Nickelodeon’s “Victorious” and “Big Time Rush” Score Top Spot With Kids and Tweens

FROM ZAP 2 IT

Premieres of Nickelodeon’s hit live-action series Victorious and Big Time Rush helped continue Nick’s top-ranked ratings run in 2011. A new episode of Big Time Rush, “Big Time Guru” (Saturday, Jan. 8, 8 p.m. ET/PT), scored as the number-one program in its time period with all kid and tween demos on broadcast and basic cable, while also taking cable’s top spot with total viewers (3.8 million). Big Time Rush was followed by a new episode of Victorious, “Rex Dies,” (8:30 p.m. ET/PT), which drew 4.2 million total viewers. The episode scored basic cable’s top spot in its time period and also took the top spot in its time period with all kid and tween demos.

“Big Time Guru,” which followed the Big Time Rush boys as they try to regain control of the group after their manager hires a spiritual guru, scored double-digit gains and averaged a 7.6/1.6 million K6-11 (+10%), 6.5/1.4 million T9-14 (+27%) and 5.9/2.1 million K 2-11. “Rex Dies,” which followed Tori as she tries to save the day after accidentally killing Rex, Robbie’s puppet pal, posted double-digit gains over last year and averaged a 8.3/1.8 million K6-11 (+26%), 7.1/1.5 million T9-14 (+34%) and 6.4/2.3 million K2-11.

SpongeBob SquarePants – 2010’s top animated series with kids on all TV – scored the week’s top telecast with kids 2-11, helping Nickelodeon nab the top spot as basic cable’s number one total day network. For the week (1/3/11-1/9/11) Nick averaged 2.2 million total viewers and a 3.4/1.2 million K2-11, 2.9/619,000 K6-11 and 2.0/425,000 T 9-14.