The Nickelodeon Group, also known as Nickelodeon Networks Inc. and Paramount Kids and Family Group, is the children's and family entertainment division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Skydance that oversees the operations of cable televisionchannelNickelodeon and its derivative channels and services. It was created in 2002.
History
2002–2009
Nickelodeon Group was founded in 2002, after MTV Networks (now Paramount Media Networks) merged the business operations of Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite and Nicktoons into one division.
On January 4, 2006, Herb Scannell resigned from Nickelodeon.Cyma Zarghami was appointed in his place as president of the newly formed Kids & Family Group, which included Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Noggin, The N, Nicktoons Network, TV Land, CMT and
In 2007, Nickelodeon entered into a four-year development deal with Sony Music to produce music-themed TV shows for the network, to help fund and launch tie-in albums, and to produce original soundtrack songs that could be released as singles.[2]The Naked Brothers Band, a rock-mockumentary series of a pre-teenage rock band led by two real-life brothers who write and perform the songs, ran from 2007 to 2009; it was successful for children in the 6–11 age group.By February 2007, the band's song "Crazy Car" had appeared on the Billboard Hot 100, and the soundtrack albums from the first two seasons, each of which signed to Sony Music's own Columbia Records, appeared on the Billboard 200.The only greenlit series produced under the Sony Music partnership, Victorious, ran from 2010 to 2013.A similar hit music-themed sitcom Big Time Rush ran from 2009 to 2013, and featured a similar partnership with Columbia Records; however, Columbia was only involved with the show's music, and Sony Music became involved with the series' production midway through its first season.It became Nickelodeon's second-most successful live-action show of all time after iCarly; the Big Time Rush episode "Big Time School of Rocque" was viewed by 6.8 million viewers for its premiere on January 18, 2010, setting a new record as the highest-rated live action series premiere in the channel's history.
2009–present
On February 1, 2009, Nickelodeon discontinued the TEENick block, as the name would soon be used for its own channel.[3]
On July 29, 2009, Nickelodeon unveiled a new logo that would be implemented toward the end of the year, designed by New York City–based creative director/designer Eric Zim. It was part of a year dedicated to strengthening the brand's identity. The logo was intended to create a unified look that can better be conveyed across all of MTV Networks' children's channels.[4] The new logo debuted on September 28, 2009, across Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, and Nicktoons, along with TeenNick (which replaced The N and named after the TEENick block) and Nick Jr. Channel (which replaced Noggin and named after the concurrently-running Nick Jr. block).[4]
The wordmark logo bug was given a blimp background in the days prior to the 2010 and 2011 Kids' Choice Awards to match the award given out at the ceremony; beginning the week of September 7, 2010, the logo bug was surrounded by a splat design (in the manner of the logo used from 2005 to 2009) during new episodes of Nickelodeon original series.The new logo was adopted in the United Kingdom on February 15, 2010, in Spain on February 19, 2010, in Southeast Asia on March 15, 2010, in Latin America on April 5, 2010, in India on June 25, 2010[5] and on the ABS-CBN block "Nickelodeon on ABS-CBN" in the Philippines on July 26, 2010.On November 2, 2009, a Canadian version of Nickelodeon was launched, in partnership between Viacom and Corus Entertainment (owners of YTV, which had aired and continued to air Nickelodeon's series); as a result, versions of Nickelodeon now exist in most of North America.
In October 2009 and September 2010, respectively, Viacom acquired the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Winx Club franchises into the Nickelodeon family.Nickelodeon Animation Studio produced a new CGI-animated Turtles series[6] and new seasons of Winx Club with CGI sequences.[7] Both productions comprised Nickelodeon's strategy to reboot two established brands for new viewers: TMNT was intended to reach an audience of boys aged 6 to 11, and Winx was aimed at the same age group of girls.In February 2011, Viacom acquired a third of Rainbow SpA,[8] the Italian studio that introduced Winx Club.The purchase was valued at 62 million euros (US$83 million)[9] and led to new shows being co-developed by Rainbow and Nickelodeon, including My American Friend and Club 57.[10] Also in 2011, Nickelodeon debuted House of Anubis, a series based on the Nickelodeon Netherlands series Het Huis Anubis, which became the first original scripted series to be broadcast in a daily strip (similar to the soap opera format).
