Dubai: Nickelodeon is not leaving out any opportunity to catch the eye. The creator of SpongeBob SquarePants and Rugrats is debuting its app in the Middle East as part of its existing tie-in with the satellite TV broadcaster OSN. The Nick app will come with a selection of free-to-watch content, while more can be accessed by being an OSN subscriber.

The intention on Nickelodeon’s part, clearly, is to follow what’s trending in the viewing habits of their core demographic, the 7-13 year olds. “The app will provide for more options, more interaction through the games and music that will come with it,” said David Urgell, senior vice-president for Strategy and Business Development at Viacom International Media Network South. The US media giant Viacom owns the Nickelodeon network.

“It’s a different user experience that the app will offer — and it’s not just about responding to the migration from viewing content on TV” to doing so on mobile platforms.

“When an app is involved, there’s more decision-making on the user’s part, that’s where the interaction comes from. With TV, you are watching a linear channel and it’s much more passive.”

That’s where the games that the app carries can come in quite handy, and Nickelodeon keeps adding as many as “15 new ones” on an annual basis.

Since its introduction in the US in 2013, the app has been downloaded more than 20 million times. It will soon be introduced in the UK and elsewhere.

As of now, there are no plans to offer a separate app with content meant for the region’s younger audience, the demographic of under seven-year-olds weaned on Nickelodeon Junior. But such a standalone app is available in the US.

On whether making content available via app doesn’t cut down on creating advertising opportunities as on television, Urgell said: “We are aware of the changes taking place in the Middle East... in fact everywhere (on viewing preferences. There’s no way of going against it and the trend [in the broadcasting industry] has been to roll with it.”

In terms of shifts from TV to mobile viewing, the UAE audience has been among the fastest adopters. The easy availability of premium and brand new content from web-TV providers has been key in fast-tracking the process.

“Whether it’s the 17-25 year olds or the 7-13 demographic, there is certainly a migration from television to tablet viewing.” says Glenn Netto director – Buying, BPG Maxus. “In view of this, regional advertisers have looked at shifting part of their TV spends on tablets for their campaigns — but at this point in time these are not very significant.

“Plus, even with the migration, spot rates for TV commercials haven’t seen any softening in the UAE/Middle East. The Asian general entertainment channels still command fairly decent rates based on deals struck with clients and so is the case with regional heavyweights such as MBC.

“The TV broadcasters have not in any way felt the pinch from the migratory process.”