Nickelodeon facts for kids
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Logo used since 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 Skydance Corporation |
| 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 | |
| Affiliated Streaming Service | Paramount+ |
| Service(s) | DirecTV Stream, FuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, Philo, Spectrum TV Stream, YouTube TV |
Nickelodeon, often called Nick, is a popular American TV channel. It's part of the Paramount Skydance Corporation. Nickelodeon started on April 1, 1979. It was the first cable channel made just for kids. The channel mainly shows programs for children and teenagers aged 2 to 17. It also has shows for the whole family.
The channel began as a test on December 1, 1977. This was part of QUBE, an early cable TV system in Columbus, Ohio. On April 1, 1979, the channel became Nickelodeon. It then launched across the country. Pinwheel was the first show it aired. The network did not have commercials until 1984. That year, Nickelodeon changed its shows and look. It became very successful. Because of this, it and its sister channels, MTV and VH1, were sold to Viacom in 1985.
Nickelodeon grew by adding more channels and special show times. Nick Jr. started as a morning block for preschoolers on January 4, 1988. It later became its own channel, Nick Jr. Channel, in 2009. Nicktoons, which features Nickelodeon's original cartoons, launched as a separate channel in 2002. Noggin, an educational brand, was a TV channel from 1999 to 2009. It became a mobile streaming service from 2015 to 2024. Two blocks for teenagers, Nickelodeon's TEENick and Noggin's The N, combined to form the TeenNick channel in 2009.
As of December 2023, about 70 million homes in the United States could watch Nickelodeon. This number was 101 million in 2011.
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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
The History of Nickelodeon
The name "Nickelodeon" comes from early movie theaters. These theaters cost five cents to enter. They were called nickelodeons. The channel's story began on December 1, 1977. Warner Cable Communications launched an early cable system called QUBE in Columbus, Ohio. A channel called C-3 showed Pinwheel every day. It was known as "Pinwheel" on remote controls.
Nickelodeon officially launched on April 1, 1979. It was sent to Warner Cable systems by satellite. At first, it had no commercials. Ads were added in January 1984.
Nickelodeon's Programs
Nickelodeon shows many different types of programs. These include animated series like SpongeBob SquarePants and The Loud House. It also has live-action shows such as The Thundermans: Undercover. The channel also airs original TV movies. During the day, Nickelodeon shows programs for preschoolers. Some of these are Paw Patrol and Blue's Clues & You!.
A special show was Nick News with Linda Ellerbee. This news show for kids started in 1992 and ended in 2015. In June 2020, Nickelodeon brought Nick News back. It aired as hour-long specials. The first special, Kids, Race and Unity: A Nick News Special, aired on June 29, 2020. Singer Alicia Keys hosted it.
Since 2021, Nickelodeon has shown at least one live National Football League game each year. These games are produced by CBS Sports. They include fun Nickelodeon elements. For example, green slime appears in the end zone. SpongeBob SquarePants' face is shown on the goalposts. Nickelodeon also airs NFL Slimetime during the football season. This show has similar fun graphics. In 2024, Nickelodeon aired a SpongeBob SquarePants-themed version of the Super Bowl.
Nicktoons: Original Cartoons
Nicktoons is the name for Nickelodeon's original animated TV shows. Before 1991, most cartoons on Nickelodeon came from other countries. Nickelodeon then started making its own animated specials. Even though the "Nicktoons" name is not used as much since the Nicktoons channel launched in 2002, original cartoons are still a big part of Nickelodeon's schedule. These shows fill many hours on weekdays and weekends.
In 2006, Nickelodeon made a deal with DreamWorks Animation. This allowed them to turn DreamWorks movies into TV series. An example is The Penguins of Madagascar. Since the early 2010s, Nickelodeon Animation Studio has also made shows based on existing characters. These include Winx Club and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Nickelodeon Movies
Nickelodeon has made many original TV movies. These usually premiere on weekend evenings or during school holidays. The channel also sometimes buys movies that were shown in theaters to air them.
The channel occasionally airs movies made by its own film company, Nickelodeon Movies. These movies are distributed by Paramount Pictures. Even though the film company has the Nickelodeon name, the channel does not air most of its movies. Most live-action movies from Nickelodeon Movies are shown on other TV channels. However, Nickelodeon has aired some, like Good Burger.
