@@123userthatsme Fred Siebert and Alan Goodman had Built MTV as a Cable Network force. So Warner Amex realized that those two Men were key to Building Nickelodeon the Same way.
God the first logo really did seem more like they’re aiming at adults😅 crazy how when people look at a child’s perspective and don’t pander/ talk down to them, things work out🤷♀️
@@michelleenderink3664 One is specifically for Animation/Animated Content targeting specific Psychographics while the other can air Animation, Game Shows and even Live Action as long as it's Kid oriented.
I remember watching Titanic as an eleven-year-old. When Jack said, "I saw this on Nickelodeon once", I was confused. I mean, the movie takes place in 1912. This was before the advent of sound films, let alone cable TV. Then, I asked my dad about it, and he explained where the name originated, and what it was.
I heard about the name's origin from my American history teacher during my second year of college. Felt proud that I knew that before going into this video lol
There are already theories that Jack Dawson was a time traveler because he mentioned a lake that didn't exist at the time and roller coasters which had not yet been invented. This would have been an intriguing addition to that theory...
@@slow_start and look at how far this company has come, even after they changed the logo in the late 2000s, the channel still somewhat remained the same.
Yeah, SpongeBob is great. But srsly, they should focus on a show they cancelled that people loved and bring it back -cough cough- *DANNY PHANTOM* -cough cough-
Yeah I've read before that canonically he's supposed to be 25 years old. No idea if that's actually for real lol but that's what I've heard. I'd imagine though that youngest he could really be is 16, being old enough to get a boating license and have a job but young enough to still be silly and playful like a kid.
Fun fact: Hillenberg and his team actually pushed back on Nick insisting SpongeBob be a kid. The whole boating school idea came as a compromise between them and network execs who wanted SpongeBob in a classroom environment.
I never really liked the idea that children's media should exclusively have child protagonists. Sure, they're more relatable to kids, but I think it limits the potential for stories, situations, and especially character arcs. Plus, I'll admit, as an antisocial kid, it was hard for me to relate to my peers, which even applied to my shows I watched. That's why I always preferred stories about animals or fantasy, because I didn't have to stick with dull ordinary kid life, and could enjoy freedom and escapism vicariously through non-humans and fantasy settings. I think that's the reason why Spongebob worked so well. It was a fun semi-fantasy setting similar to our mundane world, focused on non-human characters who happened to be adults, whom kids found funny and identifiable, and whom adults could enjoy and relate to. On top of that, Spongebob, being an adult, had many settings he could go to on a daily basis: work, driving school, his home, and the city, which might actually have prepared kids like me for the future routine of adulthood. This could also apply to other iconic adult characters aimed at kids: Mickey Mouse, Bugs Bunny, Bob the Builder, and others. Characters who, while not the same age as the target audience, could still leave an impression with them. Even on the opposite end, there's the Rugrats, who despite being literal babies, were still popular with school age children.
It’s incredibly difficult for me to view Nickelodeon’s old footage and marketing material and believe it was actually them! It’s so different from what I grew with during the late 90s and 2000s. Props to Fred/Allen Inc. for transforming it so successfully.
80s Nickelodeon is what I grew up with. I liked the shows. Seeing those bumpers are nostalgic, although for me it’s about the mid 80s and up where most of memories lye.
What I find funny is how CN, Nick's biggest rival, is currently owned by Warner, which was originally founded with a similar goal and had Fred Seibert also play a role in their success, but actually managed to avoid this same issue because Ted Turner actually had a plan from the beginning: rerun old shows so they could create original content.
It's funny, I always thought Nickelodeon started in 1984, not sure why, guess that's just when they started gaining traction. Had no idea they were on the air as early as 1979!
Technically; Nickelodeon started up in 1977 under the name of Pinwheel. What's even more surprising is that the entire history of Nickelodeon began in Columbus, Ohio. My state!
@@mattwolf7698 Perhaps, because this UA-camr is young and is probably unaware of this specific information, we should hope that they are corrected or at least add it to the video description as bonus info. Some of these new UA-camrs occasionally make errors or give slightly incorrect information when compared to other older UA-camrs on the same topic, which is fine; let's hope they add it.
Looking back at their earliest attempts at marketing looks like a disaster now, but this was really the first time children were marketed to as their own demographic to this extent. Children have always had toys and stories for all of human history, but this was the first time anyone was creating a TV network just for them. They had no idea what they were doing.
That’s what I saying it was a brand new concept so of course their not going to know what they are doing at first but thankfully Nickelodeon didn’t end up like how DuMont did in the 40s and 50s
Since twas part of a first try, tis generally forgivable even with it laying down a groundwork. Still, Fred & Allen are likely one of US's most influential people in kids' TV in multiple facets from the 80s onwards
@@slow_start Bruh this lady says she cured autism by changing her diet and most of her videos are just her spreading harmful misinformation about medical issues. I highly recommend banning her ass, you don't want to be associated with those conspiracy theorist types
Growing up Canadian, I never knew about nickelodeon as a channel, only that their shows would play on YTV or Teletoon. This was in interesting history to help fill in those cultural gaps!
Same for me! I remember feeling so betrayed when I learned that Spongebob was a Nickelodeon show and it didn't actually belong to YTV. Mind you I was like 8 years old haha
Even more interesting is that without Canada and John krisfalusi, nickelodeon wouldn't really exist at all. Ren and stimpy made them, and inspired alot of their content to this day.
It's interesting seeing how a few years change what's considered "iconic" in this way. SpongeBob was from at least a couple years after I stopped watching children's programming, and even now it still feels like "one of those modern children's shows" (whereas in my case the Doug/Rugrats/Ren&Stimpy trio basically defined the network, and a little later Rocko's Modern Life). Same for something like Fairly Oddparents - I still think of it as "the show my kid cousin watched" (said "kid cousin" just turned 30 years old lol).
I'm a gen-X er, so I lived through the golden age of Nickelodeon, and I have quite a bit of nostalgia for the channel as it was in the early to mid 80s. I can't count how many rainy Saturday afternoons I spent glued to the channel. SOOOOooooo many memories. Now I just feel old looking back on how long ago that was.
Never thought a history on Nickelodeon would be so interesting. Definately felt a lot of nostalgia watching the vid! Excited for new content to come, especially with the sick set up! 🔥
Nick was a staple of hot summers hanging out with my cousins in our grandmother's cool basement. Lots of fond memories surrounding a crazy tv station of all things. Looking forward to your future videos! Good stuff here
I grew up with Nickelodeon during the early 90s. Everything from Ren and Stimpy to Rocko's Modern Life as well as seasons after seasons of Rugrats was perhaps their most popular series long before Spongebob Squarepants.
I love all of nickedloeon that ia up till like 2009 i guess id say so many good shows i miss so much spongebob to me is the king of nickelodeon hope not to argue with anyone
@@danmulholland1634 No problems with Spongebob. he was a 1 in a Million type of series that took the best elements of Rocko's Modern Life and ran with the undersea theme. Chocolate with Nuts, Sailor's Mouth, Idiot Box, Krusty Krab Pizza as well as the Mermaid Man episodes were some of the best episodes I often search for poorly animated in Gatcha Life because of their timeless sense of humor.
