Bolstered by year-to-year quarterly growth across all kid and tween demos and strong performances of the four new series launched since January, Nickelodeon was the number-one basic cable network in the first quarter of 2001. The network averaged a 4.5/24 (1.4 million average kid viewers) among its primary kids 2-11 demo during the "Kids Day," up 3 percent in rating and 8 percent in delivery as compared to last year. On an overall household basis, Nick's delivery levels were consistent with first quarter '00, averaging a 1.4 rating and delivering 1.1 million household in total day for first quarter '01. Nick was also number one across every kid demo (kids 2-11, 6-11, 2-5 and 9-14) on a 24-hour basis for the quarter. In the key kids 2-11 demo in 1Q '01, Nickelodeon averaged a 3.0/21 (923,000 average viewers), up 4 percent in rating and 9 percent in delivery over prior-year levels. Among kids 6-11, the network scored a 2.8/21 (520,000 average viewers), marking increases of 7 percent in rating and 12 percent in delivery over last year. With kids 2-5, Nick averaged a 3.4/22 (403,000 average viewers), consistent in rating and up 5 percent in delivery as compared to last year. With tweens (kids 9-14), the network posted a 1.9/14 (359,000 average viewers) on a 24-hour basis, up 7 percent in rating and 17 percent in delivery over last year. Nickelodeon has been the number-one basic cable network for tweens in total day for the past nine years. Nickelodeon's two newest Nicktoons, THE FAIRLY ODDPARENTS and INVADER ZIM, bowed Friday, March 30, in prime time to double-digit ratings gains among kids 2-11 over like time period last year. The new Nicktoons also ranked as the highest-rated programs among kids 2-11 in their respective time periods on Friday night against all broadcast and basic cable competition. THE FAIRLY ODDPARENTS debuted March 30 at 8:30 p.m. and scored a 7.8/25 (2.4 million average viewers) among kids 2-11, marking year-ago time period increases of 44 percent in rating and 49 percent in delivery. INVADER ZIM, Nickelodeon's first animated science-fiction/fantasy Nicktoon, debuted March 30 at 9 p.m. and scored a 6.0/17 (1.8 million average viewers) among kids 2-11, up 63 percent in rating and 69 percent in delivery over prior-year time period levels. In addition, SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, which featured a special interactive episode airing in prime time at 8:30 p.m. on Friday, March 9, scored a 6.2/21 (1.9 million average viewers) among kids 2-11, lifting the time period's year-to-year average by 9 percent in rating. Nick also reported that the episode, titled "You Wish," increased traffic to Nick.com by 120 percent -- more than double the number of unique visitors the site averages on Fridays from 8-9 p.m.
Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.