Nickelodeon also calls hour-long episodes of its shows "movies." These "TV movie" versions are shorter than typical TV movies. They are usually about 45 minutes long. They also use the same filming style as regular episodes.
In 2002, Nickelodeon started a partnership with Mattel. This allowed them to air movies and specials based on Barbie dolls. Later, they also aired Monster High films. The first Barbie film on Nickelodeon was Barbie as Rapunzel in 2002. These films were often aired to promote their DVD release. This partnership ended with Barbie: Video Game Hero in 2017. After that, Barbie films moved to Netflix.
Programming Blocks
Current Programming Blocks
- Nick Jr. – This block is for preschool-aged children. It airs Monday through Friday mornings. Shows include Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig, and Blue's Clues & You!. This block is for younger kids who are not in school during these hours.
- Nick at Nite – This is Nickelodeon's nighttime programming. It started on July 1, 1985. It airs from evening until early morning. It used to show classic sitcoms from the 1950s and 1960s. Now, it mainly shows repeats of popular sitcoms from the 1980s to the 2000s. Examples include Full House and Friends. In 1996, a channel called TV Land was launched based on this block. Nick at Nite also sometimes has its own original shows. Since 2004, Nielsen counts Nick at Nite and Nickelodeon as two separate networks for TV ratings.
Former Programming Blocks
- SNICK – "SNICK" stood for "Saturday Night Nickelodeon." It was the first Saturday night block for preteens and teenagers. It aired from 1992 to 2005. It mostly showed live-action comedy series.
- Nick in the Afternoon – This block aired on weekday afternoons during the summer from 1995 to 1998. It was hosted by Stick Stickly, a popsicle stick character.
- U-Pick Live – This block aired weekday afternoons from 2002 to 2005. Viewers could vote online to choose which cartoons would air. It was broadcast live from New York City's Times Square.
- TEENick – This block was for teenagers. It ran from 2001 to 2009 on Sundays and Saturdays. It was hosted by Nick Cannon and later Jason Everhart. The name "TEENick" later became the name of the TeenNick channel in 2009.
- Nick Saturday Nights – This block aired live-action shows on Saturday nights from 2012 to 2021. It showed new episodes of Nickelodeon's original series.
- That New Thursday Night – This was a live-action comedy block that aired on Thursday evenings. It featured shows like Danger Force and The Really Loud House. It ended on June 29, 2023.
- AfterToons – This was an animation block that aired on weekday afternoons. It showed new episodes of Nickelodeon cartoons like SpongeBob SquarePants and The Loud House. It ended on November 24, 2023.
Special Events
- Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards – This is an annual live awards show. It happens on the fourth Saturday night in March. Viewers vote online and by text message for their favorite TV shows, movies, actors, and music artists. Winners get an orange blimp trophy.
- Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Sports – This is a spin-off of the Kids' Choice Awards. It takes place in July. It honors athletes and sports teams.
- Nickelodeon HALO Awards – The HALO Awards celebrate five ordinary teenagers who are "Helping And Leading Others" (HALO). It was hosted by Nick Cannon and aired from 2009 to 2017.
- Worldwide Day of Play – This is an annual event held on a Saturday in late September. It started in 2004. Nickelodeon and its sister channels stop broadcasting for three hours. This encourages kids to go outside and play. Schools and groups also host local events to promote activity.
Blocks on Other TV Networks
- Nickelodeon en Telemundo – From 1998 to 2001, Telemundo aired a daily block of Nickelodeon shows dubbed in Spanish. These included Rugrats and Hey Arnold!.
- Nick on CBS/Nick Jr. on CBS – From 2002 to 2006, Nickelodeon produced a two-hour Saturday morning block for CBS. This block showed episodes of series like The Wild Thornberrys and Rugrats. In 2004, it changed to focus on Nick Jr. shows like Dora the Explorer.
