Buoyed by the top iCarly show ever and the strong debut of Big Time Rush, Nickelodeon in January notched the most-watched month in its 30-year history.
During January (Dec. 28, 2009 through Jan. 31) Nick averaged 2.4 million viewers, according to Nielsen data, 7% more than in the corresponding month a year ago.That was the best in the kids' network's history.
Officials also said that in January Nick ranked first in basic cable among kids 2 to 11 (3.8 rating, 1.3 million of those watchers, 9% over last year); kids 6 to 11 (3.4, 730,000, 6%); and tweens 9 to 14 (2.4, 523,000, 9%).
Nickelodeon's iCarly and Big Time Rush also swept basic cable among total viewers, and topped broadcast and basic cable with kids and tweens in January. The record-setting iCarly "iSaved Your Life" on Jan. 18, 8 p.m. (ET/PT) averaged a series' best 11.2 milion viewers, while the Big Time Rush premiere that followed at 8:30 p.m. was the net's top live-action bow ever with 6.8 million. Those shows ranked as basic-cable's top two entertainment telecasts among total viewers for the month, and the top two among kids 2 to 11, kids 6 to11 and tween telecasts on both broadcast and basic cable in January.
On Jan.29, "iWas a Pageant Girl" scored basic-cable's top telecast overall with total viewers (5.2 million), and ranked as the top telecast among kids 6 to 11 (9.7/2.1 million), tweens 9 to 14 (8.6/1.9 million) and kids 2 to 11 (7.6/2.7 million).
A new Big Time Rush episode, "Big Time Bad Boy" that night at 8:30 p.m., placed second only to iCarly among all basic-cable programs with kids 6 to 11 (8.0/1.7 million), tweens (6.5/1.4 million), kids 2 to 11 (6.2/2.2 million) and total viewers (3.8 million) last Friday. iCarly stands as basic cable's number-one live-action series with kids 2 to 11, and Big Time Rush is Nick's highest-rated and most-watched live-action series premiere with all key demos.
Among animated programs in January, SpongeBob SquarePants was the No. 1 series on all of television with kids and tweens, placing five out of the top 10 telecasts on all TV with kids 2 to 11 for the month.
Additionally, Nickelodeon's 24-hour preschool network, Nick Jr. boasted its highest-rated and most-watched month ever in January with kids 2 to 5 (3.0/310,000, +20%) and total viewers (586,000, +21%), while Nick at Nite finished the month as the top basic cable network among women 18 to 49 (0.7/416,000).
