Nickelodeon said a one-hour special episode of hit series The Fairly OddParents attracted 5 million television viewers, 4.6 million streams on the TurboNick broadband site and 4 million plays of a game version on the network’s Web site (www.nick.com).
The “Fairy Idol” episode, shown at 8 p.m. Friday, attracted more than 3 million kids as viewers, making it the top show for the day among kids ages 2-11, 6-11 and 9-14, the Viacom Inc.-owned network said.
With Nickelodeon's core audience of kids 2-11, Fairy Idol earned a 9.7 rating (3.2 million viewers), up 67% over the prior year in the same time slot. Among kids 6-11, it posted an 11.2 rating (2.2 million viewers). Tweens 9-14 tuned in enough to generate an 8.1 rating (1.7 million viewers), up 90% over last year in the same slot.
In May, Fairy Idol posted six of the top 10 videos in TurboNick, and “Fairy Idol: Fast Fame" is the top game on Nick.com. A poll on Nick.com about who kids thought would "win" the Fairy Idol competition generated 1.5 million votes in two weeks.
Debuting on Nick in March 2001, The Fairly OddParents is the network’s second-highest-rated program, behind only SpongeBob SquarePants.
In Fairy Idol, Norm the Genie heads off to Fairy World to enter a talent competition where every wish-granting creature in the universe has the chance to audition for the role of the next fairy godparent.
As the contestants sing their favorite musical numbers and the finalists -- including Norm, Cosmo and Wanda -- are chosen, an abundance of obligatory fairy drama goes on behind the scenes including all of the backbiting, backstabbing and back hair that goes along with such a heated competition.
The competition also includes a notable number performed by Cosmo (singing voice by American Idol contestant Diana DeGarmo) and Wanda.
