Nickelodeon debuts mobile channel for pre-K set
NEW YORK (AP) – Nickelodeon is creating brand-new content for its $6-a-month mobile channel Noggin, aimed at preschoolers.
The ad-free service will debut March 5 on Apple mobile devices. There’s no immediate word on an Android version.
And on the heels of a successful “SpongeBob” movie, Nickelodeon is developing a musical for a potential run on Broadway. The company said it’s still in the early stages of planning, and there’s no word on when it might debut.
Although a few cable channels such as HBO are planning stand-alone streaming subscriptions as alternatives to a cable package, most channels are sticking with existing distributors. In this case, Nickelodeon says it’s in talks with pay-TV providers to bundle Noggin with cable and satellite packages. The regular Nick Jr. channel is available through a separate Nick Jr. app, but it requires a pay-TV subscription and isn’t sold as a stand-alone subscription.
Noggin is the original name of the preschool channel now known as Nick Jr. Noggin was chosen partly because moms are already familiar with the brand, said Cyma Zarghami, president of the kids and family group at Viacom, which owns Nickelodeon.