Nickelodeon (German TV channel)

Nick is a German free-to-air television channel, part of the international Nickelodeon franchise. Originally launched in 1995, and relaunched in 2005, Nickelodeon is based in Berlin. The channel is available on subscription services and as an unscrambled, free-to-air (FTA) satellite signal. On 31 March 2010, the channel re-adopted the name Nickelodeon on air and online, in addition to the new Nickelodeon logo and graphical package being rolled out internationally at the time.[1] Since then, the channel is also broadcast in English in addition to German on a secondary audio track.

Nick
CountryGermany
Austria
Switzerland
NetworkViacomCBS Networks EMEAA
SloganMach mal Nickelodeon
HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
Programming
Language(s)German
Picture format1080i HDTV
(downscaled to 16:9 576i for the SDTV feed)
Ownership
OwnerViacomCBS Networks EMEAA (ViacomCBS)
Sister channelsNicktoons
Nick Jr.
History
Launched5 July 1995 (original)
12 September 2005 (relaunch)
Closed31 May 1998 (original)
Former namesNICK (2005–2010)
Nickelodeon (2010–2017)
Links
WebsiteOfficial website
Availability
Cable
CablecomChannel 30 (Germany)
Channel 27 (Switzerland)
Satellite
Astra 1M11.973 GHz V / 27.5
Astra 1N12.148 GHz H / 27.5 (Austria)
Eutelsat 9B11.785 GHz H / 27.5 (DVB-S2)
Sky DeutschlandChannel 550 (HD)
Channel 1351 (Austria)
IPTV
Telekom Entertain (Germany)Channel 11 (HD)
A1 TV (Austria)Channel 30 (SD)
Streaming media
nick.deWatch live

Unlike other Nickelodeon feeds and like the Dutch counterpart, the end credits on shows do not appear. They were replaced by short credits including the show name, production year and production company.

History

1995–1998

The original version of Nickelodeon was launched on 5 July 1995 on the DFS Kopernikus satellite and a few cable providers in North Rhine-Westphalia. Nickelodeon initially aired for 6 hours per day; during off-air hours, the channel looped a half-hour special featuring excerpts from its shows. Beginning in October 1995, Nickelodeon aired from 6:00am until 8:00pm, and timeshared with Arte starting in 1996. After Der Kinderkanal launched, Nickelodeon lost its slot on many cable providers and began timesharing with VH-1 Germany on satellite. Nickelodeon was a failure and continually lost money due to weak advertising sales and its inability to compete against its more successful rival, Der Kinderkanal. As a result, Nickelodeon closed on 31 May 1998. Nickelodeon's owner Viacom soon thereafter struck a deal with RTL owner the Compagnie Luxembourgeoise de Télédiffusion (CLT, formerly known as the Compagnie Luxembourgeoise de Radiodiffusion, CLR) to broadcast their programming on RTL's own children's channel, Super RTL (which, ironically, was a joint venture between RTL and Disney) in addition to a weekend morning Nicktoons block on the main RTL channel. After VH-1 Germany shut down in 2001 (and was replaced by a pan-European feed on a separate channel), it was replaced with MTV2 Pop.

Relaunch, 2005–2010

On 7 April 2005 it was announced that on 12 September 2005 Nickelodeon Germany will be relaunched under the name Nick as a new channel.[2] Nick started with a prime-time programming block called Nick Comedy that aired sitcoms and other comedy shows. Nickelodeon eventually replaced MTV2 Pop; since February 2006, in addition to international series, it started airing locally produced shows.[3] In October 2007 a special German version of the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards was produced and broadcast on the channel.

In the beginning of 2008, Nick launched a family-oriented programming block named Nick nach acht (Nick after eight), which was the local adaptation of American overnight block Nick at Nite. It aired documentaries, drama series, movies and sitcoms.[4] It used an adapted logo of its American counterpart. Most of the block's programming schedule consisted on repeats of Ren and Stimpy and CatDog.[5] On 15 December 2008, Comedy Central Germany replaced Nick nach acht on Nickelodeon, taking over its airing time as a timeshared channel starting 8:15pm.[6]

2010s

On 31 March 2010, the channel adopted the new international branding. Nick was renamed Nickelodeon, while Nick Premium was rebranded as Nicktoons.[7]

Since 1 June 2011, Nickelodeon Germany started broadcasting in HD.[8] A new logo was used from January 2012, as well as a new graphic package.

From 1 October 2014, Nickelodeon Germany turned itself into a 24-hour channel, with Comedy Central leaving Nick's channel slot and moving to VIVA Germany. Furthermore, Nickelodeon introduced a new overnight programming block called Nicknight, replacing Comedy Central's airing time from 9:00pm to 5:45am.[9][10]

On 1 November 2018 at 5am, Nicknight was discontinued. At 8:15pm on that day MTV+ launched airing from 8:15pm to 5am. Nicknight doesn't exist anymore in Germany, however the Austrian and Swiss feeds still keep the Nicknight brand.

Austrian subfeed
Logo of Nickelodeon Austria

Since 1 June 2006 an Austrian subfeed of the channel is also being broadcast, initially timesharing with VIVA Austria from 6:00am to 7:00pm.[11] On 1 January 2011, it starts timesharing with Comedy Central Austria. The channel is known on-air as Nickelodeon Austria.

From 1 October 2014 Nickelodeon Austria starts also to broadcast 24 hours per day.

Swiss subfeed
Logo of a programblock between 1998 and 2005 which was called Nickelodeon Schweiz (SF DRS)

A Swiss subfeed for German-speaking viewers was launched on 1 April 2009, first timesharing with VIVA Switzerland and then with Comedy Central starting 16 May 2011. For many years, its programming schedule was identical with the main, German feed. Nevertheless, it got its own, separate schedule. The channel is known on-air as Nickelodeon Schweiz.

From 1 October 2014 Nickelodeon Switzerland starts also to broadcast 24 hours per day.

Sister channels

Nicktoons
Nicktoons logo
Main article: Nicktoons (Germany)

Nicktoons was launched in December 2007 as Nick Premium.[12] In 2009, Nickelodeon announced that Nick Premium would be rebranded as Nicktoons.[13] The channel airs animated programs from Nickelodeon.

Nick Jr.
Nick Jr. logo
Main article: Nick Jr. (Germany)

Nick Jr. is a channel that broadcasts to younger kids. The channel was launched on 12 September 2005 as a block and on 31 March 2009 as a channel. Before the channel launched, some programs were broadcast on Super RTL and Disney Channel.[14][15]

References
  1. "MTV goes global with Nickelodeon". Techwatch Tech News – Rapid TV News. February 22, 2010.
  2. Nickelodeon kehrt als Nick nach Deutschland zurück
  3. Bürger Lars Dietrich wird erster Moderator von Nick
  4. Nick setzt künftig auf Dokus in der Primetime
  5. Nick zeigt künftig auch spätabends Cartoons
  6. Viacom stellt TV-Kanal Comedy Central ein
  7. TV-Sender Nick verpasst sich neuen alten Namen
  8. MTV, Viva, Nickelodeon/Comedy Central auch in HD
  9. Kastner dampft Viva ein und baut Nickelodeon aus
  10. "Nickelodeon sendet 24 Stunden, Comedy Central siedelt zu Viva". Archived from the original on 2014-08-17. Retrieved 2014-07-21.
  11. Viacom-Sender VIVA und NICK ab Juni mit Österreich-Fenster
  12. Premiere Star: Zwei Mal MTV und Nick Premium
  13. Ab März: Aus Nick wird wieder Nickelodeon
  14. Engadget HD
  15. Broadband TV News
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