Nickelodeon (Indian TV channel)

Nickelodeon (abbreviated as Nick) is an Indian children's pay television network based in Mumbai. It is the Indian equivalent to the original American network and is owned by Viacom 18, a joint venture between ViacomCBS and TV18. Despite using the "Nick" name, it does not air any content from the original American network in recent times as part of a localisation strategy. Original shows of the channel are only shown on HD+ channel.

Nickelodeon
CountryIndia
Broadcast areaIndia
Nepal
Bangladesh
Sri Lanka
HeadquartersMumbai, India
Programming
Language(s)SD channel:
Hindi
Tamil
Telugu
Kannada
Malayalam
Bengali
Marathi
Gujarati
HD+ channel:
English
Hindi
Picture format576i SDTV
16:9 1080i, HDTV (Nick HD+ only)
Ownership
OwnerMTV Networks India (1999–2007)
Viacom 18 (2007–present)
Sister channelsNickelodeon Sonic
VH1 India
MTV India
Colors
Nick Jr. India
Colors Infinity
Comedy Central India
Colors Rishtey
History
Launched16 October 1999 (1999-10-16)
5 December 2015 (2015-12-05) (HD+ channel)
Links
Websitenickindia.com
Availability
Cable
Siti cableChannel 445
Asianet Digital TV (Kerala, India)Channel 320
Satellite
Airtel digital TVChannel 455 (SD)
Channel 456 (HD+)
Dish TVChannel 975 (SD)
Channel 974 (HD+)
Reliance Digital TVChannel 609 (SD)
Sun DirectChannel 530 (SD)
Tata SkyChannel 663 (SD)
Channel 662 (HD+)
Videocon d2hChannel 507 (SD)
Channel 950 (HD+)
Dish Home (Nepal)Channel 801
Akash DTH (Bangladesh)Channel 451 (HD+)
IPTV
PEO TV
(Sri Lanka)		Channel 60
Dhiraagu TV
(Maldives)		Channel 168

As of October 2020, the channel is the most viewed kids channel in India.[1]

History

Nickelodeon was launched in India on 16 October 1999. Zee TV was in charge of distributing the channel to cable operators, in a deal made with Viacom.[2]

Also, Zee TV launched a Nickelodeon-branded programming block on its main channel, also called "Zee TV", as part of a distribution deal between Viacom International and Zee Entertainment Enterprises. It was replaced by the Cartoon Network block in 2002.[2][3]

In 2004 Viacom revamped Nickelodeon in India to increase its viewership, including branding the channel just as Nick, creating local programs and launching a Hindi audio track.[4][5]

Viacom signed a programming deal with Sun Network in 2007 according to which Nickelodeon shows will air on Chutti TV dubbed in Tamil and Telugu. This deal was later cancelled when Nickelodeon decided to add Tamil and Telugu audio tracks to their own channel.[6]

On 25 June 2010 Nick India was rebranded, using the newly launched logo used in the US. It was the last major market to undergo this makeover.[7]

In 2011, Viacom 18 launched a new channel called Sonic.[8] Initially the channel was focused on action and adventure, before switching their focus to comedy in 2016.[9]

Viacom 18 Motion Pictures distributed Keymon & Nani in Space Adventure, a film based on the Nickelodeon India series Keymon Ache in 2012.[10] Another theatrical film, Motu Patlu: King Of Kings from the Motu Patlu franchise was released in Hindi and Tamil on 14 October 2016.[11]

Nick Jr. India was launched in late 2012 after being spun off from the main channel.[12] TeenNick aired in the evenings before 1 February 2017, when it was discontinued.

In 2013 the channel hosted its first localised Kids Choice Awards.[13]

On 5 December 2015, Viacom 18 launched Nickelodeon HD+, the first children's channel in high definition in India.[14] It originates a different schedule than the main network, including previously unaired international programming such as The Legend of Korra.

In March 2016, Viacom 18 launched a Nick programming block named "Nick Hour" on their free-to-air channel Rishtey.[15] The programming consists of shows like Motu Patlu, Pakdam Pakdai, The Jungle Book, Go, Diego, Go!, Keymon Ache and Chhoti Anandi (Colors series).

Nick India added a Kannada audio track to the channel on 1 September 2018. Four additional language tracks in Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati and Malayalam were added in 2020.[16]

Nick India announced its first co-production with Nickelodeon US called The Twisted Timeline of Sammy & Raj, slated to air internationally in 2021.[17]

Programming
Main article: List of programmes broadcast by Nickelodeon (India)

In the channel's first years of broadcasting it aired mostly original programmes from the US, such as Rugrats, Aaahh! Real Monsters, As Told by Ginger, Rocket Power, The Wild Thornberrys, The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, Rocko's Modern Life, The Angry Beavers, CatDog, Hey Arnold!, The Fairly OddParents and Danny Phantom. The network also aired live action shows, such as Kenan & Kel, Drake & Josh, Clarissa Explains It All, Legends of the Hidden Temple, Nick Bites and many more.