2011 saw Nickelodeon's longtime ratings dominance among all children's cable channels begin to topple: it was the highest-rated cable channel during the first half of that year,[11] only for its viewership to experience a sharp double-digit decline by the end of 2011, described as "inexplicable" by Viacom management.[12] The channel would not experience a calendar week ratings increase until November 2012 (with viewership slowly rebounding after that point);[13] however its 17-year streak as the highest-rated cable network in total day viewership was broken by Disney Channel during that year.[14] Around late 2012, Nickelodeon made a sweeping change to their network by cancelling or ending their teen shows (How to Rock, iCarly, Victorious, Bucket & Skinner's Epic Adventures, Supah Ninjas, Life With Boys and Big Time Rush) in favor of newer shows targeted to a younger block.[15][16]
Since 2016, the network has begun to produce TV movies based on its older properties, including those of Legends of the Hidden Temple, Hey Arnold!, Rocko's Modern Life, and Invader Zim.The former two aired on the Nickelodeon channel, while the latter two premiered in August 2019 on Netflix.[17]
In June 2018, Cyma Zarghami resigned as president of Nickelodeon, after 33 years of working at the network.[18] In October 2018, All That co-creator Brian Robbins succeeded her as president of Nickelodeon.[19]
On January 22, 2019, Viacom acquired the streaming service Pluto TV for $340 million, which has since launched various Nickelodeon-branded channels.[20][21] On August 6, 2019, Viacom acquired the rights to the Garfield franchise, with plans for a new animated series.[22][23] Later that year, Viacom signed a multi-year content production agreement with Netflix to produce several original films and series based on Nickelodeon properties.[24][25][26]
After Viacom re-merged with CBS Corporation to form ViacomCBS at the end of 2019, it was announced that Nickelodeon content would be available for streaming on the CBS All Access streaming service[27][28][29] (later relaunched as Paramount+ on March 4, 2021), with SpongeBob SquarePants spinoff Kamp Koral and The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run debuting on the service that same day.[30] Throughout 2021, Paramount+ would announce and debut new programming based on Nickelodeon IP, including a live-action sequel series to The Fairly OddParents that premiered in March 2022, a CGI-animated reboot of Rugrats, and an iCarlysequel series.[31]
By January 2021, Nickelodeon Group announced it had consolidated its live-action film & television production operations including current series & studio content and had combined it with those of ViacomCBS's fellow production & digital media and entertainment subsidiary Awesomeness into forming one live-action production studio under the Nickelodeon Productions and Awesomeness names with Nickelodeon's head of live-action production Shauna Phelan and Zack Olin would serve as co-presidents of the combined production unit Nickelodeon/Awesomess Live-Action Studio whilst continued co-heading Nickelodeon's live-action scripted production operations as they would now heading Awesomeness's live-action production operations whilst Nickelodeon and Awesomnesss Films executive VP Syrinthia Studer would oversee the combined live-action production under the Nickelodeon Productions and Awesomeness names as executive vice president of live-action films.[32][33]
CBS Sports began partnering with Nickelodeon on its coverage of the National Football League, with Nickelodeon simulcasting a special version of an early 2021 Wild Card playoff game under the NFL on Nickelodeon banner.[34][35] Nickelodeon would also figure prominently in CBS' own coverage of Super Bowl LV later that year, with special programming and content pertaining to the game itself.[36] The NFL would extend its partnership with Nickelodeon by allowing them to air another Wild Card game in January 2022, and a weekly highlights show hosted by CBS' Nate Burleson and Tyler Perry's Young Dylan star Dylan Gilmer.[37] Nickelodeon aired its first regular-season game in 2022, with the Denver Broncos taking on the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams as part of the NFL's Christmas Day slate.[38]
In October 2025, two months after Paramount Global merged with Skydance Media to form Paramount Skydance, Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and Skydance Television were folded into the revived Paramount Television Studios shortly after, which also folded Nickelodeon Productions and the former AwesomenessTV production units into it.Paramount Television Studios would then take over as the main production arm for Awesomeness and Nickelodeon; for the latter beginning with the upcoming Victorious spin-off series Hollywood Arts which was moved to Netflix, having been originally ordered at Nickelodeon, as the first Nickelodeon-branded series produced by the revived studio.[39]
Australia and New Zealand – Introduced in 1998, and closed in 2025
Turkey – Introduced in 1998
Israel – Introduced in 2003
The Netherlands – Introduced in 2003
France – Introduced in 2005
Middle East and North Africa – Introduced in 2008
Italy – Introduced in 2009
Canada – Introduced in 2009 (as a programming block)
Scandinavia – Introduced in 2010
Nicktoons
United States – launched on May 1, 2002
UK and Ireland – launched on July 22, 2002
Netherlands – launched in 2007
Germany – launched in March 2010
Africa – launched on September 30, 2014
Scandinavia – launched on February 1, 2017
Arabia – launched on February 15, 2017
Turkey – launched on February 20, 2017
Poland – launched on 15 February 2018
Hungary and Romania – launched on 15 April 2019
Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Albania – launched on 14 July 2020
Australia - launched on 1 August 2023 (streaming channel on 10Play)
France – launched on January 1, 2003, as a programming block on Canal J and it closed but it came back as N-Toons on Nickelodeon then on July 15 Nickelodeon Teen has been replaced by Nicktoons.