Who knows if the network would even exist by 2042 because that’s when that one time capsule that had been put into place back in April 28th 1992 will finally be open.
Cool new setup, interesting video as usual too! I had no idea Nick was born so early in the history of children's animation, always assumed it started up in the 90s since that's when most of their iconic IPs got made. Here's to more nostalgia deep dives, excited to see how 2023 treats your channel!
I was born in 1991 and was privileged to enjoy Nickelodeon’s heyday…the 90s and early 2000s really were a golden time for ‘Nick’, SO MANY GOOD SHOWS! Rugrats, Hey Arnold, Doug, Wild Thornberrys, Rocket Power, yeah i could go on and on about the cartoons, but there was MORE too! Kid friendly sitcoms like Kenan and Kel, great anthology comedies like ‘KABLAM!’ And ‘All That’, game shows such as ‘Figure it Out’ ‘Double Dare’ and ‘Hidden Temple’, even kid oriented News and Awards shows. They literally had EVERYTHING YOU NEEDED right there if you were between the ages of 5 and 16. It was THE CHANNEL TO WATCH.
I'm your age and you're absolutely right. Those shows were formative. I even remember getting upset when Hey Dude came on in the early 90s. I thought it was boring.
I remember when i heard they weren't making anymore Legends of the Hidden Temple, despite every kid at school loving the show. Only much later did I learn that had some moronic policy about shows never having more than 2-3 seasons. They were so busy throwing everything against the wall to see what sticks, that they missed the stuff that was obviously sticking...
You nailed how awesome nick was during those years. Gosh nothing like spending summer binge watching nick toons and nick shows with yer siblings. We each had our own favourites! But rugrats and hey Arnold were universally loved haha
I've just come across this channel. How on earth does this channel only have 12k subscribers? I'm shocked with how professional and informative this content is that you would have a larger audience. This channel is definitely going to blow up soon I feel it.
The Pinwheel Network was awesome. I loved Pinwheel as a kid. The start of a media juggernaut (You missed part of the network's history, although you did include pinwheel clips, nice!) This was a hardcore nostalgia trip for 45 year old eyes. Thanks for it!
I was born in the mid-80s myself, so needless to say, I had the honor of seeing Nickelodeon grow along with me, lol. I got to watch Pinwheel as a toddler, and I got to watch the first-ever Nicktoons as a kid in the first grade. And this is a great video. It's nice to see the history of what made this cornerstone of my childhood memories.
holy crap, someone remembers Pinwheel! lol That theme song still lives rent free in my head. As one of those who grew up with Nickelodeon in the 80s, it's fun to remember how incoherent and fun it was. Disney was for the rich squares but Nick, that was the channel for the poor rough riders 😆
Having been born just a few years after Nick was created, it was a big part of my childhood. The orange splat logo, tune, and many of the commercials are still firm in my memory.
Early Nick did have one great, iconic show: You Can’t Do That On Television. That literally had a recurring bit about kids that were going to be executed by firing squad. Plus it gave us slime. If there’s anything Nick is known for, it’s the orange splat, and slime.
Growing up watching Nickelodeon (and MTV) in the early 90s, I remember the jingles and all of the orange splats and green slime. The time era from Rugrats, Ren & Stimpy, Rocko's Modern Life, Double Dare, Salute Your Shorts, up to the earlier seasons of SpongeBob were their golden times.
I think its safer to say that the golden esr of nick was up till 2009 since that's when they got rid of the splat avatar wmded in 2008 and plus icarly and victorious were the last Livr action shows with decent ratings that's just my point if fact rather them whatbi would want to say hope not to argue
The history of Nickelodeon in Germany was kind of rocky, too. In started broadcast ist in october 1995 and endet in September 1998. It often shared its slot with different tv-stations like "arte" or "vh1". The tv landscape was different in Germany. Each TV Station had a timeslot for children's tv in afternoon and/or on saturday morning. RTL2 was becoming a go-to station for anime like Dragon Ball, Sailor Moon and Pokemon. SuperRTL was at frist branded for families but soon became a kids-channel. In the same time, the public broadcast stations founded the Kinderkanal (short Kika), without adds. SuperRTL broadcasted Disney Shows like Pepper Ann and Hotel Zack and Cody, and later Nicktoons like Fairly Odd Parents and Songebob. Since 2010 it is back again under the short name "nick" or the long "Nickelodeon". Nickelodeon in the 90's was a strange place. You had these surreal shows like "Ren and Stimpy" and "Pete and Pete" but also the more slice-of-live ones like "Clarissa" and "Doug".
I found yo channel when you just had about 5k subs. Seeing the growth of a small channel into a soon to be youtube titian is crazy! You truley love to see it!
I'm only a little over 6 minutes into the video, but I want to applaud it! Your professionalism, editing, clear and nice speaking voice- well researched topic... You've (so far) done an amazing job! I will surely be looking into your channel.
Basically my childhood for TV right there.. As a 40 yr old now the early Rugrats and Doug footage was a hit of nostalgia for the week. TYVM for the vid
I grew up on Nickelodeon in the early 90s. I also really miss “Nick at Nite” which turned me onto shows like Get Smart, Dragnet, Alfred Hitchcock Presents and Donna Reed when I was about 8 years old. What a time to watch Nick and other networks like “The Comedy Channel” / CTV (later Comedy Central) and Cartoon Network find their brand and footing in the cable landscape.
I love how historically, executives make the absolute worst decisions and try to stomp down everything that makes things good, the story is always "Y'know that thing you love? Some old crusty fucks hated it and made artists fight tooth and nail for any hint of their artistic visions being developed!" time is a flat circle and CEO's must be fed to croccodiles
Thank you for this awesome video! As someone who's in marketing and design that grew up during the golden era of Nick, this was such an insightful look at how the channel really evolved to become what it always aspired to be. I even vividly remember the first cable channel we tuned to was Nick and it was a Rugrats episode where they were at a pool! The vintage vibes of the original logo, marketing, etc are really cool but yeah that would've been so boring to me as a kid. The introduction of Nicktoons also really helped build its brand identity, too, but we wouldn't have had those if it wasn't for the bold ideas and pushing to make those ideas come to life.
That's so cool to know that there was an actual doo-wop band who wrote that. I always assumed it was either leftover music from an earlier project or public domain. I loved that logo era
I don’t usually stay for ads or even announcements on channels I regularly watch, but I stayed for the end of this vid and you were really funny and refreshing. Subbed
Great video...was actually born nearly 2 months after Nick first signed on, so I have vague memories of the "silver ball" era, but would agree that the channel really first hit its stride after the 1984 rebranding/focus shift.
I miss the days where executives would listen to the creatives. They were hesitant each time but ultimately trusted the vision. But also, people don’t build brands like they used to so I kinda get it.
you’re making such interesting and well researched content that you’re clearly passionate about keep doing what you’re doing! you’re gaining traction and i’m sure soon you will blow up
I’m a 43 year old & was lucky enough to have been the prime target demographic for the Golden Age of Nickelodeon. I must say that you 100% nailed it! Have you ever considered doing la part 2 from the early 1990’s to present?
