Nickelodeon UK

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Nickelodeon UK
Nickelodeon
Launched 1 September 1993
Owned by Nickelodeon UK
(MTV Networks Europe/BSkyB)
Audience share 0.3% (0.2% for Nick Replay)
(February 2008, [1])
Sister channel(s) Nicktoons, Nick Jr., Nick Jr. 2
Timeshift service Nick Replay
Website www.nick.co.uk
Availability
Terrestrial
Top Up TV Via Top Up TV Anytime
Satellite
Sky Digital Channel 604
Channel 605 (Replay)
Cable
Virgin Media

On Demand in
Channel 712
Channel 713 (Replay)
TV Choice On Demand
UPC Ireland Channel 604
Channel 605 (Replay)
IPTV over ADSL
Tiscali TV Channel 315

Nickelodeon UK (Nick UK for short) is a cable and satellite TV network. The British version, legally known as Nickelodeon UK, was launched on 1 September 1993. Although one of the oldest children's channels in the United Kingdom, it was not the first (the oldest, The Children's Channel, which started in 1984, is now defunct).

Contents

[edit] History

Launched on September 1, 1993, encrypted as part of British Sky Broadcasting's Sky Multichannels package and airing (initially) from 6am to 7pm each day, Nickelodeon shows both cartoons and live action series. The channel originally had a transponder to itself on the Astra satellite, and whilst off-air would show testcards (which usually had schedule information) or pages from NickText, the channel's teletext service. On cable, it was up to the operator which channel it would timeshare with, which caused problems whenever Nickelodeon extended its hours. The channel timeshared with the Paramount Channel (later Paramount Comedy Channel, now Paramount Comedy 1) after its launch in 1995. The channels are separate on the digital satellite and digital cable platforms, though still share on some analogue cable services. There was also a segment called "Pirate TV" which had the presenters give the impression that they were going to have a closedown early. They played the closedown ident but about a minute later Nickelodeon was on the air again. There were no live presenters from the channel's launch, but eventually Nick Alive! was introduced, which featured live links between shows, often consisting of just a single presenter and the invitation for viewers to take part in phone-ins. With time, these live links were moved to bigger studios, where people were now invited down to the studios to take part in the live broadcasts, which were given various names over the years.

When Sky Digital launched in 1998, Nickelodeon was in the original channel line-up, and the channel's closedown was moved from 7pm to 10pm for digital satellite viewers. It continues to timeshare on analogue. Nickelodeon was also in the ITV Digital lineup, until the service closed down in 2002.

[edit] Nickelodeon Ireland

In 2004 Nickelodeon launched a separate stream for viewers in the Republic of Ireland 0 Nickelodeon Ireland and Nick Jr Ireland. As with Sky One & MTV, the only difference is the advertisements; all programming is the same. The Irish stream is also broadcast from the UK, however, and is supplied to all Irish cable operators and to Irish subscribers of Sky Digital.

[edit] Nickelodeon availability

Nickelodeon UK is also available on Top Up TV allowing viewers to access programmes range from SpongeBob SquarePants, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Drake & Josh as well as Dora the Explorer and LazyTown. Nickelodeon Ireland is available through UPC Ireland,Sky Ireland, Magnet Networks and SCTV Digital

[edit] Ownership

The British Nickelodeon channels are operated by Nickelodeon UK Ltd., a private unlimited company that is a 50/50 joint venture between British Sky Broadcasting and Viacom, the ultimate owners of the Nickelodeon branded channels in the USA. Unlike in America, there is little (if any) operational connection to the British and European MTV channels, which are run by MTV Networks Europe.

From 1995, there was an operational connection to the The Paramount Channel, which was launched by the Paramount UK Partnership, another joint venture between British Sky Broadcasting (25%) and Viacom (75%). The channels shared transponder space as well as offices, though they now they have separate offices and each operate multiple channels that no longer share bandwidth.

