Nickelodeon has begun stripping THE FAIRLY ODDPARENTS, starting August 4, 2003, Monday-Friday at 8:00 pm, moving its number one show, SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS to 7:30 pm, it was reported by DAILY VARIETY and confirmed by a Nick spokesperson.
FAIRLY ODDPARENTS has been airing only on Friday night and Saturday ayem, falling in behind SPONGEBOB in the No. 2 position all year. Industry observers suggest the move out of the anchor slot of the weekday sked could finally push the adult-favored SPONGEBOB out of first place. The move also shifts RUGRATS to the 7:00 pm slot.
Nick programming vp Pete Danielsen said he doesn't believe these changes will slow down the momentum of SPONGEBOB. "In a kid's life, 7:30 is a critical timeslot," said Danielsen." SPONGEBOB is on a roll; it had its best year ever, and there's a movie coming out next year."
THE FAIRLY ODDPARENTS premiered in 2001. The show, produced by Frederator Studios and Nick, follows the misadventures of Timmy Turner and his bumbling fairy godparents. An original 90- telemovie, ABRA-CATASTROPHE, which aired July 12, 2003, brought in more than four million total viewers and was the top-rated movie on cable that week.