That weird moment you realize Warner created Nickelodeon, Viacom just bought it. Then Warner went and merged with Turner which created Cartoon Network.
This channel is super underrated. Keep up the great work, this content is amazing that you do for the history of channels/shows/games/companies/etc. Really cool content especially for younger audiences that aren't familiar with the long histories behind things. With time you'll keep gaining traction. Followed you after your Jimmy Neutron vid I saw a few days ago. 💪
Okay, I was a kid when that silver ball logo existed for Nickelodeon. I had completely forgot about it. To be fair, Nickelodeon had only been recently added to my family's cable line up and it wasn't too long before the orange logo came along.....and like you said, kids weren't really watching the channel and that includes me. Some of my younger cousins who lived in a different city were actually the first in my family to ever even get Nickelodeon with their cable package, but they had the premium channels HBO and Disney which meant that when I came to visit them I usually wanted to watch Fraggle Rock on HBO or watch Disney Channel more than Nickelodeon. Don't get me wrong, I was excited as a kid when we got it since it was another channel my parents let me watch, it just took awhile for me to find things I wanted to watch. Once I did get to where I enjoyed watching You Can't Do That On Television, Count Duckula, Danger Mouse, and so many other shows it became my favorite channel to watch. I still watched Saturday morning cartoons on the broadcast networks, some cartoon/kids lineups on other cable channels (USA Cartoon Express) and still occasionally watched shows on PBS (Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego, Square One TV, and so on), but Nickelodeon was the channel my little 13 inch tv in my bedroom was on the most. We didn't get Cartoon Network until my junior year of high school (which I was super excited about because then I could watch Dexter's Lab) and by my sophomore year in college my family's cable now included Disney Channel (even though Mickey Mouse Club was no longer a thing that aired on it) as part of the basic lineup (but by then my parents had upgraded to include Starz, Encore, HBO). I didn't know about the early years of Nickelodeon or why it was even started, but I'm glad they kept trying and it eventually worked. I completely agree that the decision to make it feel like a space run by kids for kids is what helped draw kids in. I was just such a kid and I do remember feeling like it was a channel that didn't just have kid's programming, but that it felt like it was run by kids (even though I knew adults were still ultimately in control of course). That definitely seperated it from other channels where it felt like it was more like kids were just included and had special blocks of programming. This is a great video! Thanks for making it and letting me learn more about a channel that was a big part of child and teen years! Between still remembering "Nick Nick Nick Nick Nick Nick Nickelodeon" theme for that channel and the special preview periods for Disney Channel with the lady operator who'd come on at least three or four times between promos about upcoming shows, etc, between shows ("Hi, my name's Nancy. I'm an operator here at the Disney Channel. I hope you're enjoying our free (insert season: fall, spring, fall, winter) preview. This is just a sample of the programming Disney Channel offers you and your family. From award winning Disney films to Disney Channel exclusives, there's something for everyone. Call and subscribe today and for a limited time you could get (insert whatever freebie things they were giving away to new subscribers)." It's amazing the things that stick in our minds, especially from childhood. I mean my mom and dad watched Dallas every week and so even though I didn't watch the show, I knew the theme song....because my parents let me stay in to watch the opening credits. I even remember the theme song from a local news tv station KWTV from my childhood with the main chorus being "It's the Spirit of Oklahoma....TV 9!...but like I know the whole brief song. Of course I know the BC Clark anniversary sale jingle, but that's literally played every Christmas season in Oklahoma so I doubt that anyone who grew up in Oklahoma could forget it!). This is such a great video that really covered a lot and included lots of clips from shows I haven't watched in a very long time. Thanks for the knowledge and the bit of nostalgia as well!!!!
I stumbled in here during the tail-end of a home from work/sick day YT bender. Your vid pulled me, unceremoniously, out of a damn strange cold-meds-induced but still literal fever dream. So, thanks for that. But, about your video: It's very well done. Outstanding, even. You've clearly done your research. Like, actual research. Not only Google-Fu. As a quick aside, I'm perpetually amazed that a damn good chunk of the world's knowledge can be accessed, in multiple forms, from the literal palm of one's hand. But Im also 45 y/o, grew up w/ afternoon/Sat cartoons, where, if you had to take a piss, really bad, tough shit. You're def gonna miss part of your show. No pause, no way. And that episode may not get repeated EVER AGAIN. But I digress. I really just wanted to compliment your video production & flow. Its a pleasure when what is essentially a 'video essay' can grab one's interest--and keep it. Good job. Subbed.
I've heard at least a few of Nick's shows from those days are fondly remembered like You Can't Do That On Television and Mr. Wizard, I also recall there being a show called Out of Control that was discussed in a book about early Nick called Slimed.
Actually, early 80s Nickelodeon was pretty cool. I watched the channel up until the end of the decade, but the first half of the 80s is the time I most fondly remember. They didn't have a lot of original programs in those days so they showed a lot of these weird but cool cartoons and sci-fi shows from Britain like Danger Mouse, the original Tomorrow People and the Third Eye. Those were some of my favorite shows when I was a kid back then.
14:14. At some point, ol’ Dan “gotta get inside her” Schneider looked around at all the different kids show channels. He saw Nick had the feet logo, and he knew he’d be right at home there.
Every canadian: thats why the suite life of zack and cody feels so... family channel. Haha maan i love these videos im literally waiting on the next one
LOL you have no idea how hard it was for me as a Canadian to say Disney instead of family channel haha. So glad you like my videos man, it makes my day to hear that!
While I kind of agree with the network heads about the logo and sound choices, I'm glad it won out. Not because of the hindsight that it obviously worked, but because studio heads are so often trying to just follow trends. And a huge reason the rebranding probably worked was because it was so different from everything else at the time. This formula is obvious over most of media history. Doing something bold and unique makes you stand out as the trend setter. But back then, as now, studios are all trying to play it safe and copy each other. Today, we have even more overly homogenized logos and endless reboot/formula shows.
Nickelodeon from its dark age in the late 2000’s and 2010’s makes THIS era look like the golden age in comparison. It’s even more uncool than how it is from the late 70’s and early 80’s.
Nice work on this video dude! It tells the upbringing on Nick in a informative yet concise way, I honestly do wish that Nick the channel itself would acknowledge their early years and not give off the impression that they started in the 90's.
If Nickelodeon had shut down in the early 80s, there probably would be no SpongeBob, no Rugrats, no Drake And Josh, no Hey Arnold, no Kenan And Kel, no Blue's Clues, no Jimmy Neutron, no Avatar, no Dora, and many, many, MANY other shows. Okay, those shows probably would still exist, but they wouldn't be Nickelodeon programs.
Nickelodeon in late 90s Germany was a scuffed experience. I think they only aired until 8 or 9 pm and then took a break until 7 or 8 in the morning. I think it also completely died at one point until it picked up steam again years later. But the programs were pretty cool and it already had the iconic orange splatter behind the name, which was recognizable by anyone you asked. I also didn't know about the origin of the name until it was cleared up in this video. Didn't really care about it either to be honest. I just assumed it was a funny name someone came up with.
