Trying to change course amid falling ratings and soft advertising sales, Viacom announced Wednesday that it is reviving its Noggin educational brand to launch a new SVOD service targeted toward preschoolers.
Noggin was a linear channel that ran educational-themed shows like Blue's Clues up until 2009, when it was rebranded as Nick Jr. The new IP-based service, which was unveiled at Nickelodeon's upfront presentation to Madison Avenue, is set to launch March 5.
Apps for the service will be available for iOS mobile devices, and the service will run $5.99 a month. Viacom said it's talking to pay-TV operators about offering a premium authenticated product.
Viacom is launching SVOD channels around its Nickelodeon brand as ratings for the kid-targeted linear network are in freefall. For the week of Feb. 15, Nick's total-day ratings for kids 2-11 were down 35 percent year over year.
"We are reintroducing the Noggin name with this new mobile service because of its built-in equity with moms and as a signal of the high-quality preschool content that will be curated for it," said Cyma Zarghami, the recently appointed president of the Viacom Kids and Family Group.
For more:
- read this Viacom press release
- read this Variety story
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