Related Networks and Services
Current Sister Channels
Nick Jr. Channel
Nick Jr. Channel is a TV network for children aged 2 to 6. It shows current and older preschool programs from Nickelodeon. It also has some shows only seen on this channel. The Nick Jr. Channel launched on September 28, 2009. It was a spin-off of Nickelodeon's preschool programming block. The channel replaced Noggin. Noggin later became a streaming service in 2015. The Nick Jr. Channel usually does not have regular commercials. Instead, it shows promotions for its programs.
Nicktoons
Nicktoons is a TV network that started on May 1, 2002. It was first called "Nicktoons TV." It airs a mix of newer live-action and animated shows from Nickelodeon. These include Henry Danger, The Fairly OddParents, and SpongeBob SquarePants. It also has original series that only air on Nicktoons.
TeenNick
TeenNick is a TV network for teenagers and young adults. It is named after the TEENick block that aired on Nickelodeon. The channel combined shows from the TEENick block with The N, a former block on Noggin. TeenNick now mostly shows current and older Nickelodeon series. It also airs some acquired sitcoms and drama series.
NickMusic
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| Country | United States |
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| Broadcast area | Nationwide |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English |
| Picture format | 480i 4:3 (SDTV) presented in 16:9 letterbox |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Paramount Media Networks |
| Parent | Nickelodeon Group |
| History | |
| Launched | May 1, 2002 |
| Former names | MTV Hits (2002–2016) |
NickMusic is a TV network in the United States. It plays music videos from artists popular with Nickelodeon's audience. It launched on September 9, 2016. It took over the channel space that used to be MTV Hits.
The network started on May 1, 2002, as MTV Hits. It only showed music videos. Like other music video channels, it plays a loop of videos that repeats throughout the day. NickMusic does not have commercials. It only shows promotions for Nickelodeon or MTV.
Former Sister Channels
- Nickelodeon Games and Sports for Kids (or Nick GAS) – This channel launched in 1999. It showed game shows and competition programs from Nickelodeon. It stopped airing on December 31, 2007.
- NickMom – This was a programming block on the Nick Jr. Channel. It launched on October 1, 2012. It aired shows for parents. It stopped airing on September 28, 2015, due to low ratings.
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- Nick 2 – This was a secondary channel that showed Nickelodeon programs at different times. It allowed viewers to watch shows three hours earlier or later. It existed from around 2000 until November 2018.
- NickRewind (TeenNick block) – This block on TeenNick showed popular Nickelodeon programs from the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. It started in 2011 and was discontinued on January 31, 2022.
Other Services
| Service | Description |
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Nickelodeon HD is the high-definition version of Nickelodeon. It started on November 14, 2007. Most of Nickelodeon's original shows since 2008 are in HD. This includes live-action and some animated content. Movies and Nick at Nite shows are also in HD. |
| Nick on Demand | Nick on Demand is a service that lets you watch Nickelodeon shows whenever you want. It is available on most TV providers. It has Nickelodeon's live-action, animated, and preschool shows. |
| Noggin | Noggin started as a TV channel in 1999. It was a partnership with Sesame Workshop. It is now an educational mobile app for preschoolers. The app launched on March 5, 2015. |
| Nick Pluto TV | Nick Pluto TV launched on May 1, 2019. It is a free streaming channel on Pluto TV. It mostly shows older programs from Nickelodeon's library. |
| Paramount+ | Paramount+ is the streaming service for Paramount Global. It has many Nickelodeon shows. It includes older shows like You Can't Do That on Television and Double Dare. |
Production Studios
Nickelodeon Animation Studio
Nickelodeon Animation Studio is where many of Nickelodeon's cartoons are made. It has two main locations: one in Burbank, California, and another in New York City.
Nickelodeon Productions
Nickelodeon Productions is a studio in New York. It creates original sitcoms, animated shows, and game-related programs for Nickelodeon. It was founded in 1987.
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 Nickelodeon series were filmed there.
Media and Digital Content
Nickelodeon Games
Nickelodeon Games is the part of Nickelodeon that makes video games. It used to be called "Nick Games" and "Nickelodeon Software." They worked closely with game publisher THQ. THQ published games based on Nickelodeon shows like The Ren & Stimpy Show and Rugrats. They also worked together on an original game called Tak and the Power of Juju.
