Nickelodeon Nation: The History, Politics, and Economics of America's Only TV Channel for Kids [Paperback]

Heather Hendershot (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0814736521 | ISBN-13: 978-0814736524 | Publication Date: February 1, 2004

Nickelodeon is the highest rated daytime channel in the country, and its cultural influence has grown at an astounding pace. Why are Nickelodeon shows so popular? How are they developed and marketed? And where do they fit in the economic picture of the children's media industry? Nickelodeon Nation, the first major study of the only TV channel just for children, investigates these questions.

Intended for a wide range of readers and illustrated thorughout, the essays in Nickelodeon Nation are grouped into four sections: economics and marketing; the production process; programs and politics; and viewers. The contributors—who include a former employee in Nick's animation department, an investigative journalist, a developmental pyschologist who helped develop Blue's Clues, and television and cultural studies scholors—show how Nickelodeon succeeds, in large part, by simultaneously satisfying both children and adults. For kids, Nick offers gross-out jokes and no-holds-barred goofiness, while for adults it offers a violence-free world, ethnic and racial diversity, and gender parity. Nick gives kids the fun they want by gently violating adult ideas of propriety, and satisfies adults by conforming to their vision of "quality" children's programming.

Nickelodeon Nation shows how, in only twenty years, Nickelodeon has transformed itself from the "green vegetable network"—distasteful for kids but "good for them," according to parents—into a super-cool network with some of the most successful shows on the air. This ground-breaking collection fills a major gap in our understanding of both contemporary children's culture and the television industry.

Contributors include: Daniel R. Anderson, Sarah Banet-Weiser, Henry Jenkins, Mark Langer, Vicki Mayer, Susan Murray, Heather Hendershot, Norma Pecora, Kevin S. Sandler, Ellen Seiter, Linda Simensky, and Mimi Swartz.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The phenomenal success of Nickelodeon reveals a great deal about the changing nature of the modern media, and about changing conceptions of childhood. Nickelodeon Nation offers a comprehensive account of the channel's evolution, providing fascinating insights into production and programming, and the responses of children themselves."

-David Buckingham,Institute of Education, University of London

"With both dispassionate market analyses and insiders' personal accounts, Nickelodeon Nation covers the channel's history and evolving philosophies thoroughly—like a bucket of Nick's signature green slime! Even 'Nicksperts' will find new insights and understanding."

-David W. Kleeman,Executive Director, American Center for Children and Media

About the Author

Heather Hendershot is associate professor of media studies at Queens College, City University of New York. She is the author of Saturday Morning Censors: Television Regulation Before the V-Chip and Shaking the World for Jesus: Media and Conservative Evangelical Culture.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: NYU Press (February 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0814736521
• ISBN-13: 978-0814736524
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #488,909 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Eye opening for any Nickelodeon viewer, past or present, November 23, 2010

By 

Camera Guy - See all my reviews

This review is from: Nickelodeon Nation: The History, Politics, and Economics of America's Only TV Channel for Kids (Paperback)

Very often I reference Nickelodeon in a typical conversation. I explain the parallels of someone's comment or a situation I'm or they're in with an episode of "Rugrats" or "Rocko's Modern Life". I passionately feel Nickelodeon has shaped the way I think, and much of my life. But I stopped viewing Nickelodeon in 2004 or 2005, primarily because I became more focused on Turner Classic Movies. Sadly after over ten years, Nickelodeon suddenly lost my interest. But more recently I've been creeping back into my childhood, viewing episodes of "The Secret World of Alex Mack" (which by the way, I hope the season DVDs are extended, since only the first season is available), episodes of "Are You Afraid of The Dark?" on Saturday nights, reminiscent of Nickelodeon's weekly "Snick" programming, and their SNL "All That".

I'll be frank. I don't read very often. I can read, I will read, but it is not as much an interest I do on a weekly basis. So when deciding that I wanted to dwell into publications on Nickelodeon, I found that they are limited. I read a few short reviews on this one, and took the plunge. I'm only into the eighth chapter out of eleven, and my eyes are wide open. As a former(self proclaimed) consummate of Nickelodeon of the 1990s and early 2000s, I read things that I would have never thought of, let alone realized in all that time. Perhaps, I am being a bit naive and nostalgic in regards to this book, and perhaps the opinions and facts of it could be argued, but I'm not for confrontations in this subject. I'm simply enjoying the ride.

The book is compromised of 10 essays about various the areas of Nickelodeon, including it's history, it's philosophy and ideas, it's programming strategies, it's projected audience, and much more. Though my career is in media, I never fully realized the complicated process of television programming, and in this case children's television programming. The eyes of children and young adults are so prized in all areas of consumerism at this present time, from film, to books, to toys, to games, clothes, communication, online viewing, and television. It's hard to imagine that Nickelodeon emerged out of a time when it was as crucial to get their attention as it now. But they succeeded enormously, and I am proud to have been at the right age when they were in their golden years (1990-2005).

A few things stood out for me in this book. Most noteably was the interview with Geraldine Laybourne. Reading this short chapter, I felt the energy of Nickelodeon fueling every one of her answers. They were smart and passionate. To me, this chapter fully represents her as what Nickelodeon is and will always be. The epitome of children's programming during Nickelodeon's golden years, and even now, having viewed Nickelodeon for the first time in several years, her energy is still there. The chapter began with her saying "Let me tell you a secret about Nickelodeon. We had a mission!". Immediately the energy is there. I would only hope that one day I could thank her for everything she (and other past and present employees of Nickelodeon, whose work is noted) provided to me when I was growing up, in a way you could almost relate to thanking Walt Disney for Disneyland.

Yes, I know, this review is obsessively positive. But Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, TV Land, they all mean something very special to me. For any Nickelodeon viewer, young or not as young (I'm not even 30 yet, which means I'm not old), this is an interesting, enlightening, and perhaps for some, eye opening read.

To Heather Hendershot, Daniel R. Anderson, Sarah Banet-Weiser, Henry Jenkins, Mark Langer, Vicki Mayer, Susan Murray, Norma Pecora, Kevin S. Sandler, Ellen Seiter, Linda Simensky, and Mimi Swartz

Congratulations on this publication. It is six years old, and perhaps many people have already read it, but I'm a first time reader, and as Robert Osbourne has loosely said on Turner Classic Movies, "It you've never seen it, it's new".