On cable, a Christmas
meant for kids
Hefty ratings for specials with known characters
By Toni Fitzgerald
Dec 18, 2009
On broadcast, the top holiday specials tend to be one-offs, programs that focus on a character who comes out only at the holidays, like Frosty, Rudolph or the Grinch.
Not on cable. With networks aimed exclusively at kids, Nickelodeon, Disney Channel and Cartoon Network can air Christmas specials featuring characters on their already-successful shows.
Last week several of them aired holiday episodes, and topping them all among older kids was Disney Channel's "Phineas & Ferb Christmas Vacation," the No. 1 show for the week ended Dec. 13 among kids 6-11 and 9-14.
In fact, "Ferb," airing Friday at 8 p.m., had its most-watched telecast ever in 6-11s, drawing an 8.6 rating. Among tweens it averaged a 6.2.
That was slightly better than another competing Christmas spinoff. Nickelodeon's "Merry Christmas, Drake & Josh" rerun averaged a 5.2 in 9-14s, ranking fifth for the week on broadcast and cable.
Among kids 2-5, "Dora Christmas Carol Adventure," based on the popular kids show "Dora the Explorer," ranked first with an 8.1 rating, even outdrawing ABC's "Disney's Prep & Landing," the highest-rated broadcast special of the season.
The big difference between cable and broadcast specials is that cable can build on the momentum of an already-established series. "Dora," for example, regularly ranks in the top five in 2-5s.
"Ferb," a cartoon about a pair of stepbrothers, has been hot in recent weeks, airing five of its top six most-watched episodes since October.
In the coming days Cartoon Network has several Christmas specials scheduled starring well-known cartoon characters, including the Looney Tunes and Scooby Doo.
***
In younger viewer ratings for the week ending Dec. 13:
The top five shows among kids 2-5: 1. Nickelodeon’s “Dora Christmas Carol Adventure” (Monday, 1 p.m.); 2. Nickelodeon’s “The Backyardigans” (Monday, 12 p.m.); 3. Nickelodeon’s “Ni Hao Kai-Lan” (Monday, 12:30 p.m.); 4. ABC’s “Disney Prep & Landing” (Tuesday, 8:30 p.m.); 5. Nickelodeon’s “The Backyardigans” (Friday, 12 p.m.)
The top five shows among kids 6-11: 1. Disney Channel’s “Phineas and Ferb” (Friday, 8 p.m.); 2. ABC’s “Disney Prep & Landing” (Tuesday, 8:30 p.m.); 3. Nickelodeon’s “iCarly” (Saturday, 8 p.m.); 4. Nickelodeon’s “iCarly: iQuit iCarly” (Monday, 5:30 p.m.); 5. Nickelodeon’s “SpongeBob SquarePants” (Saturday, 9:30 a.m.)
The top five shows among kids 9-14: 1. Disney Channel’s “Phineas and Ferb” (Friday, 8 p.m.); 2. Nickelodeon’s “iCarly” (Saturday, 8 p.m.); 3. ABC’s “Disney Prep & Landing” (Tuesday, 8:30 p.m.); 4. Nickelodeon’s “iCarly: iQuit iCarly” (Monday, 5:30 p.m.); 5. Nickelodeon’s “Merry X-Mas, Drake & Josh” (Saturday, 6 p.m.)
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TOP 10 PROGRAMS – BROADCAST & CABLE
Kids 2-5
Week Ended December 13 |
|
|
Program |
Net |
Rtg% |
(000) |
|
1
|
DORA XMAS CAROL ADVENTURE-12/07/2009
|
NICK
|
8.1
|
1338
|
|
2
|
BACKYARDIGANS, THE-12/07/2009
|
NICK
|
7.7
|
1276
|
|
3
|
NI HAO KAI-LAN-12/07/2009
|
NICK
|
7.3
|
1206
|
|
4
|
DISNEY PREP & LANDING-12/08/2009
|
ABC
|
7
|
1166
|
|
5
|
BACKYARDIGANS, THE-12/11/2009
|
NICK
|
6.7
|
1112
|
|
6
|
SPONGEBOB-12/07/2009
|
NICK
|
6.6
|
1098
|
|
7
|
DORA XMAS CAROL ADVENTURE-12/11/2009
|
NICK
|
6.6
|
1092
|
|
8
|
MAX AND RUBY-12/09/2009
|
NICK
|
6.4
|
1065
|
|
9
|
MAX AND RUBY-12/07/2009
|
NICK
|
6.2
|
1030
|
|
10
|
GO, DIEGO, GO!-12/07/2009
|
NICK
|
6.2
|
1026
|
|
Source: Disney-ABC Television Group, based on data from Nielsen Media Research
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TOP 10 PROGRAMS – BROADCAST & CABLE
Kids 6-11
Week Ended December 13 |
|
|
Program |
Net |
Rtg% |
(000) |
|
1
|
PHINEAS AND FERB-12/11/2009
|
DSNY
|
8.6
|
2117
|
|
2
|
DISNEY PREP & LANDING-12/08/2009
|
ABC
|
7.8
|
1928
|
|
3
|
ICARLY-12/12/2009
|
NICK
|
7.1
|
1756
|
|
4
|
ICARLY MOVIE: IQUITICARLY-12/07/2009
|
NICK
|
6.8
|
1682
|
|
5
|
SPONGEBOB-12/12/2009
|
NICK
|
6.6
|
1628
|
|
6
|
PHINEAS AND FERB SHORTS-12/11/2009
|
DSNY
|
6.5
|
1602
|
|
7
|
SPONGEBOB-12/12/2009
|
NICK
|
6.2
|
1513
|
|
8
|
S PHINEAS & FERB-12/11/2009
|
DSNY
|
6.1
|
1510
|
|
9
|
ICARLY-12/13/2009
|
NICK
|
6.1
|
1505
|
|
10
|
ICARLY-12/13/2009
|
NICK
|
6.1
|
1498
|
|
Source: Disney-ABC Television Group, based on data from Nielsen Media Research
|
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TOP 10 PROGRAMS – BROADCAST & CABLE
Kids 9-14
Week Ended December 13 |
|
Rank |
Program |
Net |
Rtg% |
(000) |
|
1
|
PHINEAS AND FERB-12/11/2009
|
DSNY
|
6.2
|
1504
|
|
2
|
ICARLY-12/12/2009
|
NICK
|
6
|
1470
|
|
3
|
DISNEY PREP & LANDING-12/08/2009
|
ABC
|
5.5
|
1349
|
|
4
|
ICARLY MOVIE: IQUITICARLY-12/07/2009
|
NICK
|
5.3
|
1285
|
|
5
|
MERRY X-MAS, DRAKE & JOSH-12/12/2009
|
NICK
|
5.2
|
1273
|
|
6
|
ICARLY-12/12/2009
|
NICK
|
5.2
|
1257
|
|
7
|
PHINEAS AND FERB SHORTS-12/11/2009
|
DSNY
|
4.9
|
1189
|
|
8
|
S PHINEAS & FERB-12/11/2009
|
DSNY
|
4.9
|
1184
|
|
9
|
S PHINEAS & FERB-12/11/2009
|
DSNY
|
4.7
|
1155
|
|
10
|
TRUE
JACKSON, VP-12/12/2009
|
NICK
|
4.7
|
1149
|
|
Source: Disney-ABC Television Group, based on data from Nielsen Media Research |
|
|
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