How Nickelodeon Rewrote the Rules of Kids' TV episode artwork

EPISODE · May 20, 2026 · 53 MIN

How Nickelodeon Rewrote the Rules of Kids' TV

from Everything 80s · host Jamie Logie | 1980s Pop Culture and Nostalgia

From an experiment in the 1970s to a global phenomenon, the story of Nickelodeon is one that includes Walter Cronkite, satellites, and some simple hand puppets. But it was in the 1980s when the kids-only network really took off. With a new leader and a new direction, Nickelodeon would soon reach more homes than ever, all because of a low-budget sketch comedy show from Canada. A show that would make every kid know what follows the phrase, "I don't know..." But in the 80s, things behind the scenes at Nickelodeon were still rocky. It would take an entire rebrand and a specific kids' game show that would turn the network's fortunes and make it the dominant force in cable television.  -- The Book: Becoming Nickelodeon: How the First Network for Kids Went From Green Vegetables to Green Slime in the 1980s by Jason McFiggins Available on Amazon in Kindle or paperback

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published May 20, 2026

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How Nickelodeon Rewrote the Rules of Kids' TV

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