I Just Don't Understand

I don't "think" it is. I KNOW it is. Right now there isn't any "better" strategy for Nickelodeon to follow, as they're doing what logic dictates. Unlike CN, Nick has no need for taking risks.

Antiyonder, I think you're using this topic to soapbox your own issues with the network. You need to stop being so biased and try looking at it from a businness perspective, not from a fan's POV. Then you'll understand the situation better
 
Most of the time when I turn onto Nick, its usually either Spongebob, ICarly or Drake and Josh. I don't mind too much of the repeats of ICarly and Drake & Josh since I like those shows. While I don't particularly care for Spongebob, I totally understand why that show has so many slots on the channel. It gets impressive ratings and has a large fan base. I mean, a 7.0 rating on a Saturday morning? That's insanely good. So its no wonder that Nick would have some more slots for Spongebob.
 
I happen to be a Spongebob fan, thus the biased argument is incorrect. And as I said, Spongebob would have ended at Season 3 if Nick applied the same strategy earlier in the decade. I merely keep repeating the same points because you ignore certain details of the arguement rather than actually responding to them.
 
As was already pointed out, Spongebob = high ratings for Nick, and high ratings = $$$ BIG BUCKERINOS. $$$

So in the sense that Nick wants to remain a contender in the ongoing ratings war, then the answer is yes, they do need to show Spongebob constantly. They'll continue to do so as long as The Spongey One is popular with kids and continues to put the butts in the seats.

Hit shows get played a lot. Remember how often Nick ran Rugrats in its' heyday?
 
I see no flaw in your argument. If I remember correctly, “Seinfeld” was almost cancelled because it wasn’t that successful in its first few seasons, but it ultimately took off and became a huge success. Sometimes, television programs need to be nurtured in order to become successful; the people who work on the series need time in order to get their feet wet and learn how to make the series as entertaining as possible, and time is also needed in order to get an established fan base. Nickelodeon needs to stop canceling their animated programs so early if they wish to give them an opportunity to reach the desired level of success.
 
Because they take pride in writing sucky schedules yet monopolizing the TV landscape anyway (oh snap!)

P.S. - Sorry for double posting. Feel free to fix this cuz I don't seem to be able to cut and paste here.
 
You know, have you even read my posts? I've never said anything about them canceling their shows early, I've been refering exclusively to their treatment of Spongebob.

And I stand by my statement, if a network can get good ratings by showing the same show as much as they do, then they are free to do so.

Since I've made my point here, there's nothing left for me to say in this thread. I'm done.
 
More Avatar Book of Fire, less Spongebob filler episodes would be the wise choice. Nickelodeon is by no means a courageous network when it comes to risk.
 
This is a surprise? 'Risk' means potentially taking a huge bath on an idea that could easily blow up in their faces. 'Risk' means the possibility of one or more of the executive Suits losing their mansions, yachts or cushy parking spaces. 'Risk' means somebody in charge pulling in six figures could at any given moment go from being super-rich to just being rich. Why would the Powers That Be want to take a risk when they could just run their established hits and keep a comfortable safety net underneath their expensive loafers?

Case in point: not everyone is a fan of anime-style action adventure serials, but nearly everyone is a fan of crazy cartoon comedies that just make you laugh. Spongebob is (arguably) a bigger and more mainstream draw than Avatar, plus Spongebob has been on longer and so has more episodes under their belt in total, so naturally Nick is going to rely more on it to bring viewers in. There's also the detail of Avatar being finished.
 
It's not just Nick, folks. Witness how much Cartoon Network has been airing Chowder, Flapjack and Johnny Test over the past 2 and 1/2 months.
 
I'm not talking about their canceled shows, but the irony that Spongebob Squarepants would have been among the many canceled or ended programs if they implemented the smart practice much sooner.



1. And as I said, it works against them as because once the show burns out it will be restricted to reruns on Nicktoons and premieres only on Nickelodeon. Whereas if they cutback on repeats, the probability of viewers tiring of the show would be a non issue and they could even keep the show on the network even when it does stop interms of new episodes. I mean aside from Jimmy Neutron, has any other Nicktoon seen a constant regular airtime on Nickelodeon since ending or after cancelation?

So you see, my criticism is because I want the show to stay on the network as much as I want diversity.

2. Like I said before, the show is a hit because they showed it and Fairly Oddparents a great deal of patience when they were modest successes. But the problem is that Nick doesn't realize that, and when the time comes that both shows burnout, then they will be without a blockbuster hit (Because again they don't show any of their new programs patience). Cause frankly, to my experiences, whether a show fails or succeeds, networks don't really question or examine the reasoning for the results. They just accept the results.

