Nick on CBS

Nick/Nick Jr. on CBS
Channel:	CBS
Aired on:	Saturday mornings
Original run	September 16, 2000 – September 9, 2006 (1st run)
Preceded by:	CBS Kidshow
Followed by:	KOL Secret Slumber Party

Nick on CBS (also known as Nickelodeon on CBS) was an American Saturday morning children's programming block featuring programming from Nick Jr. and Nickelodeon that ran on CBS from September 16, 2000, to September 9, 2006. It initially aired programming from the Nick Jr. block until September 2002, when it began airing mainline programming from Nickelodeon; in September 2004, it switched back to its previous format.

History

Pre-history (2000)

On April 14, 2000, a few months after Viacom (in timeline, which CBS founded in 1952 as television syndication distributor CBS Television Film Sales, and later spun off in 1971) completed its $37 billion merger with CBS Corporation (the original Westinghouse Electric Corporation), CBS reached an agreement with new corporate cousin Nickelodeon to air programming from its Nick Jr. programming block beginning that September.

As Nick Jr. on CBS (2000–2002)

Original era (2000–2001)

On September 16, 2000, the new three-hour block, known as Nick Jr. on CBS, premiered, replacing CBS Kidshow, produced by Canada-based animation studio Nelvana, which ended its run the week prior on September 9. For the first two years of the Viacom agreement, the block exclusively aired preschool-oriented programming from Nick Jr., including interstitials from the Nickelodeon block's animated mascot, Face, and other Nick Jr. interstitials. Nick Jr. on CBS did not air commercials aside from some Nickelodeon and CBS-related commercials with PSAs until early 2001. Nelvana subsequently moved forward to produce a new Saturday morning cartoon block, the Bookworm Bunch (named for the fact that all of the block's series were adaptations of several children's books) for CBS' non-commercial rival, PBS, which would premiere a few weeks afterward.

Rebranded era (2001–2002)

On September 22, 2001, the block received a rebrand based on the Nickelodeon block's new branding, adding Oswald and Bob the Builder. The rebrand lasted until the same month of the following year when the original incarnation of Nick Jr. on CBS retired.

On September 7, 2002, a few preschool-oriented series were removed from the original block, though Blue's Clues and Dora the Explorer would continue airing on the block, Oswald and Franklin would continue airing on selected stations until the Saturday before Thanksgiving, and Little Bill would return on the first Saturday of August of the following year.

As Nick on CBS (2002–2004)

Original era (2002–2004)

On September 14, 2002, the block was rebranded as Nick on CBS, and its programming content expanded to animated Nickelodeon series aimed at children between the ages of 2 and 12, in addition to two returning Nick Jr. series Blue's Clues and Dora the Explorer. The rebranding also introduced a new logo with three circles with different colors (orange for Nick, green for the word "On", and blue for CBS) alongside bumpers and promos animated by Primal Screen in Georgia.

As with its predecessor Think CBS Kids and CBS Kidshow blocks, all of the programs within the block complied with educational programming (E/I) requirements defined by the Children's Television Act, although the educational content in some of the programs was tenuous in nature. It was partly for this reason why some of Nickelodeon's most popular programs (most notably SpongeBob SquarePants, then the cable channel's most popular series) were mainly not included as part of the CBS block, especially during the more open-formatted Nick on CBS era. However, some airings of SpongeBob SquarePants, The Fairly OddParents, Doug, Rocko's Modern Life, CatDog, The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius, and Rocket Power appeared during special holiday events on the block. Rugrats also aired briefly from February 1 to July 26, 2003, when it was added as a short-lived regular series within the block.

Rebanded era (2004)

On March 13, 2004, the block had a relaunch, making additions like live-action shows, such as The Brothers García, which is the only live-action Nickelodeon show to air on the block. The rebrand lasted for a short time, as the Nick on CBS era ended on that same year.

On September 11, 2004, three years after 9/11 attacks, the older-skewing Nickelodeon series were discontinued from the block.

Return of Nick Jr. on CBS (2004–2006)

On September 18, 2004, the revival of Nick Jr. on CBS premiered, refocusing the block back exclusively toward preschool-oriented series.

On September 17, 2005, the block added Go, Diego, Go!, replacing Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends, and began incorporating interstitial hosted segments featuring Piper O'Possum. On December 31 of that same year, (New Year's Eve) Viacom formally split under the shared control of National Amusements (owned by Sumner Redstone), with CBS and all related broadcasting, television production and distribution properties as well as some non-production entities becoming part of the standalone company CBS Corporation, while Nickelodeon and its parent subsidiary MTV Networks became part of a new company under the Viacom name.

