Nickelodeon (Australia and New Zealand) facts for kids
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Logo since 22 June 2023.
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| Country | Australia New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Australia New Zealand Fiji |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English Māori |
| Picture format | 576i (SDTV 16:9) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Paramount Networks UK & Australia |
| Sister channels | Network 10 10 HD 10 Bold 10 Peach Comedy Central MTV Club MTV MTV 80s MTV Hits Nickelodeon (free-to-air) Nick Jr. NickMusic |
| History | |
| Launched | 23 October 1995 (Australia) 1 December 2010 (New Zealand and Fiji) |
| Replaced | Max/Classic Max (Australia; Foxtel) Nickelodeon NZ (in New Zealand) |
| Availability | |
| Streaming media | |
| Fetch Mobi | Channel 252 |
| Sky Go (NZ) |
skygo.co.nz |
Nick/Nickelodeon is a special TV channel for kids and teens in Australia and New Zealand. It's a "pay television" channel, which means you usually pay to watch it as part of a TV package. It's owned by a company called Paramount Networks UK & Australia. This channel is based on the famous American Nickelodeon channel.
Since December 1, 2010, the Nickelodeon channels in Australia and New Zealand have been the same. Before that, New Zealand had its own separate Nickelodeon channel.
On August 1, 2023, the channel stopped being available on Foxtel in Australia. This happened because another free-to-air channel, 10 Shake, changed its name to "Nickelodeon" and started showing similar programs. The original pay TV channel still broadcasts through Fetch in Australia and on Sky in New Zealand. The Fetch version was renamed "Nick" to help people tell it apart from the new free-to-air channel.
Contents
Channel History in Australia and New Zealand
How Nickelodeon Australia Started
Nickelodeon Australia first started broadcasting on October 23, 1995. It took the place of two older channels, Max and ClassicMax. When it first launched, it showed a mix of live-action shows and fun cartoons.
For a while, Nickelodeon shared its broadcast time with a block called Nick at Nite. Nick at Nite would start in the evenings and show older TV programs. Over time, Nickelodeon started broadcasting for longer hours. By July or August 2000, Nick at Nite stopped, and Nickelodeon began showing programs 24 hours a day!
The Launch of Nick Jr.
On March 14, 2004, a new channel called Nick Jr. was launched. This was Australia's first 24-hour TV channel made just for very young children, like preschoolers. Before Nick Jr. became its own channel, it was a special block of shows on Nickelodeon during the mornings and afternoons. Shows like Dora the Explorer and PAW Patrol were part of this block.
In March 2009, both Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. started broadcasting in widescreen, which made the picture look wider and more modern.
Becoming One Channel for Australia and New Zealand
On December 1, 2010, Nickelodeon Australia also started broadcasting in New Zealand. It replaced the older New Zealand version of Nickelodeon, making it one channel for both countries.
Nickelodeon on Streaming Services
Over the years, Nickelodeon became available on different online streaming services. In July 2013, it joined Foxtel Play, which was a new way to watch TV online. Then, in December 2013, it became available on Foxtel Go, another streaming service. In January 2014, you could also watch Nickelodeon on Fetch TV.
Changes in 2020 and 2023
From September 27, 2020, some Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. shows were also shown on a new free-to-air channel called 10 Shake. Free-to-air means you don't have to pay extra to watch it.
Then, on June 22, 2023, it was announced that 10 Shake would actually change its name to Nickelodeon on August 1. Because of this, Foxtel decided to stop showing the original pay-TV Nickelodeon channel. However, the channel still continues to be available on Fetch in Australia and on Sky in New Zealand.
Awesome Shows on Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon Australia mainly shows programs from its American sister channel. Some popular examples include SpongeBob SquarePants and The Loud House.
The channel also shows programs made outside the US and some local Australian shows. Here are a few examples of local shows:
- Nick Takes Over Your School
- An Australian version of Nick GAS
- Hot Chunks
- Camp Orange: This was an adventure reality series that started in 2005. Teams of kids would compete outdoors, using their smarts to win prizes. It was a very popular show with many seasons.
- Juice: This was a weekday morning show that played popular Nicktoons like SpongeBob SquarePants and The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.
Kids' Choice Awards
The annual Nickelodeon Australian Kids' Choice Awards started in 2003. This fun awards show celebrates what kids love most in music, movies, books, and more! Kids get to vote for their favorite stars and shows.
Special Programming Blocks
Over the years, Nickelodeon has had different blocks of shows at certain times of the day.
- Nick at Nite: This block used to share the channel with Nickelodeon when it first launched. It showed classic TV shows like Mister Ed and Gilligan's Island. It eventually closed so Nickelodeon could broadcast 24 hours a day.
- Sarvo: This was a block shown on weekday afternoons. It played various Nicktoons like SpongeBob SquarePants, Kappa Mikey, and Captain Flamingo. It also featured hosts who would interview celebrities and share funny moments.
- Weekend Mornings: This block showed two episodes each of four different Nicktoons on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
- Saturday Nick Television: This was a morning show that started in 2002. It was filmed in Melbourne and included games for the live audience, celebrity interviews, and skits.
- Lunchtoon: This was a weekday lunchtime block that showed four half-hour episodes of a Nickelodeon show, usually from 12 pm to 2 pm.
- Toons2Nite: This block played classic Nickelodeon cartoons like Rocko's Modern Life and Aaahh!!! Real Monsters in the late-night hours.
Other Fun Nickelodeon Projects
Nick Takes Over Your Beach
During several summers, Nickelodeon went on tour to Australian beaches. They set up fun games and activities for kids to enjoy right on the sand!
Nickelodeon Magazine Australia
There was an Australian version of the Nickelodeon Magazine that came out every month from September 2005 to May 2006. It had cool content, often borrowing ideas from the US version of the magazine.
You're on Nick
To help promote the channel, Nickelodeon Australia had a special bus called Moby Nick. This bus traveled around Australia. Inside the bus, there was a small recording studio where kids could record short videos of themselves. These ten-second clips would then be shown on TV during ad breaks!
Slimefest
Slimefest is a super fun, slime-filled music festival that happens every year for kids! It started in Sydney in September 2012. Famous music artists perform, and everyone gets to experience lots of Nickelodeon's famous green slime!
Hosts Who Made Nickelodeon Fun
Many talented people have hosted shows and events for Nickelodeon Australia over the years, making the channel even more exciting for kids. Some past hosts include:
- Angus King
- Jamie Croft
- Josh Quong Tart
- Dave "Kambo" Kambouris
- Dave Lawson
- Natalie Garonzi
- Tony Brockman
- James Kerley
- Emily Perry
- Jesse Tobin
- Maude Garrett
- Kyle Linahan
- Luke & Wyatt (Luke Ryan and Wyatt Nixon-Lloyd)
- Kristy (Kristy Best)
Logo History
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1995 – 2010
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2010 – August 1, 2023 (Used at the same time as other logos)
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August 1, 2023 - Present
See also
- Nickelodeon Australian Kids' Choice Awards
- Nick Jr. (Australia)
- NickMusic (Australian TV channel)
- Nickelodeon (United States)
