Nickelodeon facts for kids
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Logo used since March 4, 2023
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| Country | United States |
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| Broadcast area | Nationwide |
| Headquarters | One Astor Plaza New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) |
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| Picture format | 1080i HDTV (downscaled to letterboxed 480i for the SDTV feed) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Paramount Media Networks (Paramount Global) |
| Parent | Nickelodeon Group |
| Sister channels | |
| History | |
| Founded | December 1, 1977 |
| Launched | April 1, 1979 |
| Founder | Vivian Horner |
| Former names | C-3 (1977–1979) |
| Availability (channel space shared with nighttime programming block Nick at Nite) |
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| Streaming media | |
| Philo, FuboTV, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV | |
Nickelodeon, often called Nick, is a popular American TV channel. It's owned by Paramount Global and is mostly for kids and teenagers aged 2 to 17. It also has shows for the whole family. Nickelodeon started on April 1, 1979, and was the very first cable channel made just for children!
The channel actually began as a test on December 1, 1977. It was part of an early cable TV system called QUBE in Columbus, Ohio. When it launched nationwide on April 1, 1979, it was named Nickelodeon. Its first show was Pinwheel. At first, Nickelodeon didn't have any commercials. Ads were added in 1984. Nickelodeon became very successful, and in 1985, it was sold to Viacom (now Paramount Global).
Over the years, Nickelodeon has created many other channels and special show times.
- Nick Jr. is a morning block for preschoolers, started in 1988.
- Nicktoons is a separate channel for cartoons, launched in 2002.
- In 1999, Nickelodeon worked with Sesame Workshop to create Noggin, which was an educational channel and website.
- Two blocks for teens, TEENick and The N, became their own channel called TeenNick in 2009.
As of 2018, about 87 million homes in the United States can watch Nickelodeon.
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| 1977 | Pinwheel broadcasts on QUBE |
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| 1979 | Nickelodeon is launched by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment |
| 1984 | Nickelodeon introduces its Balloon font logo |
| 1985 | Nick at Nite is launched |
| 1986 | Double Dare premieres |
| 1987 | The Big Ballot (later known as the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards) premieres |
| 1988 | The programming block Nick Jr. was launched |
| 1991 | Nickelodeon debuted their "Nicktoons" brand |
| 1992 | The programming block SNICK was launched |
| 1994 | Nickelodeon launches The Big Help |
| 1996 | Nickelodeon released its first feature-length film in theaters in 1996, an adaptation of Louise Fitzhugh's novel, Harriet the Spy |
| 1999 | Noggin, a joint venture with Sesame Workshop, is launched |
| 1999 | SpongeBob SquarePants premieres |
| 2001 | TEENick is launched |
| 2002 | The N is launched on Noggin and the Nicktoons channel is launched |
| 2005 | Nickelodeon premiered Avatar: The Last Airbender |
| 2009 | Nickelodeon went through a major rebrand: TEENick and The N merged to form TeenNick, Noggin was replaced by the Nick Jr. Channel, and Nicktoons Network became Nicktoons |
| 2009 | Nickelodeon acquired the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise |
| 2010 | Nickelodeon began co-producing the Winx Club franchise |
| 2015 | Nickelodeon revived Noggin as a streaming service |
| 2023 | Nickelodeon introduces a new take on their classic splat branding |
| 2024 | Noggin shuts down |
Contents
History
The name "Nickelodeon" comes from the first movie theaters that cost five cents to enter. These were called nickelodeons. The channel's story began on December 1, 1977. That's when Warner Cable Communications started an early cable system called QUBE in Columbus, Ohio.
A channel on QUBE, called C-3, showed Pinwheel every day. It was the only show on that channel. Nickelodeon officially launched nationwide on April 1, 1979. It was first sent to Warner Cable homes using a satellite. Originally, Nickelodeon had no commercials. But in January 1984, advertisements were introduced.
