New "Victorious" Scores 4.2 Million Viewers, Takes Week's Top Spot with Kids and Tweens

Nickelodeon Closes Week as Cable's Top Total Day Net, Net is Home to Top-Rated Preschool Programming on All TV

NEW YORK - May 17, 2011 - Nickelodeon continues to score in the ratings game, closing the week (5/9/11-5/15/11) as basic cable's number-one total day network with total viewers (2.1 million) and kids 2-11 (3.2/1.2 million), and kids 6-11 (2.6/574,000). The net also bested its closest competitor by double-digits with total viewers (+36%), kids 2-11 (+33%), and kids 2-5 (+78%).

Weekly ratings highlights for Nick include a brand-new episode of its hit live-action series Victorious "Tori Gets Stuck" (Saturday, May 14 at 8:00 p.m. all times ET/PT), which drew 4.2 million total viewers and was the top live-action telecast for the week with kids 2-11 (6.3/2.3 million) and the top telecast with kids 6-11 (8.2/1.8 million), and tweens 9-14 (7.1/1.5 million) on broadcast and basic cable. The half-hour episode also posted double-digit increases over last year's like time period with total viewers (+39%), kids 2-11 (+31%), kids 6-11 (+46%) and tweens 9-14 (+58%).

"Tori Gets Stuck" was followed by a new episode of the latest addition to Nick's hit live-action roster, Supah Ninjas "Mr. Bradford" (8:30 p.m.), which drew 2.9 million total viewers and won its time period with kids 2-11 (4.9/1.8 million), kids 6-11 (6.2/1.4 million) and tweens 9-14 (4.7/1.0 million). The premiere also posted double-digit gains over its season to date average with key kid demos.

Nick's weekly win was also fueled by a strong performance by ratings juggernaut SpongeBob SquarePants, which ranks as the week's top telecast with kids 2-11 and the number-one animated series telecast with kids 6-11. The series also owns seven of the top 10 telecasts with kids 2-11 for the week.

Nickelodeon also has the top-rated preschool programming on all TV, and boasts the top five preschool telecasts for the week (#1 Team Umizoomi; #2 Go, Diego, Go!, #3 Bubble Guppies; #4 Max and Ruby and #5 Dora the Explorer).

Nickelodeon, now in its 32nd 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 almost 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 15 consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA - News, VIA.B - News).