Introduction
Nickelodeon UK, a British subscription television, was inaugurated in the UK on the 1st of September, 1993 exclusively on Sky UK limited, showing both cartoons and a variety of live-action series. The British channel mainly focuses on kids’ programs and is operated under a joint venture between ViacomCBS Networks UK & Australia and Sky Group. Nickelodeon is among the top brands of entertainment for kids ranging from age 7-to 15 years. The UK channel has its dedication to being kid pundits, understanding all they care about, what they watch, and most importantly understanding what makes them chortle. The channel has its pride in bringing kids the finest programming possible, by being ardent about entertaining, via innovative content across platforms that kids adore. Nickelodeon UK brings famous international and locally-produced commissions to both UK and Ireland audiences
With substantial knowledge of this distinctive audience, advertisers flourish in an expanse in which kids are tremendously engaged and loyal to their favorite cartoon shows such as the famous SpongeBob Square Pants and Henry Danger.
Nickelodeons audience performance over the past 10 years
Over the past ten years, Nickelodeon’s audience performance has been irregular. From the 2018/19 season, a total of 1.5 million users tuned in to the kids’ television channel, a great depreciation compared to the 3 million users posted during the 2010/2011 season.
(Ofcom from Statista data)
According to Statista, the children’s television channel has lost close to 60 percent of its audience since 2010. The main reason for the decline is the introduction of newer forms of entertainment such as Netflix, which are gradually loosening the grip of children’s television channels.
With the fast-growing technology of smartphones, children have been transformed to mobile video disciples, as they can now catch SpongeBob square pants classics with nothing but a mere swipe, easing the strain of having to subscribe to a TV set. Streaming options, as well as on-demand video options, are hot footedly becoming the new normal to kids’ TV viewing
The great decline from 2013 to 2015 is strongly influenced by the newer forms of entertainment as well as a rise in the number of other children’s television channels such as cartoon networks. This greatly affected the channel’s views as many of the audiences sought other interesting channels which were brought about stiff to Nickelodeon.
However, a rise in Nickelodeons viewers is observed during the 2019/2020 season. The main reason behind this is, with the recent pandemic outbreak that rendered all schools worldwide closed, a number of youngsters are beguiling away the unfathomable free time hours gazing at the television. After a long era of declination, the coronavirus has somewhat been a welcome boost for Nickelodeon UK are desperately striving to prolong the minuscule-termed poor rating pattern into a long-term loyalty by the audience. For instance, Nickelodeon recently aired two new animated shows, “The Casagrande’s” which is an offshoot of its known show “The Loud House,”. Furthermore, the television channel is showing spree-watch races of already known shows such SpongeBob Square Pants and Henry Danger
Nickelodeon’s significant seasonal variation by audiences
With youngsters preoccupying the preponderance of Nickelodeon’s audience, seasonal variation in the channel’s performance is perennial. Mostly, seasonal variations occur when schools are closed or when there are special holidays and the young lads are relishing their free time thus have the opportunity to binge-watch cartoons.
Table Showing Weekly Nickelodeon viewing summary (February – December 2019)
| MONTH | Average Daily Reach | Weekly Reach | Average Weekly Viewing | Share | |||
| 000s | % | 000s | % | Hours: min per person | % | ||
| February | 239 | 0.40 | 850 | 1.41 | 0:02 | 0.13 | |
| March | 247 | 0.41 | 773 | 1.28 | 0:02 | 0.14 | |
| April | 204 | 0.34 | 716 | 1.19 | 0:02 | 0.14 | |
| May | 203 | 0.34 | 796 | 1.32 | 0:01 | 0.10 | |
| June | 236 | 0.39 | 797 | 1.32 | 0:02 | 0.13 | |
| July | 213 | 0.35 | 706 | 1.17 | 0:01 | 0.12 | |
| August | 189 | 0.31 | 750 | 1.24 | 0:01 | 0.09 | |
| September | 157 | 0.26 | 592 | 0.98 | 0:01 | 0.08 | |
| October | 244 | 0.40 | 943 | 1.56 | 0:01 | 0.09 | |
| November | 194 | 0.32 | 768 | 1.27 | 0:01 | 0.07 | |
| December | 150 | 0.25 | 655 | 1.08 | 0:01 | 0.05 | |
(Ofcom from BARB)
The table above shows nickelodeon’s weekly viewing summary throughout the whole of 2019. The table depicts how seasonal variation occurs to the performance of the UK Television channel during various school holidays. For example, the average daily reach of the channel during the months of February and March are outstandingly high, owing to the presence of the one-week school break in February, and the Easter break which commences late March. A high average daily reach is also posted in the month of October in favor of the autumn break that occurs when the month is halfway. During these breaks, kids have a lot of free time and are entitled to more screen time, thus the high average daily reach. On the flip side, months with a lower average daily reach portray months that the youngsters are occupied with school work and thus less screen time. However, in December, a low average daily risk is posted as many families travel for the Festive Holidays and therefore the channel is visited infrequently.
