Nick: Q3 2008 Ratings Highlights

Nickelodeon's delivery numbers and ratings percentages for the now past Third Quarter of the 2008-year close another chapter in the kid cable network's history of nailing down key demographics for daytime programming. Tween programming, preschool television animation, and any other area of youth entertainment, Nickelodeon has tallied its usual array of highlights. Sporting growth where it counts, the network's original cartoon programming; some traditionally animated, others in computer animation; naturally took to the spotlight.

The network's position at the top for Q3 2008 is mostly left to Total Program Day analysis, whose individual performance is compared over last year's numbers. Nickelodeon, NOGGIN, and Nicktoons Network all shared in the success of the summer months this year. For the Kids 2-11 demographic for example, the top five animated shows on cable were all Nicktoons: SpongeBob SquarePants (#1); this year's new stand-out The Mighty B! (#2); Saturday-morning stalwart Back at the Barnyard (#3); the now concluded fantasy-epic Avatar: the Last Airbender (#4); and The Fairly OddParents (#5)

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Kids 2-11 audience delivery for this past Quarter, according to Nickelodeon, registered a 1.2 million viewer average, with a 3.5 ratings share. Just as Nick lead this viewing category, so did it take Total Viewers (P2+), which according to early tracking showed a marginal increase for Q3 2008 as well, up +03%, to 2.2 million.

Nickelodeon's tremendous push for preschool programming has also paid off rather well. Exercising creative resources for early education programming has similarly grown the Nick Jr. programming block substantially over the past six months.

Averaging a ratings share of 3.8 for Kids 2-5, Nickelodeon placed at the top spot for the demographic, at 506,000 viewers, and far ahead of its competitors. Apparently, four of the top five preschool cartoons for this audience, according to Nickelodeon, are Nicktoons: Dora the Explorer (#1); Max and Ruby (#2, from Nelvana Studios); The Backyardigans (#3); Go, Diego, Go! (#4); and Ni Hao Kai-Lan (#5). Elsewhere, NOGGIN grew double-digits over last year and ranked as the number-two preschool cable network in Total Day, second only to Nickelodeon. The network averaged a 2.1 ratings share for K2-5, up +60%.

For the Kids 6-11 audience group, extended cable channel Nicktoons Network sported it usual growth, flexing with Kids 6-1, Boys 6-11, Tweens 9-14, and Boys 9-14. Earning its highest-rated Quarter for some demographics, Nicktoons Network found an average audience of 61,000 (K6-11) and 47,000 (B6-11) for the month of July, additionally. The Kids 6-11 group increased +25% over the previous year's time period, while the other targets followed suit: Boys 6-11 grew +20%, Tweens 9-14 grew an even more impressive +50%, and the Boys 9-14 audience grew a third, up +33%.

on Nickelodeon: Nickelodeon (www.Nick.com), now in its 29th 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. tv network is seen in more than 96 million households.