NICKELODEON CELEBRATES EARTH DAY WITH BRAND-NEW ECO-FRIENDLY EPISODES OF HIT PRESCHOOL AND ANIMATED SERIES, BEGINNING FRIDAY, APRIL 20

Tune in for All-New Episodes of Max & Ruby, Franklin and Friends, The Fresh Beat Band and The Penguins of Madagascar

NEW YORK, April 17, 2012 - Nickelodeon is celebrating Earth Day with a weekend full of exploring nature and helping the environment, beginning Friday, April 20, at 9:00 a.m (ET/PT). Catch brand-new episodes of Nick preschool hits including: Max & Ruby, Franklin and Friends, Fresh Beat Band; and a never-before-seen episode of the hit animated series The Penguins of Madagascar. The network will also encore green-themed episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants "SpongeBob's Last Stand," iCarly "iGo Nuclear" and Big Time Rush "Green Time Rush."

Nickelodeon will also air a series of The Big Help branded spots featuring Victoria Justice and Leon Thomas III (Victorious) giving kids tips on everyday things they can do around their homes and in their communities to improve the environment. On Earth Day, Nickelodeon will also air a series of interstitials titled "Big Help Shout Outs," which will celebrate the work of students in schools across the country that are working with Nickelodeon's The Big Help partner, National Wildlife Federation, on projects ranging from creating school gardens and eco-friendly festivals to recycling projects.

In the spirit of Earth Day, Nicktoons is not just saving the earth, but saving the universe! Nicktoons' Voltron Force will lend a hand with a three-hour marathon starting Saturday, April 21, at 3:00 p.m. (ET). Making a universal impact is no small task so kids will need the help of Goku, Trunks and Pan. Join Nicktoons on Sunday, April 22, at 3:00 p.m. (ET) for an action-packed mini-marathon of the hit animated series Dragon Ball GT.

Nick.com will also go green with eco-themed games. Kung Fu Panda: Tales of Po will feature a special Earth Day related tale called A Thing for Bling where a wasteful, show boat called Mao Ren decides to steal a precious gem just to add it to his jewelry collection. Mao Ren litters, wastes resources and has a blatant disregard for nature. Po and the Furious Five need to put an end to Mao Ren's extravagant ways and show him what it means to be responsible.

SpongeBob gets in on the fun with two green-themed games. In SpongeBob SquarePants: Spring Cleaning, SpongeBob's pineapple is a mess and there's trash everywhere. Players must help him do some spring cleaning in this brand-new puzzle game. In SpongeBob SquarePants: Spring it On!, alien fish are invading Bikini Bottom and eating all the plants - only they didn't realize it was Earth Day, and the plants are fighting back! Spring it on!

Below please find programming descriptions and episodic clips for the network premieres of Max & Ruby, Franklin and Friends, The Fresh Beat Band and The Penguins of Madagascar (all Nickelodeon times are ET/PT).

Nickelodeon: Friday, April 20

· 9:00 a.m. - PREMIERE Max & Ruby (Encores on Nick Jr. 4/22 at 8:00 p.m. ET) "Ruby's Earth Day Party" - Ruby wants to host a perfect Earth Day costume party, but Max wants to dig in the dirt. "Ruby's Earth Day List" - Ruby wants to do everything on her Earth Day checklist. Max just wants to look at nature. "Max's Ducky Day" - While Ruby helps clean up the park for Earth Day, Max finds a way to help a duckling get back to its mama.

· 9:30 a.m. -- PREMIERE Franklin and Friends "Franklin and the Amazing Stupendous Circus Trick" "Franklin's Earth Day" (Encores on Nick Jr. 4/22 at 8:30 p.m. ET) Franklin's over-zealousness nearly ruins the classes' Earth Day project.

· 1:30 p.m. -- PREMIRE The Fresh Beat Band "Keeping it Green" (Encores on Nick Jr. 4/22 at 9:00 p.m. ET) When the Fresh Beats find out the mayor is going to replace their favorite park with a new office building, they must come up with a way to stop the construction and save the park.

Nicktoons: Saturday, April 21

· 3:00p.m.-6:00 p.m. ET-- Voltron Force

Nickelodeon: Sunday, April 22

· 11:00 a.m.-- PREMIERE The Penguins of Madagascar "Operation: Big Blue Marble" The Penguins are faced with a global battle when their specialty food-making machine belches out a toxic cloud that threatens not just the zoo, not just the city, but the earth itself!

· 11:30 a.m. SpongeBob SquarePants "SpongeBob's Last Stand" (Encore presentation)

· 12:00 p.m. iCarly "iGo Nuclear" (Encore presentation)

· 12:30 p.m. Big Time Rush "Green Time Rush" (Encore presentation)

Nicktoons: Sunday, April 22

· 3:00 p.m. -6:00 p.m. ET -- Dragon Ball GT

Nick.com:

· Eco-themed games: Kung Fu Panda: Tales of Po and SpongeBob SquarePants: Spring Cleaning