[edit] Other channels

On September 1, 1998, two channels were launched on Sky Digital: Nick Jr., which shows programming aimed at pre-school children, and Nick Replay, a timeshift service broadcasting the main Nickelodeon channel on a one-hour delay. Pre-school programming was previously shown during the daytime on the main channel, but this strand has long since been dropped (though it was reintroduced briefly during 2005).

On July 22, 2002, Nicktoons TV, now simply Nicktoons, and the days on the 2nd nicktoons promo was launched. This shows Nicktoons, as well as other cartoons, all day.

On October 31, 2005, Nickelodeon and Nicktoons extended their hours to 5am-11pm, and Nick Replay extended its hours to 6am-12am. Teleshopping began broadcasting on these channels outside of regular transmission times, as well as on Nick Jr. Prior to this, these channels had shown a test card, logo slide or promo loop during the off-air hours. Nick Jr. originally timeshared with MTV Dance when that channel launched in early 2001, though this ceased some time ago, with MTV Dance having gone 24 hours since then.

On April 24, 2006, Nick Jr. 2 was launched. It broadcasts Nick Jr. shows on a different schedule to the main Nick Jr. channel.

[edit] Nickelodeon Presenters

This film, television, or video-related list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

[edit] Past presenters

[edit] Current presenters

  • Mark Felgate (January 2005 - present)
  • Sy Thomas (2006 - present)
  • Laura Hamilton (October 2006 - present)

[edit] Nickelodeon's UK Kids Choice Awards 2007

The 2007 US Awards show was aired on Nick UK on 14 April 2007. The KCA's usually air in the UK shortly after they are broadcast in the US. But for the first time Nick UK made their version of the KCA's. It was broadcast from London's ExCeL Exhibition Centre, Docklands. The awards were held on 20 October 2007 and were shown on Nick UK a week later on 27 October 2007 and were repeated many times during that week. Nickelodeon did a competition where four lucky winners would be able to carry a 'blimp' (the Nickelodeon award) up on stage and present it to a winning celebrity. UK pop band McFly presented the show.

[edit] Nickelodeon Programmes

[edit] Nickelodeon Movies

  • The channel doesn't air movies daily during the school period, unlike its rival kids' channel Disney Channel UK, which does. In the kids' school holidays Nickelodeon normally airs movies with the slot being branded NickMovies.

[edit] Programming Blocks

Programming on Nickelodeon UK has often been segmented into blocks. These have included:

