Fairly OddParents: Since its spirited launch in March, The Fairly OddParents (Fridays at 8:30 p.m.; Saturdays from 1-2 p.m.) has emerged as Nickelodeon’s fastest-growing new show, averaging a 5.7/25 rating and share (1.8 million average kid viewers) among kids 2-11, up +32% in rating and +38% in delivery over the prior year’s time period average. The show was recently renewed for a second season, scheduled to premiere early next year.

• Dora the Explorer: This breakout preschool hit (weekdays on Nick Jr.) finish the year as the number-one preschool show on commercial television, a distinction it has held since launching August 2000. For ’01, Dora earned a 9.1/41 rating and share (1.1 million average kid viewers) among its kids 2-5 target in its 11 a.m. timeslot, a +5% lift in rating and +9% increase in delivery over last year. Dora embarks on its second season in January ’02, and the show’s third season already has been picked up for 2003.

• Nick.com broke its previous traffic records by receiving more than 4.2 million monthly unique visitors in ‘01, representing a +52% increase over 2000 levels. Nickjr.com, which ranks as the number-one online parenting site, also had a record-breaking year, averaging more than 1.9 monthly unique visitors for the year–a +79% increase over 2000.

Nick also continues to advance its lead role in the ‘01 kids’ Saturday-morning broadcast season to date (9/3-12/23/01), where the kids’ cable network continually beats all broadcast and basic cable in head-to-head competition. For Saturdays, 8 a.m.-12 p.m. on a national ratings basis, Nick is outperforming the closest competitor, Kids’ WB, by +55% in rating and +54% in kid delivery.

On par with its average last season, which was Nickelodeon’s highest-rated Saturday performance ever, the network is currently posting a 4.8 national rating/21 share (1.9 million average kid viewers), followed by: Kids’ WB (3.1/13 and 1.3 million kid viewers—on par with last year season to date); Cartoon Network (2.1/9 and 861,000 kid viewers—up +17%); Fox Kids (2.0/9 and 811,000 kid viewers—down -20%); ABC (1.8/8 and 742,000 kid viewers—down -18%); The Disney Channel (1.8/8 and 740,000 kid viewers—up +20%); and ABC Family (0.8/4 and 330,000 kid viewers—up +33%).

Nickelodeon, now in its 23rd 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 84 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic-cable network for more than six consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.

*Nick’s “Kids’ Day” (All Times ET/PT): M-Th: 6:30 a.m.-9 p.m./Fri: 6:30 a.m.-10 p.m./Sat: 6 a.m.-10 p.m./Sun: 6 a.m.-9 p.m.

**Ranking excludes news and sports programs. Top three programs are TNT’s Crossfire Trail: 9.6 rating (Sunday, Jan. 21, 8-10 p.m. ET/PT); MTV’s 2001 Video Music Awards: 8.6 rating (Thursday, Sept. 6, 8-11:26 p.m. ET/PT); Nickelodeon’s Rugrats: “All Growed Up.”