Programming
Nickelodeon shows include many animated series. Some popular ones are SpongeBob SquarePants, The Loud House, The Patrick Star Show, and The Smurfs. There are also live-action shows like Danger Force, Tyler Perry's Young Dylan, and That Girl Lay Lay. Nickelodeon also makes its own TV movies. During the day, the channel shows programs for preschoolers, such as Bubble Guppies, PAW Patrol, and Blue's Clues & You!.
A special show called Nick News with Linda Ellerbee used to air regularly. It was a news show for kids that started in 1992 and ended in 2015. In 2020, Nickelodeon brought Nick News back as special hour-long episodes. The first new special, Kids, Race and Unity: A Nick News Special, aired on June 29, 2020. It was hosted by singer Alicia Keys.
Since 2021, Nickelodeon has shown at least one live National Football League (NFL) game each year. These games are produced by CBS Sports, another company owned by Paramount. They add fun Nickelodeon elements to the broadcast, like green slime in the end zone! Nickelodeon also has a weekly show called NFL Slimetime during the football season. In 2024, Nickelodeon even had a special SpongeBob SquarePants-themed broadcast of the Super Bowl.
Nicktoons
Nicktoons is the name for Nickelodeon's original animated TV shows. Before 1991, most cartoons on Nickelodeon came from other countries. The channel then started making its own animated specials. Even though the "Nicktoons" name is not used as much on the main channel since the Nicktoons channel launched in 2002, original cartoons are still a big part of Nickelodeon's schedule.
In 2006, Nickelodeon made a deal with DreamWorks Animation. This allowed them to turn DreamWorks movies into TV shows, like The Penguins of Madagascar. Since the early 2010s, Nickelodeon Animation Studio has also made shows based on popular characters they bought. Examples include Winx Club and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Movies
Nickelodeon has made many original movies just for TV. These usually premiere on weekend evenings or during school holidays. The channel also sometimes buys movies that were shown in theaters to broadcast them.
The channel occasionally airs movies made by its own film company, Nickelodeon Movies. These movies are usually distributed by Paramount Pictures, which is also owned by Paramount Global. Even though the film company has the Nickelodeon name, the main channel doesn't always get to show most of its movies. Many live-action Nickelodeon Movies are shown on other TV channels instead.
Nickelodeon also calls some hour-long episodes of its shows "movies." These are shorter than regular TV movies, usually about 45 minutes.
In 2002, Nickelodeon started a partnership with Mattel to show movies and specials based on Barbie and later Monster High dolls. The first Barbie movie on Nickelodeon was Barbie as Rapunzel in 2002. These movies often air to promote the DVD release of the films.
Programming blocks
Current blocks
- Nick Jr. – This block shows programs for preschool children. It airs Monday through Friday mornings. Shows include PAW Patrol, Peppa Pig, and Blue's Clues & You!.
- Nick at Nite – This is Nickelodeon's nighttime programming. It started on July 1, 1985, and airs from evening until early morning. It used to show classic sitcoms from the 1950s and 60s. Now, it mainly shows repeats of popular sitcoms from the 1980s to today, like Full House, Friends, and Young Sheldon.
- That New Thursday Night – This is a block of live-action comedy shows on Thursday evenings. It features shows like Danger Force, Tyler Perry's Young Dylan, and That Girl Lay Lay.
- AfterToons – This is a block of animated shows that airs on weekday afternoons. It includes new episodes of popular Nickelodeon cartoons like SpongeBob SquarePants, The Loud House, and The Patrick Star Show.
Former blocks
- SNICK – "SNICK" stood for "Saturday Night Nickelodeon." It was the channel's first Saturday night block for preteens and teenagers. It ran from 1992 to 2005 and mostly showed live-action comedies.
- Nick in the Afternoon – This block ran on weekday afternoons during the summer from 1995 to 1998. It was hosted by a fun popsicle stick character named Stick Stickly.
- U-Pick Live – This block aired weekday afternoons from 2002 to 2005. Viewers could vote on the Nickelodeon website to choose which cartoons would air.
- TEENick – This block was for teenagers and ran from 2001 to 2009. It aired on Sundays and later on Saturdays. The name "TEENick" later became the name of the channel TeenNick.