After the success of Nickelodeon U.S. game shows, Nick India produced two local game shows, Dum Dama Dum[18] and Gilli Gilli Gappa.[19] They launched J Bole Toh Jadoo, a spin-off series of 2003's Koi... Mil Gaya. The series premiered on 14 November 2005 on Children's Day.

In 2006 Nick India started acquiring Japanese animated shows such as Ninja Hattori, Perman and Mighty Cat Masked Niyander.[20]

Nick started airing Colors's show Jai Shri Krishna in 2009. The show was re-edited and customized for a younger audience.[21] They also acquired Little Krishna, an animated series produced by BIG Animation India and The Indian Heritage Foundation in May 2009.[22] Also, in 2009 the channel started acquried the French series Oggy and the Cockroaches.

Starting in 2011, Nickelodeon India started producing local animated shows, starting with Keymon Ache and a theatrical movie based on the series.[10] The local strategy became successful with Motu Patlu in 2012, and they later launched more local animated series like Pakdam Pakdai in 2013, Shiva in 2015, Gattu Battu in 2017, Rudra in 2018 and Ting Tong in 2020. The success with domestic product gave the network the latitude to reduce their dependence on American content (which had proven long-term to have little connection to Indian viewers), and with the launch of Nickelodeon HD+ in 2018, most foreign content from the American and British networks migrated to that channel space instead. Prevalently, animated content has proven to do well for the network, while American live-action content has generally garnered low ratings.[23][5][24][4]

See also

References
  1. "Nickelodeon becomes highest viewership in India".
  2. "ZEE TV TO LAUNCH NICKELODEON". 11 October 1999. Archived from the original on 23 March 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  3. "Cartoon Network block replaces Nick on Zee TV". 14 August 2002. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
  4. "Nickelodeon India business and operations head Pradeep Hejmadi – AnimationXpressAnimationXpress". www.animationxpress.com. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
  5. "Nick to get 'MTV India treatment' for makeover". Indian Television Dot Com. 22 May 2004. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
  6. "Sun's Chutti TV targets 25% ad growth in 2010". 19 December 2009. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  7. "Nick India undergoes makeover, to don new logo from June 25". The Economic Times. 24 June 2010. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  8. "Viacom18 to launch new channel Sonic for "new young adults"". Campaign India. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  9. "Nick rebrands their kids channel Sonic with refreshing new logo and their successful show 'Shiva' – AnimationXpressAnimationXpress". www.animationxpress.com. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  10. "Nick's Keymon Ache to make its theatrical debut on 9 November". 6 November 2012. Archived from the original on 14 June 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  11. "Viacom18 to bring 'Motu Patlu King of Kings' animation film". Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  12. "Viacom18 launches Nick Jr. to enter preschool segment in India | TelevisionPost.com". www.televisionpost.com. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  13. "Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards now in India". Indian Television Dot Com. 10 October 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  14. "Viacom18 to launch HD kids channel Nick HD+, unveils local IP 'Shiva' for Nick | TelevisionPost.com". www.televisionpost.com. Archived from the original on 8 July 2017. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  15. ""Nick Hour" on Rishtey". 30 March 2016. Archived from the original on 14 December 2017. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  16. "Nick & Sonic adds four new local language feeds". Indian Television Dot Com. 20 January 2020.
  17. "News Update: Nickelodeon International and Nickelodeon India team up to co-produce new series". BestMediaInfo.com. Delhi. 2 September 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  18. "Nick brings 'Double Dare' Hindi version". Indian Television Dot Com. 9 November 2004. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  19. "Nick launches "Gilli Gilli Gappa" on Holi". 14 March 2006. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  20. "Nick scores hat trick with new shows on board – AnimationXpressAnimationXpress". www.animationxpress.com. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  21. "Colors to share Jai Shri Krishna with Nick, but with a different touch". 16 January 2009. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  22. "Animation series 'Little Krishna' debut on May 11". 7 May 2009. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  23. "Toon Today – Indian Express". archive.indianexpress.com. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  24. "'The focus for Nick in 2007 is to drive reach' : Nina Elavia Jaipuria – Nick India vice president & general manager". Indian Television Dot Com. 12 February 2007. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
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