  • Morning blocks
    • Rise and Slime - (?)
    • Dawn Patrol - (?)
    • Get Up! - weekends (?)
    • Bedroom Bedlam - weekends (?)
    • Nick AM - (?, existed 1996[2])
    • Nicktoons Breakfast Feast - (?)
    • Nicktoons TV - (1998-?)
    • Nick Jr. - weekday mornings, featured programming for pre-school children, replaced by a dedicated Nick Jr. channel (?-1999, 2005)
    • Nick Juice - weekday mornings, 7am to 9am (?-2002)
    • Weekend Juice - weekend mornings, 7am/9am to 12pm/2pm (?-2002)
    • SLAM! - weekend mornings, 7am to 9am, featured animated action series (2002-2004)
    • You're Nicked - weekday mornings, 7am to 9am, featured a presenter & crew 'invading' a viewer's home before school (2002-2004, latterly became a programme in its own right)
    • The Crunch - aired weekday mornings, 7am to 9am (January 2005 - 2006) Each day had a different set of children who were called the 'kidcrew', who signed up to be on the show, and played studio games. The programming block aired animated shows / live action series.
    • Control Freaks (2005) Children competed in a series of challenges live on air, with the two presenters. Included cartoons such as SpongeBob SquarePants.
    • The Crunch - Summer Sizzle - (Summer of 2005)
    • ME:TV (2006 - present) Features live presentation, and four kids with their webcams help the presenters to introduce shows, but only one of the four children can do this, so they have to compete with the other children in challenges live on air. This programming block airs on half-term holidays. 'ME:TV' was a big success with UK viewers. Nickelodeon US, later picked up the show's format. The block was originally presented by Ed Petrie and Sy Thomas. 'ME:TV' returned in the lead-up to the first UK Kids Choice Awards (October 2007), and was presented by Mark Felgate, Sy Thomas and Laura Hamilton.
    • Slime Across the UK and Ireland (2007) aired 11am to 1pm, 2nd to the 5th week of the summer holidays, presented by Ed Petrie and Sy Thomas in the studio. With Mark Felgate and Laura Hamilton touring the UK and Ireland.
  • Afternoon blocks
    • Lunchtoons - daily, 12pm to 2pm, featured animated series (?-2002)
    • Nickelozone - weekends, 2pm to 7pm, featured double episodes of mainly live-action shows (1999-2002)
    • Nick in the Afternoon - (?)
    • Nick PM - (?)
    • Nick NOW - (?)
    • Nick L8R - weekdays, 3:30-5pm to 7pm, featured live studio presentation (2000-2004)
    • Thank Nick It's Friday - Fridays, 3:30pm/4pm to 7pm, featured live studio presentation (2000-2004)
    • The 4 til 6 Show - presented by two of the 'Big Nick Pick' presenters Claire & Teresa, in a tiny studio, they introduced shows, however this only lasted one week in the children's half term holidays. The two presenters have never been seen on Nickelodeon since, unlike the other 'Big Nick Pick' presenters (2005)
    • The Crunch! - had a short period in the afternoons. Details above, in Morning Blocks (2006)
    • NickHeads - first series aired for a short period in the 4-6pm slot, presented by Mark Felgate and Laura Hamilton (2006). The secound series returned on June 4, at 4-6pm, with Mark and Laura 'back with popular demand' with the run finishing on June 22 (2007).
  • Evening blocks
    • NickALive!(1994-1997)
    • SNICK - weekend evenings, 7pm to 10pm (?-2002)
  • Taking a Break
    • In 2004, Nickelodeon cancelled all live presentation. With them saying the programmes are taking a break. All current presenters at that time were axed. With other kids' stations such as Disney Channel, CiTV and later CBBC, following suit. Mainly as a cost-cutting exercise. Later in January 2005, Nickelodeon brought back 'live' programming, but not as much in the past. Currently to today, there is no live presentation apart from in the summer where there was a live Nickelodeon event names 'Slime Across The UK' this involved Nickelodeon presenters travelling across the UK 'sliming' people.

The current presenters will be involved for the Kids Choice Awards UK 2007.

[edit] Nickelodeon Specials

Over the years Nick have had many special programmes.

  • Red Hot Lobster Tour/Nick on the Road (1996 - 2004) Hosted by the various Nickelodeon presenters over the years, Nickelodeon toured the UK during the summer holidays setting up a large stage at the destinations they visited. They had a large TV screen, broadcasting the Nickelodeon channel with shows such as Saved by the Bell and SpongeBob SquarePants airing. The presenters would interact with the audience of children and play games with them.
  • Paint Your Town Orange - Summer 1995. A series of many short films (around 3 minutes in length), where viewers showed off the best aspects of where they live. Children acted as presenters in this programmes, and also recorded advert bumpers for the network, which were also screen throughout the summer of 2005.
  • Coast to Coast - Summer 1996. A series of 30 minute episodes tracking 6 Nickelodeon viewers as they travelled from the east to west coast of the USA. The programme featured 2 Nickelodeon UK viewers, as well as 2 from Germany and 2 from Australia. Involved in the production of the programme was Kate Humble, who now co-presents the BBC show Animal Farm.

[edit] Nickelodeon: Outta Control

In 1997, Alton Towers opened an attraction in conjunction with Nickelodeon. There were several rooms, each with its own theme. Upon leaving, you were played back a recording of your journey around the attraction. It closed in 1998, due to the attraction not having a suitable throughput for a park of Alton's size.[4].

[edit] See also

[edit] External links