Nickelodeon Surges in First Quarter with Number-One Rating Finish Across All Kid Demos and Scores Solid Delivery Gains Over 2007

NEW YORK, April 1, 2008 /PRNewswire/ -- Driven by the success of hit series in live action and animation, including its huge multiplatform hit iCarly and a record-breaking 2008 Kids' Choice Awards, Nickelodeon secured a clean sweep among all kid demos during the first quarter of 2008 (1Q08), finishing first among kids 2-11, kids 6-11 and tweens (9-14), according to Nielsen Media Research (12/31/07-3/30/08). During the quarter Nickelodeon accounted for the top five rated kids' programs and scored solid delivery gains year-over-year with all of its core demographics of kids 2-11, kids 6-11 and tweens 9-14.

Additionally, Nick at Nite, fueled by the performance of George Lopez and Home Improvement, scored double digit increases during the 1Q08 among total viewers (P2+) and Adults 18-49 in both primetime and total day. In primetime, Nick at Nite was up +32% over first quarter 2007 (1Q07), and was +37% higher among Adults 18-49. George Lopez has been the network's highest rated program in 2008, with ratings growing consistently since it joined the schedule, while Home Improvement ratings have also increased each month.

Nick is the number-one kids' network in total day across all kids' demos, earning a 3.7/1.3 million K2-11 for the quarter, a +36% K2-11 lead over The Disney Channel (2.7/923,000 K2-11) and a +123% advantage over Cartoon Network (1.6/566,000 K2-11). With kids 6-11, Nick showed gains of +7% in delivery over last year, garnering a 3.3/707,000 K6-11. Nickelodeon also built great momentum in 1Q08 with tweens 9-14, growing that audience by +11% in delivery from last year and earning a 2.5/522,000 T9-14. Nick was the only kids' network to showcase year-to-year growth with tweens in both ratings and delivery for the quarter, extending its ratings lead over The Disney Channel by +14%. In addition, Nick's 1Q08 performance also grew +6% in delivery from the prior quarter (4Q07) for every demo including kids 2-11, kids 6-11 and total viewers.

Nickelodeon placed the top five kids' shows (kids 2-11) on all television in 1Q08, including: SpongeBob SquarePants (#1); iCarly (#2) the network's new, animated hit, Back at the Barnyard (#3); The Fairly OddParents (#4) and Zoey 101 (#5). In addition, Zoey 101, along with iCarly, rank first and second, respectively, on all of kids' TV and cable with their core audiences of tweens 9-14, as well as kids 6-11.

    Programs that contributed to Nick's performance for this quarter include:

    -- iCarly: In the first quarter, iCarly is hitting high marks on all
       platforms and has quickly gained momentum on-air and online, beating
       out one of the highest-rated shows with kids, American Idol for three
       weeks in March. iCarly has become one of the top shows on all of TV
       with kids and tweens. For 1Q08, iCarly is averaging a 6.3/1.3 million
       with its core audience of tweens 9-14, a 7.4/1.6 million K6-11; and a
       6.1/2.1 million K2-11.
    -- Nickelodeon's 2008 Kids' Choice Awards: The biggest awards show for
       kids set a new slime-induced record on Saturday, March 29, (8-9:30 p.m.
       EDT/PDT) making it the highest-rated ever with kids 2-11 and the 7.4
       million total viewers who tuned in. The 2008 KCAs earned the number-one
       spot on all of television for the week with kids and tweens as well as
       the top spot on cable with total viewers. It also was the most-watched
       ever with kids 2-11, kids 6-11, tweens 9-14, and total viewers (P2+).
       The show earned a 10.9/3.8 million K2-11, a 13.7/2.9 million K6-11, and
       a 12.5/2.7 million T9-14, respectively up +11%, +2% and +4% in
       delivery.
    -- The Fairly OddParents Nickelodeon's Fairly OddParents' President's Day
       special, Fairly OddBaby, hit a magical ratings high as the
       year-to-date's number-one entertainment program on all broadcast and
       basic cable television in all kids' demos, and ranked second only to
       Super Bowl programming among overall TV shows this year with kids and
       tweens. The special (Monday, Feb. 18, 8-9 p.m., EDT/PDT) scored a
       whopping 15.4/5.3 million K2-11, up double digits (+96%) over last
       year's like time period. Standing as the biggest audience ever for a
       Fairly OddParents episode, it averaged 8.8 million total viewers
       (+109%), a 19.7/4.2 million among kids 6-11 (+133%); and a 14.9/3.2
       million with tweens 9-14 (+165%).
    -- SpongeBob SquarePants: SpongeBob SquarePants has been the number-one
       animated program with Kids 2-11 for more than six consecutive years and
       continues to grow its audience. New SpongeBob episodes in first quarter
       2008 posted double-digit gains in ratings across all kid and tween
       demographics, averaging a 6.6/2.3 million K2-11 for the week of March
       3-9, up +50%; a 6.6/1.4 million K6-11, up +60%; and a 4.9/1.1 million
       tween 9-14, up +77%.
    -- Back at the Barnyard: The new, CGI animated series from creator Steve
       Oedekerk that takes a hilarious look at what farm animals say and do
       when humans aren't watching, became the number-three kids' series
       overall during the quarter, second to only SpongeBob SquarePants among
       animated series, averaging a 5.9/2.0 million kids 2-11 a week for the
       quarter.

Nick At Nite is Nickelodeon's nighttime programming block that features popular hit family comedies including the Emmy Award-winning series Home Improvement, George Lopez, Growing Pains, America's Funniest Home Videos and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, as well as Roseanne, one of the most talked about and celebrated sitcoms in television history.

Nickelodeon, 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. television network is seen in more than 96 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for more than 13 consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. NYSE: VIA NYSE: VIA.B.

All numbers above are based on Nielsen Media Research and Nickelodeon's and Nick at Nite's total programming day unless otherwise noted.

Nickelodeon: M-Th: 6 a.m.-9 p.m.; Fr-Sat: 6:00 a.m.-10 p.m.;

Sun: 6 a.m.-9 p.m. (EDT/PDT)

Nick at Nite: M-Th and Sun: 9 p.m.-6 a.m.; Fr-Sat 10 p.m.-6 a.m. (EDT/PDT)