Nick.com: The Official Website
Nick.com is Nickelodeon's main website. It launched in October 1995. It offers content, video clips, and full episodes of Nickelodeon series. In March 1999, Nick.com became the most popular website for children aged 6–14. Nickelodeon used the website with its TV shows to get more visitors. In 2001, Nickelodeon added online video games for rent. This helped the website offer more gaming and video streaming.
Mobile Apps
Nickelodeon released a free mobile app for smartphones and tablet computers in February 2013. You needed a TV provider login to watch full episodes. In December 2023, Paramount Global announced that this app and other Paramount apps would be stopped. The apps were discontinued on January 31, 2024.
Nickelodeon Movies
Nickelodeon Movies is a film production company. It was started in 1995. It makes family entertainment movies for Paramount Pictures. The first movie it released was Harriet the Spy in 1996. Nickelodeon Movies has made films based on Nickelodeon cartoons like The Rugrats Movie and The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. It also creates other original movies.
Nickelodeon Magazine
Nickelodeon Magazine was a print magazine that started in 1993. It had fun facts, humor, interviews, recipes, and a comic book section. It stopped being published in December 2009. A new version of the magazine was published from June 2015 to mid-2016.
Nick Radio
Nick Radio was a radio network that launched on September 30, 2013. It was a partnership with iHeartMedia. The station played Top 40 and pop music for kids. It also had interviews with celebrities and Nickelodeon stars. Nick Radio shut down on July 31, 2019.
Themed Experiences and Hotels
Nickelodeon Universe Theme Parks
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 shows. These include SpongeBob SquarePants: Rock Bottom Plunge and Fairly Odd Coaster.
Nickelodeon opened a second Nickelodeon Universe theme park on October 25, 2019. This park is in the American Dream Meadowlands complex. It became the largest indoor theme park in the Western Hemisphere.
Theme Park Areas
Current Attractions
- Nickland is an area inside Movie Park Germany. It has Nickelodeon-themed rides.
- Nickelodeon Land opened on May 4, 2011, at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. It has rides based on shows like SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer.
- Nickelodeon Land opened in September 2015 at Sea World in Australia. It features rides based on Nickelodeon programs.
- Nickelodeon Land is also an area within Parque de Atracciones de Madrid. It opened in 2014.
- Nickelodeon Playtime/Nickelodeon Adventure are two themed entertainment centers. They are in Essex, England and Shenzhen, China.
Closed Areas
- Nickelodeon Universe was an area inside Paramount's Kings Island. It was voted "Best Kid's Area" for many years. It closed in 2009.
- Nickelodeon Studios was an attraction at the Universal Orlando Resort. It opened in 1990 and produced many Nickelodeon shows. It closed on April 30, 2005.
- Nickelodeon Central was an area inside several Paramount Parks. It featured shows and attractions with Nickelodeon characters. These areas were eventually closed.
- Nickelodeon Blast Zone was an area in Universal Studios Hollywood. It had water-themed play areas and a toddler playground. It ran from 2001 to 2007.
- Nickelodeon Splat City was an area in several theme parks. It featured messy and water-themed attractions. These areas were later changed or closed.
Hotel Brands
- Nickelodeon Suites Resort was a Nickelodeon-themed hotel in Orlando, Florida. It opened in 1999 and was re-themed in 2005. It had themed suites, a water park, and entertainment. It was re-themed to "Holiday Inn Resort Orlando Suites" in 2016.
- Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts is a hotel chain. The first location opened in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, in 2016. A second location opened in Riviera Maya, Mexico, in 2021. More locations are planned for the future.
Cruises
- Nickelodeon at Sea offered Nickelodeon-themed cruise packages with Norwegian Cruise Line. They had special activities and entertainment. This partnership ended in 2015.
Nickelodeon Around the World
Between 1993 and 1995, Nickelodeon opened channels in the United Kingdom, Australia, and Germany. By 1995, the network's shows were available in 70 countries. Since then, Nickelodeon has grown to include channels in many other parts of the world. These channels are often in local languages. Nickelodeon also licenses its cartoons and other content to other TV networks worldwide.
See also
In Spanish: Nickelodeon para niños