Your editing is awesome! First time viewer here; definitely liked and subscribed! As others have pointed out, while SpongeBob is very child-like; he is technically an adult sponge. But his character is very relatable to kids and in a way I think is like a wish fulfillment for every kid that wants to continue to be a kid as they advance into the adult world…something to think about 😊
Out of Control was the first time I ever saw Dave Coulier. I loved watching that show as a kid, and also loved watching certain other shows that appeared on Nickelodeon, such as: You Can't Do That on Television, Mr Wizard's World, David the Gnome, Today's Special, The Mysterious Cities of Gold, Danger Mouse, Count Duckula, Kids Court, Are You Afraid of the Dark, Clarissa Explains It All, Double Dare, Nick Arcade, Legends of the Hidden Temple, and more I'm probably forgetting...
A couple of things to say here I Silver ball era nostalgic. Go onto the videos that contain the pinwheel theme song or Silver ball era bumpers, and you’ll find comments that do find this eras nostalgic and memorable signifying that it wasn’t all negativity and hate Eras for Nickelodeon (based on idents [like CN] and programming quality) Prelaunch/ Pinwheel era - 1977-1979 Old timey era - 1979 - 1980 Silver ball era - 1980 - 1984/5 Classic era - 1984/5 - 1990 Toons era - 1991 - 2001 Decline era - 2001 - 2009 Low era - 2010 - 2022 Modern Classic era - 2023 - present
Thank you for this video! Nickelodeon really formed my childhood. I remember loving it as a kid; channel 22. Even though I was watching it in early 2010s, not during its golden era, there were plenty of shows that catched my eye, and a lot of reruns. Some of these cartoons and ads are even considered lost media for me: I don't remember their name and can't find them in the lists, but they're still in my head.
As a graphic designer, I find it fascinating how much Nickelodeon's success was due to rebranding
The original was SOOOO bad. Past /r/FellowKids even... Like Grandpa offering you candy and it ended up being a ginger chew
@@123userthatsme Fred Siebert and Alan Goodman had Built MTV as a Cable Network force. So Warner Amex realized that those two Men were key to Building Nickelodeon the Same way.
Yeah but it's not really fair to compare it to modern-day stuff because back then there was a shortage of fable entertainment. It didn't take much.
God the first logo really did seem more like they’re aiming at adults😅 crazy how when people look at a child’s perspective and don’t pander/ talk down to them, things work out🤷♀️
@@RediTtora I think you mean cable but yeah
To everyone confused, Nickelodeon is the first ever 24 Hr Kids TV Network. Cartoon Network was the world's first 24Hr Animation Network.
What is the difference between Animation Network and T Network?
@@michelleenderink3664 One is specifically for Animation/Animated Content targeting specific Psychographics while the other can air Animation, Game Shows and even Live Action as long as it's Kid oriented.
@@wwg2005 Ah I see it makes sense now. Now that I think of it, as I remember Cartoon Network never really aired a Live action or shows
@Michelle Enderink I mean, it's literally called Cartoon Network. The network of cartoons
@@lance941 😂When I overlook the name... Ofcourse, I didn't thought about that one
I am thirty years old. I just today learned nickelodeon was an actual word before Nickelodeon.
Glad you learned something! It's weird to see the word in photos from over a century ago...
Same
Man, I knew even when I was 9 or so.
I think my older sister told me, and I think she learned it off AOL.
You never saw Titanic?
@@AmyC531 haha my first thought too! “I saw it it a Nickelodeon once”
its crazy in hindsight because the logo thing was basically like “what if we made a kids channel appeal to children?”
What if we show a KIDS channel, instead of just telling so?
I remember watching Titanic as an eleven-year-old. When Jack said, "I saw this on Nickelodeon once", I was confused. I mean, the movie takes place in 1912. This was before the advent of sound films, let alone cable TV. Then, I asked my dad about it, and he explained where the name originated, and what it was.
Maybe he’s talking about the Oh Yeah cartoons short where Timmy sees his parents watching Titanic.
I heard about the name's origin from my American history teacher during my second year of college. Felt proud that I knew that before going into this video lol
There are already theories that Jack Dawson was a time traveler because he mentioned a lake that didn't exist at the time and roller coasters which had not yet been invented. This would have been an intriguing addition to that theory...
I like the juxtaposition of the original logo, but only because I'm an adult and I get the irony. I would have skipped over that channel as a kid.
I very much agree. Definitely another example of how they really didn't know how to connect with kids in the beginning.
@@slow_start and look at how far this company has come, even after they changed the logo in the late 2000s, the channel still somewhat remained the same.
That’s a word I’ve heard many times but never read once. You just saved me some embarrassment, no rickisms for me today
@@WuvPain haha, juxtaposition totally sounds like a Rickism
@Yamcha Kippur
I like your username lol
I can't lie, Nickelodeon's unhealthy obsession with Spongebob is starting to make me miss the old Nickelodeon.
I'm sure that's what caused people to lose interest in Rugrats.
Yeah, SpongeBob is great. But srsly, they should focus on a show they cancelled that people loved and bring it back -cough cough- *DANNY PHANTOM* -cough cough-
@@frillydressthey can’t really do that considering that butch hartman designed the show and he’s not with Nick anymore. I’d love to see it back though
To be fair it’s the only thing still airing from their golden age. I get why they favor it.
SpongeBob is keeping the lights on. None of those other shows make money
I'm pretty sure Spongebob isn't actually a kid. He's an adult with childlike tendencies.
A manchild of sorts, lol!
He was based on Peewee Herman
@@slow_start like a 20 year old
He was born in 1986 13 years before his first airing so currently hes 36
Yeah I've read before that canonically he's supposed to be 25 years old. No idea if that's actually for real lol but that's what I've heard. I'd imagine though that youngest he could really be is 16, being old enough to get a boating license and have a job but young enough to still be silly and playful like a kid.
Fun fact: Hillenberg and his team actually pushed back on Nick insisting SpongeBob be a kid. The whole boating school idea came as a compromise between them and network execs who wanted SpongeBob in a classroom environment.
He always did seem to be in that teenage/young adult age group.
Source?
The good ending
I never really liked the idea that children's media should exclusively have child protagonists. Sure, they're more relatable to kids, but I think it limits the potential for stories, situations, and especially character arcs. Plus, I'll admit, as an antisocial kid, it was hard for me to relate to my peers, which even applied to my shows I watched. That's why I always preferred stories about animals or fantasy, because I didn't have to stick with dull ordinary kid life, and could enjoy freedom and escapism vicariously through non-humans and fantasy settings.
I think that's the reason why Spongebob worked so well. It was a fun semi-fantasy setting similar to our mundane world, focused on non-human characters who happened to be adults, whom kids found funny and identifiable, and whom adults could enjoy and relate to. On top of that, Spongebob, being an adult, had many settings he could go to on a daily basis: work, driving school, his home, and the city, which might actually have prepared kids like me for the future routine of adulthood. This could also apply to other iconic adult characters aimed at kids: Mickey Mouse, Bugs Bunny, Bob the Builder, and others. Characters who, while not the same age as the target audience, could still leave an impression with them. Even on the opposite end, there's the Rugrats, who despite being literal babies, were still popular with school age children.
