| Nickelodeon | |
| Country: | South Africa |
| Launch Date: | (block) (channel) |
| Owner: | Paramount Networks EMEAA (Paramount Global) Multichoice (GOtv and DStv version only) |
| Picture Format: | HDTV 1080i |
| Language: | English Amharic (Ethiopia) |
| Sister Channels: | MTV Nick Jr. Nicktoons MTV Base Comedy Central BET BET International |
| Area: | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| Headquarters: | Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Terr Serv 1: | StarSat/StarTimes |
| Terr Chan 1: | Channel 357 (recently removed) |
| Terr Serv 2: | GOtv |
| Terr Chan 2: | Channel 62 |
| Terr Serv 3: | DStv |
| Terr Chan 3: | Channel 305, Channel 312 (Southern Africa except South Africa) |
| Terr Serv 4: | Zuku TV |
| Terr Chan 4: | Channel 640 |
| Terr Serv 5: | AzamTV |
| Terr Chan 5: | Channel 220 |
Nickelodeon (commonly shortened as Nick) is a South African 24-hour television channel owned by Paramount Networks EMEAA. The channel was launched on July 1, 2008. North Africa receives the Arabic-language version of the channel Nickelodeon MENA.
Unlike other Nickelodeon feeds and much like the German and Dutch feeds, the end credits on shows (except on interstitial shows) never appear. They were replaced by short credits including the show name, production year and production company and much like the European feed, the promos and bumpers do not contain any text other than the Nickelodeon logo (prior to 2023 in the case of promos). This is also includes Nick Jr. since it launched on Nicktoons since 2021.
Before it was a channel, it was a block on the South African children's channel KTV and Koowee. Nickelodeon was launched as a channel on July 1, 2008.[1] In 2012, it received new bumpers, promo, and continuity. Later in 2014, Nicktoons was launched as a replacement for the discontinued Kidsco alongside Nick Jr., another channel from Viacom (now Paramount). Nick Jr and Nicktoons share the same website as Nickelodeon until Nick Jr. launched its own website.
In June 2017, the Kenya Film Classification Board (KCFB), headed by CEO Ezekiel Mutua, ordered a ban on six cartoons airing on Cartoon Network Africa, Nickelodeon Africa and Nicktoons Africa for allegedly promoting LGBT themes to minors. The shows affected are the currently-running Cartoon Network shows Adventure Time, Clarence and Steven Universe, in addition to the already ended Nickelodeon shows Hey Arnold! and The Legend of Korra, and the currently running Nickelodeon cartoon The Loud House, although The Loud House returned to Nicktoons Africa in late 2021, similar to that of Cartoon Network Africa with Adventure Time and Disney Channel Africa with The Owl House.[2]
In 2018, Viacom merged official websites of Southeast Asian, Middle Eastern and African versions of Nickelodeon into nick.tv. Along the way Nickelodeon adapted two feeds with the South African feed airing series banned from the channel such as The Loud House and Bubble Guppies.
On March 5, 2019, Nickelodeon (South Africa only) along with Comedy Central, BET, MTV and MTV Base were available in HD on DStv. The Nickelodeon channel in South Africa has a separate feed from the rest of Africa, with different programming and schedule.
In 2020, the channel relaunched its Nick Jr programming block, airing from 5 a.m (CAT) to 7 a.m (CAT) daily (previously 5 a.m (CAT) to 6:30 a.m (CAT) on weekdays and 5 a.m (CAT) to 7:00 a.m (CAT) on weekends). However, the block is not available on the South African feed.
On May 17, 2021, NickMusic was launched as a TV program on NickToons, airing on weekdays at 4 p.m.(CAT).
In July 2022, Nickelodeon was made available on Startimes ON in selected countries as a supplement of DreamWorks Channel which was removed from StarTimes and StarSat on February 17, 2022, and relaunched on DStv on March 18, 2022.
On August 1, 2023, the channel rebranded to its current era nearly 5 months after its rebrand in the U.S.
Nickelodeon Africa is divided into two feeds for its broadcast in the Sub-Saharan African region with each feed carrying its own schedule and programming.
See main article: Nicktoons (Sub-Saharan African TV channel). Nicktoons Africa is a sister-channel of Nickelodeon that airs reruns of animated series from Nickelodeon along with other cartoons. The channel was launched on 30 September 2014 as a replacement to Kidsco on DStv.
See main article: Nick Jr. (Sub-Saharan African TV channel). Nick Jr. Africa is a sister-channel of Nickelodeon that is aimed at pre-school children. The channel was launched on 30 September 2014. The channel also has an Ethiopian feed.[4]