Nickelodeon Named 2016 Top Entertainment Network for Kids
Nickelodeon finished 2016 as the number-one kids’ network for the year and as basic cable’s top entertainment network with total viewers (1.2M) in total day. According to Nielsen Media Research for 12/28/15-12/25/16, Nickelodeon is number one with K2-11, averaging a 2.1/623K, on par with last year, while +31% ahead of Disney Channel (1.6/468K—down -20% vs. year ago) and +75% ahead of Cartoon Network (1.2/368K—down -20% vs. year ago). Nickelodeon also is basic cable’s top entertainment network with total viewers for the total day, with its current average of 1.2 million Persons 2+ out-performing Disney Channel by +22% (1.0M, down -18% vs. year ago) and Cartoon Network by +46% (847K, down -16% vs. year ago).
With K2-5, Nick is number one, with an average of 2.7/301K, on par with last year and +108% ahead of Disney Channel (1.3/145K—down -19% vs. year ago) and +145% ahead of Cartoon Network (1.1/121K—down -8% vs. year ago). Among Kids 6-11, Nick is tied for first with Disney Channel: Nick’s 1.8/322K with K6-11 is on par with its prior-year performance, while Disney’s 1.8/322K represents an -18% decline.
Nickelodeon’s success in 2016 stems from the debut of more than 600 new episode premieres; successful tent-pole events such as Kids’ Choice Awards, Kids’ Choice Sports and the HALO Awards; and being home to the year’s top entertainment shows with all kid demos across all TV, including:
- The top four shows among Kids 2-11 (#1 Henry Danger, #2 The Thundermans, #3 Game Shakers and #4 Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn);
- The top three series among Kids 6-11 (#1 Henry Danger, #2 The Thundermans and #3 Game Shakers);
- Six out of the top 10 preschool programs, including the number-one Blaze and the Monster Machines, followed by #3 PAW Patrol, #5 Bubble Guppies, #6 Rusty Rivets, #7 Team Umizoomi and #8 Shimmer and Shine.
- The top kids’ animated shows, with SpongeBob SquarePants (3.4/984K) and The Loud House (3.3/950K), which year to date are number one and number two, respectively with Kids 2-11.
- 2016’s top-rated entertainment telecast with kids: an hour-long episode of the top-ranked, live-action hit Henry Danger (11/11/16), which averaged 8.2/2.3MM with Kids 2-11 and drew 4.2MM total viewers.
- In digital, over 1.5B streams were generated in 2016 across the Nick Jr. App and NickJr.com, while three of its preschool apps—PAW Patrol Pups Take Flight, Blaze and the Monster Machines Dinosaur Rescue, and TMNT Half Shell Heroes—reached number one in the App Store’s Kids and Education categories.
- Albert, Nickelodeon’s first original animated TV movie, delivered 3.1M total viewers in Live+7 and posted notable triple-digit year ago gains with Kids 2-11 (5.7/1.6M, +159%) and Kids 6-11 (6.3/1.1M, +152%).