2a. Hence it is better to take a risk when you're on top rather than waiting until said risk is your only option. Like I said before, you take a risk while you're on top, you have your hits to sustain any financial injuries. Whereas if you take a risk when you're struggling, you have no support to keep you going.

2b. You mention CN having to take risks because they have no choice, but part of why the network was successful in the first place is because they gave us cartoons that Disney and Nick would either avoid doing or hesitate. Infact it seems like they started failing when they decided to play it safe. By that I mean that they would limit the categories of their shows to either kid centered comedy sitcoms or action/adventure anime.



Fair enough, but should you change your mind, please tell specifically why my arguements are wrong. Mainly my venting in this topic is that while you explain why you agree with Nick's method, you barely discuss the flaws in my arguement.
 
You mean Nickelodeon has stopped doing this? :shrug:

How many times was, say, a new Hey Arnold! episode pre-empted for a Rugrats repeat...or how about the time the final episode of The Wild Thornberrys was pre-empted twice in the same week, first for SpongeBob, and then for The Fairly Oddparents?

-- Don
 
Ooh ho ho, Rugrats got more than weekend marathons. Maybe it wasn't reran as much as Spongebob but it got reran a lot.



I wish it was that easy, all those adult-oriented cartoons have standalone episodes through and through. Because of the Animation Age Ghetto most adults think cartoons are kids stuff anyway and aren't going to tune in to a serial and I don't think kids have the patients. Avatar kinda sorta broke the mold, but I don't think animated serials are going to catch on anytime soon. Not a very good example to apply here, IMO.



You do make good points and the arguement isn't wrong, the fundamental point still remains: Why would Nick take a risk by rerunning a new, unproven series when they could just air Spongebob? It's just not good business strategy, period. You keep saying what if SB and FOP burn out, and well it hasn't happen yet. I'm sure they do have irons in the fire just waiting to be pull out in case in happens.
 
Also Total Drama Island and (for a short time), Skunk Fu!. Both series that they took a gamble on and their risk worked (TDI is a major success and gave them the tween audience they've been hungry for, while Skunk Fu! did decently well). Besides, it was summer, and they wanted to show their best shows to bring kids to watch the channel. :)

That sucks for me, since I'm one of the few people who missed the finale and the episodes that aired in the same week. I have to relay on Nicktoons Network completely now.
 
I'm talking animation serials in general. Aside from the KidsWB 1999-2001 and Toonami, how often have networks had more than one new serial show?

For instance, Disney only had Gargoyles, while Nick only had Avatar. Even then, The Spectacular Spider-Man dominated the non serial shows on the KidsWB line up.

Even then, as I said, it took at least a decade until adults gained any exception of animation at all (Simpsons and Beavis & Butthead aside), but that changed with Adult Swim.



Because they took a risk in running Spongebob when it wasn't the current cashcow and it paid off. To reverse my previous comment, had Avatar, Danny Phantom and Avatar aired earlier in the decade, they'd get more of a chance to stretch their legs.

They took the same risk with Fairly Oddparents (which wasn't in the same league as Spongebob or Rugrats in the first season).

Their first major Nicktoons (Rugrats) wasn't a hit until Season 3 hit syndication, so it seems pretty risky that they didn't pull it after Season 2.

Actually, back when they took chances:

A. Their shows either made it up to 90 or more episodes. Even if they didn't there would still be some requests for them to air in syndication.

B. Even if they ended at 52-65 episodes, they were still apparently successful enough for reruns. Thus they weren't forgotten instantly. Probably helped that they didn't air excessively before ending either.

Now compare it to Nick's play it safe era:

A. Not a single show since Fairly Oddparents (The last show which that was given time to find an audience) has gone over 65 episodes or is still continuing.

B. Aside from Jimmy Neutron, not a single show has been allowed regular repeats.

I think the risking taking era had the advantage all around.



How so? If they take a chance now and fail, they still have their successful shows to keep them going. I mean how much damage could one failed program make when you have 9 other programs bringing in the dough?

Besides, if they would cut back on Spongebob airings it would lower the risk of the show burning out, hence the show could probably remain on the network up to 2020.

I agree that they should play it safe, but the best way to do that is showing caution, not panic.



If they are really planning longterm, but the whole focusing on the hits without giving other shows a chance for growth stinks of focusing on the here and now.
 
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