@@kenyaholloway-reliford8213 mr rogers is a good example too
It’s incredibly difficult for me to view Nickelodeon’s old footage and marketing material and believe it was actually them! It’s so different from what I grew with during the late 90s and 2000s. Props to Fred/Allen Inc. for transforming it so successfully.
Funny enough, the network would get better when the Nicktoons and SNICK debuted.
The Nick back in 1982 was boring. But I will admit that song was catchy.
80s Nickelodeon is what I grew up with. I liked the shows. Seeing those bumpers are nostalgic, although for me it’s about the mid 80s and up where most of memories lye.
@@kootunesscrewy I remember being excited all week long to see SNICK in the mid or late 90's.
@@alienvomitsex I only know SNICK for the bumpers and VHS rips on UA-cam.
Same with the 2003-2005 Nicktoons era.
What I find funny is how CN, Nick's biggest rival, is currently owned by Warner, which was originally founded with a similar goal and had Fred Seibert also play a role in their success, but actually managed to avoid this same issue because Ted Turner actually had a plan from the beginning: rerun old shows so they could create original content.
It's funny, I always thought Nickelodeon started in 1984, not sure why, guess that's just when they started gaining traction. Had no idea they were on the air as early as 1979!
Yep! They came out the same year as ESPN
Technically; Nickelodeon started up in 1977 under the name of Pinwheel. What's even more surprising is that the entire history of Nickelodeon began in Columbus, Ohio. My state!
@@michaellovely6601 That's what was confusing me about this video, I thought I was having a Mandela effect, Pinwheel should been brought up.
I did too. Until 2011.
@@mattwolf7698 Perhaps, because this UA-camr is young and is probably unaware of this specific information, we should hope that they are corrected or at least add it to the video description as bonus info. Some of these new UA-camrs occasionally make errors or give slightly incorrect information when compared to other older UA-camrs on the same topic, which is fine; let's hope they add it.
This channel is incredibly underrated. Stupendous production on this one.
Wow thanks so much!
STUPENDOUS
@@peterpop-off indeed!
He was talking about nickelodeon
I agree. Channel 40 Nickelodeon was underrated
Looking back at their earliest attempts at marketing looks like a disaster now, but this was really the first time children were marketed to as their own demographic to this extent. Children have always had toys and stories for all of human history, but this was the first time anyone was creating a TV network just for them. They had no idea what they were doing.
Agreed!!
@@slow_start looking be
That’s what I saying it was a brand new concept so of course their not going to know what they are doing at first but thankfully Nickelodeon didn’t end up like how DuMont did in the 40s and 50s
Since twas part of a first try, tis generally forgivable even with it laying down a groundwork. Still, Fred & Allen are likely one of US's most influential people in kids' TV in multiple facets from the 80s onwards
@@slow_start Bruh this lady says she cured autism by changing her diet and most of her videos are just her spreading harmful misinformation about medical issues. I highly recommend banning her ass, you don't want to be associated with those conspiracy theorist types
Growing up Canadian, I never knew about nickelodeon as a channel, only that their shows would play on YTV or Teletoon. This was in interesting history to help fill in those cultural gaps!
Same for me! I remember feeling so betrayed when I learned that Spongebob was a Nickelodeon show and it didn't actually belong to YTV. Mind you I was like 8 years old haha
I knew what Nick and CN Were, I just knew that I didn’t have them. I had YTV and Teletoon.
Even more interesting is that without Canada and John krisfalusi, nickelodeon wouldn't really exist at all. Ren and stimpy made them, and inspired alot of their content to this day.
nick has canada to thank for You Can't Do That On Television, which was easily one of my favorite shows as a kid :P
Yep, YTV was usually Nickelodeon shows, and Teletoon was usually Cartoon Network shows though I'm sure there was a show or two that was an exception.
Imagine if Fred and Alan declined the deal with WB.
So much would've been different. SpongeBob probably wouldn't even exist.
Even further than that, the landscape of animation and animated series would look a lot different. Nickelodeon was the start of creator driven shows
Technically it wasn't WB. Warner Bros was a sibling to Warner Amex, as both were Time Warner companies.
Fred Seibert and Alan Goodman were MTV Co founders. Fred Alan,Inc became MTV Networks,Inc in 1985.
It's interesting seeing how a few years change what's considered "iconic" in this way. SpongeBob was from at least a couple years after I stopped watching children's programming, and even now it still feels like "one of those modern children's shows" (whereas in my case the Doug/Rugrats/Ren&Stimpy trio basically defined the network, and a little later Rocko's Modern Life). Same for something like Fairly Oddparents - I still think of it as "the show my kid cousin watched" (said "kid cousin" just turned 30 years old lol).
I'm a gen-X er, so I lived through the golden age of Nickelodeon, and I have quite a bit of nostalgia for the channel as it was in the early to mid 80s. I can't count how many rainy Saturday afternoons I spent glued to the channel. SOOOOooooo many memories. Now I just feel old looking back on how long ago that was.
I was in your camp. This was the alternative to regular TV of the time.
Nickelodeon was pretty damn Awful before 1984. It was just a PBS knockoff during 1979-84.
@@plawson8577 which is why it's amazing that I discovered it in 1984. YCDTOTV was a gamechanger, both for the network and for my 6 year old brain.
Same! I loved Today’s Special, Pinwheel, Picture Page, Gumby, and those two little French claymation characters. Best of all, NO COMMERCIALS
It was iconic as a kid. Saved By the Bell and Kenan n Kel were absolute gold
Never thought a history on Nickelodeon would be so interesting. Definately felt a lot of nostalgia watching the vid! Excited for new content to come, especially with the sick set up! 🔥
Nick was a staple of hot summers hanging out with my cousins in our grandmother's cool basement. Lots of fond memories surrounding a crazy tv station of all things. Looking forward to your future videos! Good stuff here
Thank you! Glad this might have brought back some memories. See you next stream hopefully chuck!
I grew up with Nickelodeon during the early 90s.
Everything from Ren and Stimpy to Rocko's Modern Life as well as seasons after seasons of Rugrats was perhaps their most popular series long before Spongebob Squarepants.
Rugrats was their flagship for a long time
I love all of nickedloeon that ia up till like 2009 i guess id say so many good shows i miss so much spongebob to me is the king of nickelodeon hope not to argue with anyone
@@danmulholland1634 No problems with Spongebob. he was a 1 in a Million type of series that took the best elements of Rocko's Modern Life and ran with the undersea theme.
Chocolate with Nuts, Sailor's Mouth, Idiot Box, Krusty Krab Pizza as well as the Mermaid Man episodes were some of the best episodes I often search for poorly animated in Gatcha Life because of their timeless sense of humor.
It’s sad to see how the network declined with time.
But one thing still remains… I don’t know what it is but it still remains.
I’ve seen these “sad comments” before, do you?
Who knows if the network would even exist by 2042 because that’s when that one time capsule that had been put into place back in April 28th 1992 will finally be open.
The three major networks had a MASSIVE decline when 2014 hit.
