Who Owns Nickelodeon?

Nickelodeon is an American pay television channel for kids based in New York. The network was established in Dec 1977 by Vivian Horner as a test broadcast for QUBE, an early cable TV system broadcast in Columbus, Ohio.

In Apr 1979, the network launched nationwide. Nickelodeon was America’s first cable channel for children and adolescents aged 2 to 17. In Oct 2023, Nickelodeon unveiled a new brand identity that taps into its irreverent history. [1]

Nickelodeon has been the number-one kids’ entertainment brand for over 4 decades. It also caters to the broader family audience via sister channels and program blocks, including Nick Jr., Noggin, Nicktoons, and TeenNick. Kids watch Nick News to understand world events. In 2023, Nick News Special won 10 Emmys, a Peabody, a Columbia DuPont, and the Edward Murrow Award for Journalistic Excellence. [2]

SpongeBob SquarePants has been Nickelodeon’s most-watched animated series for 21 years. It is distributed in over 170 countries and translated into 29+ languages to reach over 100 million quarterly viewers.

In Sep 2023, Nickelodeon announced the new season 15 pickup of SpongeBob SquarePants. Kids follow SpongeBob, Patrick, Sandy, Mr. Krabs, Plankton, and Squidward as they uncover nautical adventures. The franchise has delivered 345 episodes since its Jul 1999 launch. [3]

Nickelodeon’s portfolio includes SpongeBob SquarePants, PAW Patrol, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Dora, The Smurfs, Transformers, and Monster High. In Mar 2023, the channel held its annual Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards for kids to vote for their favorite shows. Notable 2023 winners include Fairly OddParents, MasterChef Junior, Minions the Rise of Gru, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Sonic the Hedgehog 2. But who owns Nickelodeon? [4]

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Who is Nickelodeon’s Parent Company?

Nickelodeon is owned by Paramount Global via Paramount Media Networks’ subdivision, Nickelodeon Group. Paramount Global is a New York-based multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate founded in Dec 2019 after the Viacom-CBS merger.

The company has 24,500 employees. In 2023, the LA Business Journal recognized Paramount Global as one of the top 100 places to work in LA for the sixth time. [5]

Paramount is a subsidiary of National Amusements and Nickelodeon’s parent company.

The media powerhouse also owns Paramount Pictures, Paramount+, CBS, MTV, and Pluto TV. In Feb 2024, Paramount Global and Comcast discussed the possibility of uniting Paramount+ and Peacock.

The deal seeks to combine 63 million Paramount+ subscribers and 31 million Peacock subscribers to create one of the world’s largest subscription-streaming platforms. [6]

Paramount’s business expands beyond television programming and production to include consumer products, digital, location-based experiences, publishing, and feature films. In Dec 2023, the company unveiled the master plan for the Nickelodeon Hotel in Florida.

The resort will feature a poolside slime machine, a water park, boardwalks, spas, private pools, gyms, yoga studios, and cafés. [7]

Nickelodeon is part of Paramount Global’s multimedia entertainment portfolio. The brand is influenced and shaped by its parent company’s business strategy. In Feb 2024, Nickelodeon’s interactive learning platform Noggin lost its entire team after Paramount’s companywide layoffs cut about 800 staffers.

Noggin will shut wind down operations in 2024, allowing the parent company to focus on reinforcing Paramount+. [8]

Image Credit Maharram Hasanli — Image Credit: Maharram Hasanli

Nickelodeon’s Shareholder Structure

Nickelodeon is a Paramount Global subsidiary. As of Dec 2023, Paramount Global offered 40,702,775 Stock A shares, 1,128,775,907 Stock B shares, and 10 million Stock C shares. It is a public company with 9,175,688 Stock A shares and 528,112,851 Stock B shares listed as free float. Free-float shares are held by public investors and traded on the stock exchange. [12]

Institutional investors own over 50% of Paramount Global. Chairwoman Shari Redstone is Paramount’s controlling shareholder through National Amusements. As of Jan 2024, National Amusements held 77% of the company’s voting stock. Berkshire Hathaway owns 14% of Paramount Global shares, followed by The Vanguard Group at 8.9%.

Other Paramount Global shareholders include SSgA Funds, State Street, Invesco Advisers, Charles Schwab, Geode Capital, Contrarius Investment, and Ariel Investments. [13]

Paramount’s shareholder structure includes insiders, public owners, and private investors. As of Jan 2024, Paramount Global insiders owned $30 million of shares or less than 1% of the company.

The general public holds a 14% stake in Paramount, followed by public companies at 14% and private companies at 9.8%. Private and public companies invest in Paramount Global because they entwined business interests. [14]

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