Nicktoons (United States)

Nicktoons
Launched	May 1, 2002 (2002-05-01) (as Nick Toons TV)
Owned by	Viacom Media Networks (Viacom)
Picture format	1080i (HDTV) 480i (SDTV)
Slogan	Make Your Move...
Country	United States
Broadcast area	Nationwide
Headquarters	New York City, New York
Formerly called	Nick Toons TV (2002–2003) First Nicktoons era (2003–2005) Nicktoons Network (2005–2009)
Sister channel(s)	Nickelodeon/Nick at Nite Nick Jr. TeenNick
Website	nicktoons.com
Availability
Satellite
DirecTV	Channel 302 (SD only)
Dish Network	Channel 178 (SD only)
C-Band: H2H/4DTV	AMC-18: Channel 219
Cable
Verizon FiOS	Channel 254 (SD only)
Available on most cable providers	Check local listings for details
IPTV
AT&T U-Verse	Channel 1318 (HD) Channel 318 (SD)

Nicktoons is an American digital cable and satellite television channel that is owned by the MTV Networks Kids & Family Group, a unit of the Viacom Media Networks division of Viacom. The channel broadcasts original animated series from sister network Nickelodeon, known as Nicktoons, along with other original animated series and foreign animated programs from Nickelodeon's international networks 24 hours a day. This channel is similar to Cartoon Network's sister channel Boomerang and Disney Channel's sister channel Disney XD (formerly known as Toon Disney).

Since its launch, Nicktoons has offered an alternate Spanish-language audio feed (carried either as a separate second audio program track or sold by cable and satellite providers in the form of a separate channel that is part of a Spanish-language programming package).

As of August 2013, approximately 67,950,000 American households (59.5% of households with television) receive Nicktoons.^[1]

History

The Nicktoons TV logo, used from May 1, 2002 to April 6, 2003

The first Nicktoons era logo, used from April 7, 2003 to June 5, 2005

Nicktoons was launched on May 1, 2002 as Nick Toons TV, part of the digital cable-exclusive MTV Digital Suite, in order to entice cable operators to pick up the network and give them a marketing advantage over satellite services.^{[citation needed]} However, by early 2004, Nickelodeon management changed course and offered it to digital satellite services DirecTV and Dish Network. The network was originally marketed as commercial free, with comedic promos involving Nickelodeon Animation Studios, two-minute cartoon shorts from foreign markets, and former program promotions which had previously been used on Nickelodeon taking up commercial time. By June 6, 2005, as the network's distribution increased, the network began airing regular advertising.^{[citation needed]}

On September 28, 2009, the network's logo changed as part of Nickelodeon's universal rebranding effort that also saw Nickelodeon's first logo change in 25 years, and name changes for sister networks: The N to TeenNick and Noggin to Nick Jr.^[2] In conjunction with this, the "Network" identifier was dropped, leaving the network to be rebranded as the second Nicktoons era.

Programming

Despite the channel's name, Nicktoons is not exclusively limited to airing Nicktoons, Nickelodeon's branding for its original animated television series (a brand that has seldom been used by Nickelodeon itself since the launch of the Nicktoons channel). The channel has engaged in channel drift throughout its existence, increasingly adding action-oriented programming that was never seen on Nickelodeon, and even live-action programs in recent years. The network is also known for being used to burn off animated series that suffered from low ratings when aired on Nickelodeon, and/or were not renewed by that channel (such as Invader Zim, My Life as a Teenage Robot, Mr. Meaty, and The Troop), along with fulfilling contractual obligations involving programs from Nickelodeon's foreign networks that would likely see low promotion on the flagship Nickelodeon channel. Unlike its general competitors (Boomerang and what is now Disney XD), Nicktoons has never placed significant emphasis on archival programming.

Current programming seen on Nicktoons include Nickelodeon's flagship series, along with SpongeBob SquarePants, The Fairly OddParents, The Penguins of Madagascar, Fanboy and Chum Chum, Planet Sheen, T.U.F.F. Puppy, The Legend of Korra, Robot and Monster,Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Monsters vs. Aliens, Sanjay and Craig, Rabbids Invasion and Digimon Fusion.

Animated series that have never aired on Nickelodeon and are exclusive to Nicktoons^{[citation needed]} include Dragon Ball Z Kai, Dragon Ball GT, Voltron Force, Monsuno, Wild Grinders, NFL Rush Zone: Guardians of the Core (a production between Nickelodeon, Curious Pictures, and the National Football League) and Huntik. Kappa Mikey which were co-produced by Funimation, etc.. The channel also airs a series of animated shorts produced under the name Random! Cartoons.

Nicktoons also airs some live-action programming such as The Troop and Power Rangers Samurai. Starting in March 2011, Nicktoons began airing a daily three-hour morning program block called the "Nicktoons Comedy Breakfast", running daily from 7 to 9:30 a.m. ET; the block later evolved to feature double-episode airings of current and former Nickelodeon action-oriented series such as The Troop, Power Rangers Samurai and Power Rangers Ninja Storm.

From 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. ET, Nicktoons utilizes a network generic closing credit format (similar to that used by Nickelodeon, TeenNick and most of the other MTV Networks channels) to allow promotion of its programs and includes traditional commercial advertising during breaks within each program; at other times, the current program's regular production closing credits are shown at the end of a program, while commercial breaks exclusively consist of promos for Nicktoons and Nickelodeon programming, along with three-minute clips of Nicktoon series under the banner "Rockin' Nicktoons Moments", with no traditional advertising.

In the summer of 2010, Nicktoons began airing multi-hour marathon blocks of shows such as Rugrats, The Ren & Stimpy Show, CatDog and Rocko's Modern Life during the overnight hours on weeknights; these marathons were discontinued a year later when The '90s Are All That block launched on sister network TeenNick, with some of these programs joining the block's lineup.

Related services

Nicktoons HD

Nicktoons HD launched on August 13, 2013.^[3][4] Like Viacom's other HD channels, any programming produced in 4:3 SD will be pillarboxed on this feed. AT&T U-verse began carrying the feed in early 2014.

International versions

Nicktoons was launched in the United Kingdom on July 22, 2002; although, unlike the United States version, it has been an advertiser-supported channel since its launch. Also unlike the U.S. version, it does not broadcast 24 hours a day. There are also other Nicktoons channels in Flanders, Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain replacing Nick Premium. A Mexican version of Nicktoons was launched on February 4, 2013.^[5][6]

See also

Book: Nicktoons

• Nicktoons
• Nicktoons Studios
• Nickelodeon
• Nick Jr.
• TeenNick

References

External links

• Official website