Closure

Less than a month later on January 19, 2006, CBS announced that it would enter into a three-year programming partnership with DIC Entertainment (now WildBrain) to produce a new children's program block for the three-hour Saturday morning timeslot featuring new and older series from its program library, to begin airing in Fall 2006. On September 9, 2006, Nick Jr. on CBS ended its run and was replaced with a new block the following weekend called KOL Secret Slumber Party.

Possible return

Following the announcement of the second merger between CBS Corporation and Viacom, former CBS Corporation CEO Joseph Ianniello was receptive to the possibility of the return of Nickelodeon children's programming to CBS. However, CBS is currently under contract with Hearst Media Production Group to carry the CBS WKND E/I programming block until the end of the 2023–2024 television season, meaning any new children's programming block coming to air on CBS until late 2024 at the earliest. Any return of Nickelodeon programming to CBS would bump up against stations' compliance with the FCC's E/I requirements, as they would still have to air the mandated 3 hours of content considered educational or informational; although such content would not have to be supplied directly by the network, it has been CBS policy to provide the necessary programming so that the block would still need to air the E/I content.

Schedule

Nick Jr. on CBS (2000–02)

September 16, 2000 – March 31, 2001

Time slot	Show
7:00 a.m.	Blue's Clues
7:30 a.m.	Dora the Explorer
8:00 a.m.	Little Bear
8:30 a.m.	Little Bill
11:00 a.m.	Franklin
11:30 a.m.	Kipper

(Selected Stations Only) September 16, 2000 – September 15, 2001

Time slot	Show
12:00 p.m.	Maisy
12:30 p.m.	Maggie and the Ferocious Beast

April 7 – September 15, 2001

Time slot	Show
7:00 a.m.	Little Bear
7:30 a.m.	Dora the Explorer
8:00 a.m.	Blue's Clues
8:30 a.m.	Little Bill
11:00 a.m.	Franklin
11:30 a.m.	Kipper

September 22, 2001 – May 4, 2002

Time slot	Show
7:00 a.m.	Oswald
7:30 a.m.	Dora the Explorer
8:00 a.m.	Blue's Clues
8:30 a.m.	Little Bill
11:00 a.m.	Franklin
11:30 a.m.	Bob the Builder

May 11 – September 7, 2002

Time slot	Show
7:00 a.m.	Bob the Builder
7:30 a.m.	Dora the Explorer
8:00 a.m.	Blue's Clues
8:30 a.m.	Little Bill
11:00 a.m.	Franklin
11:30 a.m.	Oswald

Nick on CBS (2002–04)

September 14 – November 23, 2002

Nick on cbs 2002-4intro

Intro used from 2002 to 2004.

Time slot	Show
7:00 a.m.	Blue's Clues
7:30 a.m.	Dora the Explorer
8:00 a.m.	Hey Arnold!
8:30 a.m.	The Wild Thornberrys
11:00 a.m.	As Told by Ginger
11:30 a.m.	Pelswick

(Selected Stations Only) September 14 – November 23, 2002

Time slot	Show
12:00 p.m.	Franklin
12:30 p.m.	Oswald

November 30, 2002 – January 25, 2003

Time slot	Show
7:00 a.m.	Blue's Clues
7:30 a.m.	Dora the Explorer
8:00 a.m.	Hey Arnold!
8:30 a.m.	The Wild Thornberrys
11:00 a.m.	Hey Arnold!
11:30 a.m.	As Told by Ginger

February 1 – July 26, 2003

Time slot	Show
7:00 a.m.	Rugrats
7:30 a.m.	The Wild Thornberrys
8:00 a.m.	ChalkZone
8:30 a.m.	Hey Arnold!
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.	The Early Show
11:00 a.m.	Dora the Explorer
11:30 a.m.	Blue's Clues

August 2, 2003 – March 6, 2004

Time slot	Show
7:00 a.m.	The Wild Thornberrys
7:30 a.m.	Hey Arnold!
8:00 a.m.	ChalkZone
8:30 a.m.	Little Bill
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.	The Early Show
11:00 a.m.	Dora the Explorer
11:30 a.m.	Blue's Clues