@@okjeffy6581
🎵WHO LIVES IN A PINEAPPLE UNDER THE SEAAAAAA🎵
Cool new setup, interesting video as usual too! I had no idea Nick was born so early in the history of children's animation, always assumed it started up in the 90s since that's when most of their iconic IPs got made. Here's to more nostalgia deep dives, excited to see how 2023 treats your channel!
I'm very excited too! Thanks for watching, and I'm super glad you like the new setup!
I was born in 1991 and was privileged to enjoy Nickelodeon’s heyday…the 90s and early 2000s really were a golden time for ‘Nick’, SO MANY GOOD SHOWS! Rugrats, Hey Arnold, Doug, Wild Thornberrys, Rocket Power, yeah i could go on and on about the cartoons, but there was MORE too! Kid friendly sitcoms like Kenan and Kel, great anthology comedies like ‘KABLAM!’ And ‘All That’, game shows such as ‘Figure it Out’ ‘Double Dare’ and ‘Hidden Temple’, even kid oriented News and Awards shows. They literally had EVERYTHING YOU NEEDED right there if you were between the ages of 5 and 16. It was THE CHANNEL TO WATCH.
I'm your age and you're absolutely right. Those shows were formative.
I even remember getting upset when Hey Dude came on in the early 90s. I thought it was boring.
These shows suck
I remember when i heard they weren't making anymore Legends of the Hidden Temple, despite every kid at school loving the show.
Only much later did I learn that had some moronic policy about shows never having more than 2-3 seasons. They were so busy throwing everything against the wall to see what sticks, that they missed the stuff that was obviously sticking...
Sadly I was born in 1996 and wasn’t able to experience 90s Nickelodeon. I’m also Canadian so I experienced its Cousin.
You nailed how awesome nick was during those years. Gosh nothing like spending summer binge watching nick toons and nick shows with yer siblings. We each had our own favourites! But rugrats and hey Arnold were universally loved haha
Can't believe Nick started as a less engaging PBS! Great vid, really loved learning the history behind my fav channel as a 90s kid
I've just come across this channel. How on earth does this channel only have 12k subscribers? I'm shocked with how professional and informative this content is that you would have a larger audience. This channel is definitely going to blow up soon I feel it.
they're new, but they sure have the potential.
The Pinwheel Network was awesome. I loved Pinwheel as a kid. The start of a media juggernaut (You missed part of the network's history, although you did include pinwheel clips, nice!) This was a hardcore nostalgia trip for 45 year old eyes. Thanks for it!
I was born in the mid-80s myself, so needless to say, I had the honor of seeing Nickelodeon grow along with me, lol. I got to watch Pinwheel as a toddler, and I got to watch the first-ever Nicktoons as a kid in the first grade. And this is a great video. It's nice to see the history of what made this cornerstone of my childhood memories.
I caught the very tail end of Pinwheel airing while at daycare. It's such a weird, dirty looking show.
Your avatar... Is it the first-encountered Irish-American drug dealer from "GTA: Chinatown Wars?"
@@BreadFred3 Bingo!
Pinwheel pinwheel, spin me around, look through my pinwheel and see what I found..
holy crap, someone remembers Pinwheel! lol That theme song still lives rent free in my head. As one of those who grew up with Nickelodeon in the 80s, it's fun to remember how incoherent and fun it was. Disney was for the rich squares but Nick, that was the channel for the poor rough riders 😆
Having been born just a few years after Nick was created, it was a big part of my childhood. The orange splat logo, tune, and many of the commercials are still firm in my memory.
Early Nick did have one great, iconic show: You Can’t Do That On Television. That literally had a recurring bit about kids that were going to be executed by firing squad.
Plus it gave us slime. If there’s anything Nick is known for, it’s the orange splat, and slime.
And it’s Canadian too.
That metallic rainbow logo is a vibe, but I admit the slime-themed secondary color scheme fits the channel more
This was so nostalgic and awesome! Where would we be without Patrick.
Where would we be without Spongebob??
The foot variant of the classic logo is Dan Schneider’s favorite.
Saw this comment, and then just realised the joke lolololol
@@CivilisedThwomp ayyyyy! 😂
How topical.
Growing up watching Nickelodeon (and MTV) in the early 90s, I remember the jingles and all of the orange splats and green slime. The time era from Rugrats, Ren & Stimpy, Rocko's Modern Life, Double Dare, Salute Your Shorts, up to the earlier seasons of SpongeBob were their golden times.
Cat dog and hey Arnold and so many others too!! 🥺 nostalgia
I think its safer to say that the golden esr of nick was up till 2009 since that's when they got rid of the splat avatar wmded in 2008 and plus icarly and victorious were the last Livr action shows with decent ratings that's just my point if fact rather them whatbi would want to say hope not to argue
The history of Nickelodeon in Germany was kind of rocky, too. In started broadcast ist in october 1995 and endet in September 1998. It often shared its slot with different tv-stations like "arte" or "vh1". The tv landscape was different in Germany. Each TV Station had a timeslot for children's tv in afternoon and/or on saturday morning. RTL2 was becoming a go-to station for anime like Dragon Ball, Sailor Moon and Pokemon. SuperRTL was at frist branded for families but soon became a kids-channel. In the same time, the public broadcast stations founded the Kinderkanal (short Kika), without adds. SuperRTL broadcasted Disney Shows like Pepper Ann and Hotel Zack and Cody, and later Nicktoons like Fairly Odd Parents and Songebob. Since 2010 it is back again under the short name "nick" or the long "Nickelodeon". Nickelodeon in the 90's was a strange place. You had these surreal shows like "Ren and Stimpy" and "Pete and Pete" but also the more slice-of-live ones like "Clarissa" and "Doug".
Ren and Stimpy wasn't surreal, just pure batshit insane. It's a shame John K. gradually declined following their failed adult spinoff
Did I hear and read Arte?
I love the Nickelodeon silver ball logo. It’s so distinctly 1980’s.
Yeah it was pretty good better then the first lol however I cant say anything can compare to the Beloved Orange Gewey splat
I found yo channel when you just had about 5k subs. Seeing the growth of a small channel into a soon to be youtube titian is crazy! You truley love to see it!
Kids may be easily influential, but they’re not stupid.
Exactly 😅 never talk down to them
I'm only a little over 6 minutes into the video, but I want to applaud it! Your professionalism, editing, clear and nice speaking voice- well researched topic...
You've (so far) done an amazing job! I will surely be looking into your channel.
Basically my childhood for TV right there.. As a 40 yr old now the early Rugrats and Doug footage was a hit of nostalgia for the week. TYVM for the vid
I grew up on Nickelodeon in the early 90s. I also really miss “Nick at Nite” which turned me onto shows like Get Smart, Dragnet, Alfred Hitchcock Presents and Donna Reed when I was about 8 years old. What a time to watch Nick and other networks like “The Comedy Channel” / CTV (later Comedy Central) and Cartoon Network find their brand and footing in the cable landscape.
That end of video gag was perfect. Thank you for your service.
I love how historically, executives make the absolute worst decisions and try to stomp down everything that makes things good, the story is always "Y'know that thing you love? Some old crusty fucks hated it and made artists fight tooth and nail for any hint of their artistic visions being developed!"
time is a flat circle and CEO's must be fed to croccodiles
Poetically stated
Goes to show most executives aren't just useless, but narcissists actively getting in the way of any good ideas they can't just steal credit for
Rude.