TeenNick
Latin America – launched on September 14, 2020, replacing the former Nick HD feed known as Nick 2. Closed down on December 31, 2025.
Australia and New Zealand (pay-TV) — Closed on November 30, 2025
New Zealand
NickMusic
Canada
Nick Jr.
UK and Ireland – Introduced in 1993
Nick Jr. Too/Nick Jr. 2
Germany – Introduced in 1995
Latin America – Introduced in 1997
Brazil – Introduced in 2008, and closed in 2026
Australia and New Zealand – Introduced in 1998, and closed in 2025
Turkey – Introduced in 1998
Israel – Introduced in 2003
The Netherlands – Introduced in 2003
France – Introduced in 2005
Middle East and North Africa – Introduced in 2008
Italy – Introduced in 2009
Canada – Introduced in 2009 (as a programming block)
Scandinavia – Introduced in 2010
Nicktoons
United States – launched on May 1, 2002
UK and Ireland – launched on July 22, 2002
Netherlands – launched in 2007
Germany – launched in March 2010
Africa – launched on September 30, 2014
Scandinavia – launched on February 1, 2017
Arabia – launched on February 15, 2017
Turkey – launched on February 20, 2017
Poland – launched on 15 February 2018
Hungary and Romania – launched on 15 April 2019
Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Albania – launched on 14 July 2020
Australia - launched on 1 August 2023 (streaming channel on 10Play)
France – launched on January 1, 2003, as a programming block on Canal J and it closed but it came back as N-Toons on Nickelodeon then on July 15 Nickelodeon Teen has been replaced by Nicktoons.
TeenNick
Latin America – launched on September 14, 2020, replacing the former Nick HD feed known as Nick 2. Closed down on December 31, 2025.
Produced in the United Kingdom, it was also the first original series by the flagship U.S. channel to be produced entirely outside of North America.
On July 17, 2014, the network televised the inaugural
Kids' Choice Sports
, a spin-off of the Kids' Choice Awards that honors athletes and teams from the previous year in sports.
Greece – Introduced in 2010 and closed in 2025
Southeast Asia – Introduced in 2010
Russia and CIS – Introduced in 2011
India – Introduced in 2012
Sub-Saharan Africa – Introduced in 2014
Portugal – Introduced in 2017
Latin America – launched on February 4, 2013, and closed down in late 2020, being replaced in major cable providers by the US feed of NickMusic
Russia – launched on December 12, 2018, and closed down on April 28, 2022.
Wallonia – launched as N-Toons, a Nickelodeon block on October 21, 2011, but it doesn't live up to its name and airs live-action content such as Supah Ninjas. It closed down on July 31, 2015
Canada – available as a channel on Pluto TV
Germany, Austria, and Switzerland – In May 2020, Pluto TV launched international feeds in these countries.
UK & Ireland – Launched on 2009 as a programming block on Nickelodeon. Ended July 30, 2010.
Netherlands and Flanders – launched on February 14, 2011, as a programming block on Nickelodeon. Closed down on September 30, 2015, and replaced by Spike, now Paramount Network.
India – launched on November 21, 2012, as a programming block on Nick Jr. Ended on February 1, 2017.
Italy – launched on December 4, 2015. Closed down on May 2, 2021.
Latin America – launched on February 4, 2013, and closed down in late 2020, being replaced in major cable providers by the US feed of NickMusic
Russia – launched on December 12, 2018, and closed down on April 28, 2022.
Wallonia – launched as N-Toons, a Nickelodeon block on October 21, 2011, but it doesn't live up to its name and airs live-action content such as Supah Ninjas. It closed down on July 31, 2015
Canada – available as a channel on Pluto TV
Germany, Austria, and Switzerland – In May 2020, Pluto TV launched international feeds in these countries.
UK & Ireland – Launched on 2009 as a programming block on Nickelodeon. Ended July 30, 2010.
Netherlands and Flanders – launched on February 14, 2011, as a programming block on Nickelodeon. Closed down on September 30, 2015, and replaced by Spike, now Paramount Network.
India – launched on November 21, 2012, as a programming block on Nick Jr. Ended on February 1, 2017.
Italy – launched on December 4, 2015. Closed down on May 2, 2021.
