Nickelodeon Takes Basic Cable's Top Spot as Number-One Total Day Network

SpongeBob SquarePants Ranks as Top Show with Kids; Bubble Guppies is the Number-One Preschool Series on All TV

NEW YORK, March 8, 2011 -- Nickelodeon notched another weekly ratings win as basic cable's number-one total day network with total viewers (2.1 million) and kids 2-11 (3.3/1.2 million). The net's win was driven by solid ratings performances by SpongeBob SquarePants�which continues its 11-year reign as the number-one program with kids 2-11�and the Nick's latest preschool hit Bubble Guppies, which currently ranks as the top preschool show on all TV for year to date.

Nick's weekly ratings performance also was highlighted by Saturday night premieres of its hit live-action programs Big Time Rush and Victorious. A new episode of Big Time Rush, "Big Time Songwriters" (March 5, 8:00pm ET/PT), won its time period on basic cable with total viewers (3.4 million) and was the top show on all TV with kids and tweens, averaging 6.6/1.4 million kids 6-11, 5.7/1.2 million tweens 9-14 and 5.2/1.9 million kids 2-11. Victorious had another stellar night, securing basic cable's top spot in its timeslot (8:30 p.m. ET/PT) with total viewers (3.5 million) and with kids and tweens across all TV. The half-hour episode, "A Film by Dale Squires," averaged 6.6/1.4 million kids 6-11, 6.3/1.4 million tweens 9-14 and 5.4/1.9 million kids 2-11.

Year to date, Nickelodeon is home to five of the top 10 series with kids on basic cable (#1 SpongeBob SquarePants, #7 iCarly, #8 T.U.F.F. Puppy, #9 Big Time Rush, #10 Fairly OddParents) and four of the top five preschool shows on all TV (#1 Bubble Guppies, #3 Max & Ruby, #4 Team Umizoomi, and #5 Go, Diego, Go!).

Nickelodeon, now in its 31st 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 and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 16 consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B).