- Nick Saturday Nights – This was a primetime live-action block on Saturday evenings. It started in 2012 and showed new episodes of original series and TV movies. It ended in 2021.
Special events
- Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards – This is a big annual awards show held in March. Kids vote online and by text message for their favorite TV shows, movies, actors, athletes, and music artists. Winners get a hollow orange blimp award.
- Worldwide Day of Play – This annual event happens on a Saturday afternoon in late September. It encourages kids to exercise and play outdoors. Nickelodeon and its sister channels even stop broadcasting for a few hours to encourage kids to go outside and play!
Blocks on other networks
- Nickelodeon en Telemundo – From 1998 to 2001, Telemundo aired a daily block of Nickelodeon shows dubbed in Spanish.
- Nick on CBS/Nick Jr. on CBS – From 2002 to 2006, Nickelodeon produced a Saturday morning block for CBS. It featured shows like As Told by Ginger and The Wild Thornberrys. Later, it changed to a preschool block with Nick Jr. shows like Blue's Clues and Dora the Explorer.
Related networks and services
Current sister channels
Nick Jr. Channel
Nick Jr. Channel is a TV network mainly for children aged 2 to 6. It shows current and older preschool programs from Nickelodeon, plus some shows only seen on this channel. It launched on September 28, 2009, and replaced Noggin.
Nicktoons
Nicktoons is a TV network that started on May 1, 2002. It shows a mix of newer live-action and animated Nickelodeon shows like Henry Danger, The Fairly OddParents, and SpongeBob SquarePants. It also has original shows only on Nicktoons.
TeenNick
TeenNick is a TV network for teenagers and young adults. It's named after the TEENick block that used to air on Nickelodeon. The channel mostly shows current and older Nickelodeon series, along with some acquired sitcoms and dramas.
NickMusic
NickMusic is a TV network in the United States that mainly plays music videos and music-related shows from pop artists popular with Nickelodeon's audience. It launched on September 9, 2016.
Former sister channels
- Nickelodeon Games and Sports for Kids (or Nickelodeon GAS) was a TV network that launched in 1999. It showed game shows and competition programs from Nickelodeon. The channel stopped broadcasting on December 31, 2007.
- NickMom was a programming block on the Nick Jr. Channel. It launched in 2012 and was aimed at parents. It aired its own shows and later acquired films and sitcoms. NickMom was discontinued on September 28, 2015.
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- Nick 2 was a secondary channel that showed Nickelodeon's programs at different times. This allowed viewers in different time zones to watch shows at a more convenient time. It existed from around 2000 until November 2018.
- NickRewind (TeenNick block) On July 25, 2011, TeenNick started airing The '90s Are All That, a block of Nickelodeon's popular 1990s shows. After several name changes, it became "NickRewind" and focused on shows from the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. This block was discontinued on January 31, 2022.
Other services
| Service | Description |
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Nickelodeon HD is the high-definition version of the channel. It launched in 2007 and started showing HD content in 2008. Most new shows and movies are in HD. |
| Nick on Demand | Nick on Demand lets you watch Nickelodeon shows whenever you want, through your TV provider. It has live-action, animated, and preschool programs. |
| Noggin | Noggin started as a TV channel in 1999. Now, it's an educational mobile app for preschoolers. The app launched on March 5, 2015. |
| Nick Pluto TV | Launched on May 1, 2019, Nick Pluto TV is a free streaming channel on Pluto TV. It shows mostly older Nickelodeon programs. |
| Paramount+ | Paramount+ is Paramount Global's streaming service. It has a large collection of Nickelodeon shows, including many from the channel's early days. |
Production studios
Nickelodeon Animation Studio
Nickelodeon Animation Studio is where many of Nickelodeon's animated shows (Nicktoons and Nick Jr. series) are made. It has locations in Burbank, California, and New York City.
Nickelodeon Productions
Nickelodeon Productions is a studio in New York that creates original sitcoms, animated shows, and game-related programs for Nickelodeon.
Nickelodeon on Sunset
Nickelodeon on Sunset was a studio in Hollywood, California. It was the main place where Nickelodeon shows were made from 1997 to 2017. Many famous Nickelodeon series were filmed there.
