Nickelodeon Promoting Worldwide Day of Play

Broadcasting & Cable – September 16, 2008
By P.J. Bednarski

For the fifth consecutive year, Nickelodeon will go dark from noon-3 p.m. (EST/PST) Sept. 27, a Saturday, and for the first time ever, so will Nick's other networks -- The N, Noggin, Nicktoons -- and their Web sites. When those channels shut off, kids are supposed to go out to play.

The so-called Worldwide Day of Play will take place in 10 of the 81 nations where Nickelodeon brands exist, although in all but the United States, the channels will continue programming. A spokeswoman explained that other nations schedule their dark days at other times of the year. But in the United States and abroad, participating channels will have arranged more than 1,000 local playtime events.

Worldwide Day of Play was designed as a way for Nick to encourage kids to fight obesity. Before and after the noon-3 p.m. blank-out, Nickelodeon and its sister networks will feature health-related programs and interstitials. During the time-out, a screen graphic will tell kids to do something besides watch TV.

Nickelodeon partnered with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and the National Football League, with assistance in New York from Time Warner Cable.

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