Nick's `Kids Choice Awards' Draws 6.1 Million Viewers

Nickelodeon's March 31 Kids Choice Awards was the most watched show during the past week, but that's probably little consolation for the kid's-targeted network after experiencing a significant audience decline from last year's show.

Nick's 25th anniversary Kids Choice Awards telecast drew 6.16 million viewers, down from last year's 7.2 million viewers and the lowest performing show of the franchise since it drew 6.16 million viewers in 2007, according to Nielsen.

In the network's key 2 to 11 demo the show -- hosted by Will Smith and featuring performances by international boy band One Direction - drew 2.7 million watchers, the lowest for the awards show since 2003, according to Nielsen.

The show did set a voting record with more than 220 million votes cast for the various award winners.
Nick's Kids Choice Awards easily topped the 4.4 million viewers delivered by a pair of USA's March 26 WWE Monday Night Raw telecasts for the most watched cable show during the week of March 26 to April 1, according to Nielsen.

Nickelodeon was also the most watched cable network on a 24-hour basis for the week, while USA took top honors in primetime. 

Most Watched Shows For the Week*

Date                   Program                                                  Network                           Total Viewers
3/31/2012       KIDS CHOICE AWARDS 2012               NICK                                  6.1 million
3/26/2012       WWE ENTERTAINMENT                         USA                                   4.4 million
3/26/2012       WWE ENTERTAINMENT                         USA                                   4.4 million
3/31/2012       HOW TO ROCK                                        NICK                                 4.3 million
3/29/2012       SWAMP PEOPLE                                     HIST                                  4.3 million
3/31/2012       SPONGEBOB                                           NICK                                   4.1 millon
4/1/2012         GAME OF THRONES                              HBO                                    3.8 mllion
4/1/2012         STANFORD/BAYLOR                              ESPN                                  3.7 million
3/31/2012       SPONGEBOB                                           NICK                                    3.5 million 
3/31/2012      KUNG FU PANDA                                     NICK                                   3.5 million

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.