Communist, even.
@@JSSMVCJR2.2 boo hoo
just hearing that bumper music makes me feel like the world is a better place again. thank you.
Keep doing what you are doing since its working, its fun to see a channel with real potential grow.
I hope so too! Thanks so much for your kind comment!
Is that a bossa nova cover of jamiroquai's 'blow your mind' at 13:49??
AND at the woodchoppers ball by woody herman at 11:19?!
big fan of this video! imo, it takes a crazy amount of effort to successfully condense the basics of nick's early history into 20 minutes. kudos!
Thank you for this awesome video! As someone who's in marketing and design that grew up during the golden era of Nick, this was such an insightful look at how the channel really evolved to become what it always aspired to be. I even vividly remember the first cable channel we tuned to was Nick and it was a Rugrats episode where they were at a pool! The vintage vibes of the original logo, marketing, etc are really cool but yeah that would've been so boring to me as a kid. The introduction of Nicktoons also really helped build its brand identity, too, but we wouldn't have had those if it wasn't for the bold ideas and pushing to make those ideas come to life.
That's so cool to know that there was an actual doo-wop band who wrote that. I always assumed it was either leftover music from an earlier project or public domain. I loved that logo era
I don’t usually stay for ads or even announcements on channels I regularly watch, but I stayed for the end of this vid and you were really funny and refreshing. Subbed
Your channel is incredible. You will have millions of subscribers, please keep pushing content. The quality is just so excellent.
wishing you the best. im DEFINITELY from the beginnings of Nickelodeon. you took it back and foward in a great way. one.
Great video...was actually born nearly 2 months after Nick first signed on, so I have vague memories of the "silver ball" era, but would agree that the channel really first hit its stride after the 1984 rebranding/focus shift.
Considering I’m a 90’s kid, the idea that there was a time you could be made fun of for watching Nickelodeon is wild to me.
very excited for the future of slow start. BIG THINGS ARE COMIN BABY
I miss the days where executives would listen to the creatives. They were hesitant each time but ultimately trusted the vision.
But also, people don’t build brands like they used to so I kinda get it.
you’re making such interesting and well researched content that you’re clearly passionate about
keep doing what you’re doing!
you’re gaining traction and i’m sure soon you will blow up
I’m a 43 year old & was lucky enough to have been the prime target demographic for the Golden Age of Nickelodeon. I must say that you 100% nailed it! Have you ever considered doing la part 2 from the early 1990’s to present?
That weird moment you realize Warner created Nickelodeon, Viacom just bought it. Then Warner went and merged with Turner which created Cartoon Network.
Technically Ted Turner created Cartoon Network, not Warner Bros, they simply inherited it.
@@ChristopherSobieniak that's.... That's what I said. Warner Merged with Turner, which Owned Cartoon Network and Boomerang.
@@wwg2005 I just meant when Cartoon Network began, as WB didn't get the channel until the late 90's.
@@ChristopherSobieniak oh, that's what I meant it's just I guess I didn't word it properly, sorry.
"Nickelodeon made sure to only make shows ABOUT kids"
*Shows Spongebob, and adult with a full time job lol
Fred and Alan sure were clever, but so are you! Impressive video and compilation of information. New subscriber here.
Just found your channel, you should have millions of followers, quality stuff. Takes me back to my childhood
This channel is super underrated. Keep up the great work, this content is amazing that you do for the history of channels/shows/games/companies/etc. Really cool content especially for younger audiences that aren't familiar with the long histories behind things.
With time you'll keep gaining traction. Followed you after your Jimmy Neutron vid I saw a few days ago. 💪
Rocko’s modern life was the exception to the all shows are about kids rule, since all the main characters were in their 20’s.
Great video! I do find it funny that you say all there shows are about kids while showing footage of spongebob, a show with no kids
Okay, I was a kid when that silver ball logo existed for Nickelodeon. I had completely forgot about it. To be fair, Nickelodeon had only been recently added to my family's cable line up and it wasn't too long before the orange logo came along.....and like you said, kids weren't really watching the channel and that includes me. Some of my younger cousins who lived in a different city were actually the first in my family to ever even get Nickelodeon with their cable package, but they had the premium channels HBO and Disney which meant that when I came to visit them I usually wanted to watch Fraggle Rock on HBO or watch Disney Channel more than Nickelodeon. Don't get me wrong, I was excited as a kid when we got it since it was another channel my parents let me watch, it just took awhile for me to find things I wanted to watch. Once I did get to where I enjoyed watching You Can't Do That On Television, Count Duckula, Danger Mouse, and so many other shows it became my favorite channel to watch. I still watched Saturday morning cartoons on the broadcast networks, some cartoon/kids lineups on other cable channels (USA Cartoon Express) and still occasionally watched shows on PBS (Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego, Square One TV, and so on), but Nickelodeon was the channel my little 13 inch tv in my bedroom was on the most. We didn't get Cartoon Network until my junior year of high school (which I was super excited about because then I could watch Dexter's Lab) and by my sophomore year in college my family's cable now included Disney Channel (even though Mickey Mouse Club was no longer a thing that aired on it) as part of the basic lineup (but by then my parents had upgraded to include Starz, Encore, HBO). I didn't know about the early years of Nickelodeon or why it was even started, but I'm glad they kept trying and it eventually worked. I completely agree that the decision to make it feel like a space run by kids for kids is what helped draw kids in. I was just such a kid and I do remember feeling like it was a channel that didn't just have kid's programming, but that it felt like it was run by kids (even though I knew adults were still ultimately in control of course). That definitely seperated it from other channels where it felt like it was more like kids were just included and had special blocks of programming. This is a great video! Thanks for making it and letting me learn more about a channel that was a big part of child and teen years! Between still remembering "Nick Nick Nick Nick Nick Nick Nickelodeon" theme for that channel and the special preview periods for Disney Channel with the lady operator who'd come on at least three or four times between promos about upcoming shows, etc, between shows ("Hi, my name's Nancy. I'm an operator here at the Disney Channel. I hope you're enjoying our free (insert season: fall, spring, fall, winter) preview. This is just a sample of the programming Disney Channel offers you and your family. From award winning Disney films to Disney Channel exclusives, there's something for everyone. Call and subscribe today and for a limited time you could get (insert whatever freebie things they were giving away to new subscribers)." It's amazing the things that stick in our minds, especially from childhood. I mean my mom and dad watched Dallas every week and so even though I didn't watch the show, I knew the theme song....because my parents let me stay in to watch the opening credits. I even remember the theme song from a local news tv station KWTV from my childhood with the main chorus being "It's the Spirit of Oklahoma....TV 9!...but like I know the whole brief song. Of course I know the BC Clark anniversary sale jingle, but that's literally played every Christmas season in Oklahoma so I doubt that anyone who grew up in Oklahoma could forget it!). This is such a great video that really covered a lot and included lots of clips from shows I haven't watched in a very long time. Thanks for the knowledge and the bit of nostalgia as well!!!!