In order to curb this seasonal variation in performance, Nickelodeon can reschedule popular cartoons such as SpongeBob Square Pants to fit the kids schedule; the cartoon can be aired in the evening when the majority of the lads are done with the day’s endeavors. Also, during months when the school schedule is tight and no breaks are allowed, the channel should utilize weekends and ensure that the audience’s favorites are aired back to back.
Socio-demographic profile of Nickelodeon
The socio-demographic profile of Nickelodeon is eccentric. Although it has a majority of audience from children, adults have not been left out.
(Ofcom from Statista)
The graph portrays the people who watched Nickelodeon in the year 2018. From the bar graph, it is depicted that the younger generation has the upper hand in terms of holding the largest population audience. As people age, they tend to outgrow childish cartoons and kids’ programs. Therefore, as an individual gets older he is less likely to watch shows from Nickelodeon. The socio-demographic profile of Nickelodeon, therefore, differs from UK’s population at large since, first and foremost, the channel is kids-oriented as compared to most UK channels which mostly have a parental guidance warning.
The socio-demographic profile of Nickelodeon has not changed as much, since no matter how many people outgrow cartoons, infants are born day in day out and they manage to fill any voids that are left.
Nickelodeon’s performance in viewership in 10 years.
In the next decade, this children’s Television channel will be remarkable. After the Big Hero, six prospered Nickelodeon stroke a treaty with Walt Disney in order to foster high-class crossover films that featured their own customized characters. The Disney – Nickelodeon collaboration was the start of an era, aimed to run from 2017-to 2024. The collaboration has already produced a variety of state-of-the-art television films that feature their personal characters such as Finding Shimmer and Shine, 2019. Nickelodeon also recently announced a multi-year partnership with Netflix, an absolutely astonishing move. Netflix made a decision to revive old-time childhood favorites by promising to produce new shows and films to stock the already-impressive repertory. The collaboration between Netflix x Nickelodeon shows features not only new characters but also characters that we already recognize from our childhood. In the coming decade, Nickelodeon will definitely have the front foot forward against all its competitors and viewership will shoot up drastically if the two collaborations are successful.
How does the audience performance of Nickelodeon compare with the rest of the product market?
Despite the fact that not all, numerous media associations gather at any rate a small amount of their pay from the offer of crowds to the publicists. This exchange considerably includes selling the considerations of likely purchasers to sponsors trying to offer items to them. How much media associations participate in the crowd commercial center varies by the business area and even by individual media associations inside the areas. Nickelodeon, for instance, must settle on some key choices that include inquiries of on the off chance that they will adapt crowds, and how they will endeavor to adapt crowds through gathering income adversary publicizing. Online media associations, for example, Twitter is utilized by Nickelodeon to encourage to a plan of action that is very needy after publicizing incomes. Applications like Facebook participate in fundamental reconfigurations as far as how they offer the consideration of their crowds to publicists.
Conclusion
Concluding, Nickelodeon should strive to keep entertaining kids and maintain them as the main audience. Additionally, Nickelodeon should enhance its collaborations with Netflix and Walt Disney to enhance its viewership and outdo its competitors.