Media
Nickelodeon Games
Nickelodeon Games is the part of Nickelodeon that makes video games. They have worked with game publishers like THQ to create games based on popular shows like The Ren & Stimpy Show and Rugrats. They also worked on original games like Tak and the Power of Juju.
Nick.com
Nick.com is Nickelodeon's main website. It launched in October 1995. The website offers content, video clips, and full episodes of Nickelodeon series to stream. It became very popular, especially among kids aged 6–14.
Mobile apps
Nickelodeon released a free mobile app for phones and tablets in February 2013. Like Nick.com, you need a TV provider login to watch full episodes. In December 2023, it was announced that the app would be stopped.
Nickelodeon Movies
Nickelodeon Movies is a film production company started in 1995. It makes movies for families and is part of Paramount Pictures. Their first film was Harriet the Spy in 1996. They have made movies based on Nickelodeon cartoons like The Rugrats Movie and The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie.
Nickelodeon Magazine
Nickelodeon Magazine was a print magazine that started in 1993. It had fun facts, humor, interviews, recipes, and a comic book section with original comics and strips about Nicktoons. It stopped being published in 2009. A new version was published for a short time from 2015 to 2016.
Nick Radio
Nick Radio was a radio network that launched in 2013. It played Top 40 and pop music for kids and teens. It also featured interviews with celebrities and Nickelodeon stars. Nick Radio stopped broadcasting on July 31, 2019.
Themed experiences and hotels
Nickelodeon Universe
Nickelodeon Universe at the Mall of America is the first indoor Nickelodeon theme park in the United States. It has many rides based on Nickelodeon characters, like SpongeBob SquarePants: Rock Bottom Plunge and Fairly Odd Coaster.
A second Nickelodeon Universe theme park opened in the American Dream Meadowlands complex on October 25, 2019. It became the largest indoor theme park in the Western Hemisphere.
Theme park areas
Current attractions
- Nickland is an area inside Movie Park Germany with Nickelodeon-themed rides.
- Nickelodeon Land opened in 2011 at Blackpool Pleasure Beach in the UK. It has rides based on shows like SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer.
- Nickelodeon Land opened in 2015 at Sea World in Australia. It features rides based on SpongeBob and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
- Nickelodeon Land is also an area within Parque de Atracciones de Madrid in Spain. It opened in 2014 with rides based on Jimmy Neutron, SpongeBob, and PAW Patrol.
- Nickelodeon Playtime/Nickelodeon Adventure are themed play centers in England and China. They have play areas based on SpongeBob SquarePants and PAW Patrol.
Closed areas
- Nickelodeon Studios was an attraction at the Universal Orlando Resort. It opened in 1990 and was where many Nickelodeon shows were produced. It closed in 2005 when production moved to New York City and California.
- Nickelodeon Central was an area inside several Paramount Parks. It featured shows and attractions with Nickelodeon characters. These areas were eventually changed or closed.
- Nickelodeon Blast Zone was an area in Universal Studios Hollywood from 2001 to 2007. It had water-themed attractions and play areas inspired by Nickelodeon shows.
Hotel brands
- Nickelodeon Suites Resort was a Nickelodeon-themed hotel in Orlando, Florida. It opened in 2005 and had themed rooms, a water park, and entertainment based on Nickelodeon shows. It changed its theme in 2016.
- Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts is a hotel chain that opened its first location in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, in 2016. A second location opened in Mexico in 2021, and more are planned.
Cruises
- Nickelodeon at Sea offered Nickelodeon-themed cruise packages with Norwegian Cruise Line. These cruises had special activities and entertainment based on Nickelodeon shows. This service ended in 2015.
International
Between 1993 and 1995, Nickelodeon launched channels in the United Kingdom, Australia, and Germany. By 1995, Nickelodeon's shows were available in 70 countries! Since then, the Nickelodeon brand has grown to include channels in many different languages and cultures around the world. They also license their cartoons and other content to other TV networks.
See also
In Spanish: Nickelodeon para niños