I stumbled in here during the tail-end of a home from work/sick day YT bender. Your vid pulled me, unceremoniously, out of a damn strange cold-meds-induced but still literal fever dream. So, thanks for that. But, about your video:
It's very well done. Outstanding, even. You've clearly done your research. Like, actual research. Not only Google-Fu. As a quick aside, I'm perpetually amazed that a damn good chunk of the world's knowledge can be accessed, in multiple forms, from the literal palm of one's hand. But Im also 45 y/o, grew up w/ afternoon/Sat cartoons, where, if you had to take a piss, really bad, tough shit. You're def gonna miss part of your show. No pause, no way. And that episode may not get repeated EVER AGAIN.
But I digress. I really just wanted to compliment your video production & flow. Its a pleasure when what is essentially a 'video essay' can grab one's interest--and keep it. Good job. Subbed.
I remember being 5 yrs old, in 1984 and tuning into Nickelodeon everyday. Loved "You can't do that on television"
I've heard at least a few of Nick's shows from those days are fondly remembered like You Can't Do That On Television and Mr. Wizard, I also recall there being a show called Out of Control that was discussed in a book about early Nick called Slimed.
That footprint Nickelodeon logo... You could imagine why Dan Schneider joined Nickelodeon.
His shows were fun but yeah lol
So happy this came across my feed. Amazing video essay with TOP NOTCH editing.
Actually, early 80s Nickelodeon was pretty cool. I watched the channel up until the end of the decade, but the first half of the 80s is the time I most fondly remember. They didn't have a lot of original programs in those days so they showed a lot of these weird but cool cartoons and sci-fi shows from Britain like Danger Mouse, the original Tomorrow People and the Third Eye. Those were some of my favorite shows when I was a kid back then.
High quality video essay! Can't wait for the next vid!
one of Nick's first shows were Pinwheel which showed the once lost "Clockman" short.
Hey! I like the scripting and voice and stuff! Whatever you’re doing, it made me sub!
I started watching Nickelodeon around '83-'84. My earliest memory was watching You Can't Do That on Television
11:22 - song - woody Herman - woodchoppers ball
The idea of having a second channel itself was groundbreaking. Here in Canada channels were naturally split by language, French and English...
14:14. At some point, ol’ Dan “gotta get inside her” Schneider looked around at all the different kids show channels. He saw Nick had the feet logo, and he knew he’d be right at home there.
This channel is totallly gonna blow up before the end of the year. you're a pretty cool dude nick
Every canadian: thats why the suite life of zack and cody feels so... family channel. Haha maan i love these videos im literally waiting on the next one
LOL you have no idea how hard it was for me as a Canadian to say Disney instead of family channel haha. So glad you like my videos man, it makes my day to hear that!
Fantastic video, giving me defunctland vibes. Keep it up man! Excited to see you grow
So the foot logo was around long before Dan Schneider started there
This channel is seriously about to blow up
17:59 it was at this moment just now that I figured out why they’re called “soft” drinks
While I kind of agree with the network heads about the logo and sound choices, I'm glad it won out. Not because of the hindsight that it obviously worked, but because studio heads are so often trying to just follow trends. And a huge reason the rebranding probably worked was because it was so different from everything else at the time. This formula is obvious over most of media history. Doing something bold and unique makes you stand out as the trend setter. But back then, as now, studios are all trying to play it safe and copy each other. Today, we have even more overly homogenized logos and endless reboot/formula shows.
Yeah. It was definitely an era where people could get away with experimentation. Now CEOs are way too stubborn.
You got me with the "how do you do fellow kids" 😂😂😂😂 i wasnt expecting it.
Nickelodeon from its dark age in the late 2000’s and 2010’s makes THIS era look like the golden age in comparison. It’s even more uncool than how it is from the late 70’s and early 80’s.
Nice work on this video dude! It tells the upbringing on Nick in a informative yet concise way, I honestly do wish that Nick the channel itself would acknowledge their early years and not give off the impression that they started in the 90's.
Thank you! I agree, many companies are very hesitant to acknowledge their past, especially when it doesn't suit their current brand image.
If Nickelodeon had shut down in the early 80s, there probably would be no SpongeBob, no Rugrats, no Drake And Josh, no Hey Arnold, no Kenan And Kel, no Blue's Clues, no Jimmy Neutron, no Avatar, no Dora, and many, many, MANY other shows. Okay, those shows probably would still exist, but they wouldn't be Nickelodeon programs.
Yeah we’d be a different timeline 😅
That floating metal ball advertisement looks like it's from Phantasm. I'd be terrified if I saw that as a kid.
Nickelodeon in late 90s Germany was a scuffed experience.
I think they only aired until 8 or 9 pm and then took a break until 7 or 8 in the morning.
I think it also completely died at one point until it picked up steam again years later.
But the programs were pretty cool and it already had the iconic orange splatter behind the name, which was recognizable by anyone you asked.
I also didn't know about the origin of the name until it was cleared up in this video.
Didn't really care about it either to be honest.
I just assumed it was a funny name someone came up with.
14:14 - Are you sure Dan Schneider wasn't involved with that design?
Your editing is awesome! First time viewer here; definitely liked and subscribed! As others have pointed out, while SpongeBob is very child-like; he is technically an adult sponge. But his character is very relatable to kids and in a way I think is like a wish fulfillment for every kid that wants to continue to be a kid as they advance into the adult world…something to think about 😊
Out of Control was the first time I ever saw Dave Coulier. I loved watching that show as a kid, and also loved watching certain other shows that appeared on Nickelodeon, such as: You Can't Do That on Television, Mr Wizard's World, David the Gnome, Today's Special, The Mysterious Cities of Gold, Danger Mouse, Count Duckula, Kids Court, Are You Afraid of the Dark, Clarissa Explains It All, Double Dare, Nick Arcade, Legends of the Hidden Temple, and more I'm probably forgetting...
A couple of things to say here
I Silver ball era nostalgic. Go onto the videos that contain the pinwheel theme song or Silver ball era bumpers, and you’ll find comments that do find this eras nostalgic and memorable signifying that it wasn’t all negativity and hate
Eras for Nickelodeon (based on idents [like CN] and programming quality)
Prelaunch/ Pinwheel era - 1977-1979
Old timey era - 1979 - 1980
Silver ball era - 1980 - 1984/5
Classic era - 1984/5 - 1990
Toons era - 1991 - 2001
Decline era - 2001 - 2009
Low era - 2010 - 2022
Modern Classic era - 2023 - present
Alow Start for this channel, bit already several incredible documentary type videos, already watched several of them!
Awesome work *_Slow Start_*
19:16 LOL, the guy who made this Nick documentary is named Nick.💀
I'm gonna fall in love of this channel so fk hard.. I'm glad that I arrived here when there's "only" 10k subs. Keep it going, you're going places.
I miss Nickelodeon Adult Hour, where they would play adult movies at midnight even was producing their own.
They were airing pron?
Thank you for this video! Nickelodeon really formed my childhood. I remember loving it as a kid; channel 22. Even though I was watching it in early 2010s, not during its golden era, there were plenty of shows that catched my eye, and a lot of reruns. Some of these cartoons and ads are even considered lost media for me: I don't remember their name and can't find them in the lists, but they're still in my head.