Press Release from Nickelodeon
NEW YORK, June 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Numerous research studies indicate that American families today are staying home more frequently and more than ever are looking for entertainment they can watch together. In response, beginning Sunday, July 5, Nickelodeon will permanently move the 9 p.m. start time of its Nick at Nite block to 8 pm (Sundays-Thursdays, ET/PT), providing contemporary families an additional hour of great programming. Marking the change, the award-winning series MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE will join the Nick at Nite schedule on July 5 at 8 p.m. Nickelodeon has acquired the complete seven-season library (151 episodes) of the series from Twentieth Television.
"We have conducted a great deal of research with kids and families and two things that we hear continuously are that they want to spend more time together and that watching television is one of their favorite ways of making that happen," said Cyma Zarghami, President, Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids and Family Group. "By starting Nick at Nite at 8 p.m., and adding another terrific comedy series like MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE, we will serve them further and build upon the great success we've had with contemporary family comedies."
MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE, which centers on teen genius Malcolm (Frankie Muniz) and his dysfunctional family, will join Nick at Nite's roster of hit family favorites such as GEORGE LOPEZ, EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS (beginning in September), HOME IMPROVEMENT and THE NANNY. MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE originally ran from 2000 to 2006 on Fox and has garnered numerous accolades including five Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award and a Peabody Award.
In addition to these contemporary off-network comedies, Nick at Nite this summer will add the new stop-motion animated original series GLENN MARTIN, DDS, from Michael Eisner's Tornante Company. The series, starring Kevin Nealon, Catherine O'Hara and Judy Greer, follows a beleaguered dentist and his family who trade in the suburbs for a life on the road. Crisscrossing the country, the Martins are beset by an array of colorful locals and crazy situations, ranging from Las Vegas to Amish Country and beyond.
Year-to-date, Nick at Nite is the number-one ranked cable network in total day among both Adults 18-49 and Women 18-49 and is on track to be the number-one ranked cable network with Women 18-49 for the sixth consecutive year. In 2009, Nick at Nite is delivering year-over-year double-digit growth of 14% among Women 18-49. (Source: Nielsen Media Research 12/29/08-5/31/09 (Live+7 through 5/17/09, Live+Same day 5/18/09-5/31/09).
Additionally, Nick at Nite finished May as the number-one basic cable network among Women 18-49 and the number-two network among Adults 18-49, only behind TNT (source: NMR, 4/27/09-5/31/09).
