Plot Synopsis

Hosted by Linda Ellerbee from 1992 through 2015, NICK NEWS was the longest-running kids' news show in television history. Each episode, which highlights a different topic, is typically 30 minutes in duration, revealing how current events and contemporary issues affect children. Initially created as a news special to help kids understand the U.S. War with Iraq in the early 1990s, NICK NEWS immediately went on to play a vital, continuing role in kids' education of current events, from covering major world events like 9/11, the Oklahoma City bombing and Hurricane Katrina, to shedding light on controversial issues such as AIDS, sexuality and racism. Recent topics include: Liar, Liar Pants on Fire: Lies Parents Tell You; Family Secrets: When Violence Hits Home; and Out of Sight: How Blind Kids See the World. On Tuesday, December 15, 2015 from 8-9pm ET/PT, Nickelodeon premiered the series finale of NICK NEWS WITH LINDA ELLERBEE. The one-hour series ender, "Hello, I Must Be Going: 25 Years of Nick News With Linda Ellerbee," features a retrospective of the series, highlighting some of the most poignant episodes and discussions while presenting the story and philosophy behind the award-winning series.

Hosted by Alicia Keys, "Kids, Race and Unity: A Nick News Special," a one-hour NICK NEW special premiered on Monday, June 29, 2020 at 7pm ET/PT on Nickelodeon, with a simulcast on TeenNick and NickToons. The program amplifies the voices and experiences of Black children across the country amid current events. The special features the leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement answering questions from real kids, offer tools for families to have constructive conversations about race and inclusivity, and highlight teen activists who are fighting racial injustice. Keys leads a series of conversations with special guests, including: the co-founders of Black Lives Matter, Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi; 12-year-old singer and viral sensation, Keedron Bryant; Ibram X. