SpongeBob SquarePants Ratings Transcend Time: 'Lost In Time' Special #1 on all TV for the Year with Kids Behind Only the Super Bowl!

SpongeBob SquarePants Ratings Transcend Time: 'Lost In Time' Special #1 on all TV for the Year with Kids Behind Only the Super Bowl!

'Lost In Time' Highest-Rated SpongeBob SquarePants Episode with Kids Ever!

8.6 Million Total Viewers Tune-In to Watch the Sponge!

NEW YORK, Feb. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- The sponge squeezed out another huge night of ratings with the SpongeBob SquarePants "Lost In Time" primetime special, which aired Monday, Feb. 20 (President's Day) at 8 p.m. ET/PT. The half-hour special episode of SpongeBob SquarePants "Lost In Time" marked the highest-rated program on all TV with kids 2-11 for the year behind the Super Bowl, and the highest-rated play on all of Nickelodeon since 2001. "Lost In Time" was the highest-rated episode of SpongeBob ever with kids, scoring triple digit increases among all demos. SpongeBob triumphed with kids 6-11, averaging a 18.1/3.6 million K6-11, up +197% versus year-ago levels. Among kids 2-11, the special averaged a 16.1/5.2 million K2-11, up +176% versus last year's like time period. With Tweens 9-14, the sponge squeezed an impressive +223% increase over last year, earning a 12.4/2.5 million T9-14. And 8.6 million total viewers (P2+) tuned-in to watch SpongeBob in his time traveling adventure (up +209% versus last year), marking the most watched President's Day ever on Nick.

SpongeBob embarks on an outrageous journey when he is transported to the Middle Ages in "Lost in Time." After a freak jousting accident at a medieval- themed restaurant, SpongeBob and Patrick find themselves in a historic version of Bikini Bottom where they are mistaken for great knights. The duo is then entrusted with the daunting task of saving King Krabs' daughter, Princess Pearl, from the clutches of the evil wizard, Lord Plankton.

Launched in July 1999, the Emmy-nominated series, SpongeBob SquarePants has been the most watched animated series for kids on television for the past five years. SpongeBob SquarePants is consistently one of the top rated kids' shows on television, with the Saturday play of the series ranking as the number one rated program among Kids 2-11. Nearly 57.8 million viewers tune into the show each month, making it the most watched show on Nickelodeon among Total Viewers (ages two and up) including 22.5 million Kids 2-11, 13.3 million Tweens 9-14 and 19.2 million Adults 18+. (Source: Nielsen Cume Data - July 2005). SpongeBob's adult viewers also continue to tune-in and have increased by 31% since the premiere of the show in 1999.

SpongeBob SquarePants is created and executive produced by Stephen Hillenburg, who previously worked as a writer, director and creative director on Nickelodeon's animated series, Rocko's Modern Life. Paul Tibbitt served as a director and writer on SpongeBob SquarePants for the first three seasons and is executive producer of the fourth. SpongeBob SquarePants is a Nicktoons Production and is produced at the Nicktoons Studio in Burbank, CA.

Nickelodeon, in its 26th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books, magazines and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 89 million households and has been the number- one-rated basic cable network for more than ten consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE:VIA.B).

Source: Nickelodeon

CONTACT: Joanna Roses, +1-212-846-7326, or Nicole Parker,
+1-818-736-3613, both for Nickelodeon

Web site: http://www.nick.com/

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