March 13 – September 11, 2004

Time slot	Show
7:00 a.m.	Hey Arnold!
7:30 a.m.	ChalkZone
8:00 a.m.	All Grown Up!
8:30 a.m.	The Brothers Garcia
11:00 a.m.	Dora the Explorer
11:30 a.m.	Blue's Clues

Nick Jr. on CBS (2004–06)

September 18 – October 9, 2004

Time slot	Show
7:00 a.m.	LazyTown
7:30 a.m.	Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends
8:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m.	Dora the Explorer
11:00 a.m.	Little Bill
11:30 a.m.	Blue's Clues

October 16, 2004 – September 10, 2005

Time slot	Show
7:00 a.m.	LazyTown
7:30 a.m.	Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends
8:00 a.m.	The Backyardigans
8:30 a.m.	Dora the Explorer
11:00 a.m.	Little Bill
11:30 a.m.	Blue's Clues

September 17, 2005 – September 9, 2006

Time slot	Show
7:00 a.m.	LazyTown
7:30 a.m.	Go, Diego, Go!
8:00 a.m.	The Backyardigans
8:30 a.m.	Dora the Explorer
11:00 a.m.	Little Bill
11:30 a.m.	Blue's Clues

Programming

All of the programs aired within the block featured content compliant with educational programming requirements as mandated by the Children's Television Act. Although the block was intended to air on Saturday mornings, some CBS affiliates deferred certain programs aired within the block to Sunday mornings, or (in the case of affiliates in the Western United States) Saturday afternoons due to breaking news or severe weather coverage, or regional or select national sports broadcasts (especially in the case of college football and basketball tournaments) scheduled in earlier Saturday timeslots as makegoods to comply with the E/I regulations. Some stations also tape delayed the entire block in order to accommodate local weekend morning newscasts, the Saturday edition of The Early Show, or other programs of local interest (such as real estate or lifestyle programs).

Former programming

Programming from Nickelodeon

Live-action series

Sitcom series

Program	Premiere date	Finale date
Teen series
The Brothers García	March 13, 2004	September 11, 2004

Live-action/animated series

Preschool series

Program	Premiere date	Finale date
Blue's Clues	September 16, 2000	September 9, 2006

Animated series

Preschool series

Program	Premiere date	Finale date
The Backyardigans	October 16, 2004	September 9, 2006
Dora the Explorer	September 16, 2000
Go, Diego, Go!	September 17, 2005
Little Bill	September 16, 2000	September 7, 2002
	August 2, 2003	March 6, 2004
	September 18, 2004	September 9, 2006
Oswald	September 22, 2001	September 7, 2002 (November 23 on Selected Stations)

Kids series ("Nicktoons")

Program	Premiere date	Finale date
All Grown Up!	March 13, 2004	September 11, 2004
As Told by Ginger	September 14, 2002	January 25, 2003
ChalkZone	February 1, 2003 (February 8 on most Stations due to Breaking news regarding the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster on that same day)	September 11, 2004
Hey Arnold!	September 14, 2002
Rugrats	February 1, 2003 (February 8 on most Stations due to Breaking news regarding the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster on that same day)	July 26, 2003
The Wild Thornberrys	September 14, 2002	March 6, 2004

Co-produced programming from Nickelodeon

Live-action/animated series

Program	Premiere date	Finale date
Preschool series
LazyTown	September 18, 2004	September 9, 2006

Animated series

Program	Premiere date	Finale date
Preschool series
Little Bear	September 16, 2000	September 15, 2001 (September 8 on most Stations due to Breaking news regarding the 9/11 attacks a week later)
Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends	September 18, 2004	September 10, 2005
Kids series
Pelswick	September 14, 2002	November 23, 2002

Acquired programming from Nickelodeon

Animated series

Preschool series

Program	Premiere date	Finale date
Bob the Builder	September 22, 2001	September 7, 2002
Franklin	September 16, 2000	September 7, 2002 (November 23 on Selected Stations)
Kipper		September 15, 2001 (September 8 on most Stations due to Breaking news regarding the 9/11 attacks a week later)
Maggie and the Ferocious Beast
Maisy

Short-form programming

• Amby & Dexter
• I Can Do It!
• Just Ask!
• Just for Me Stories
• LazyTown shorts
• Maggie and the Ferocious Beast shorts
• Mighty Bug 5
• Miss Spider's Bug Facts
• Nick Jr. Playful Parent
• Nick Jr. Presents
• Nick Jr. Show and Tell
• Nick Jr. Sings
• Nickelodeon Election Connection
• What's the Buzz with Philomena Fly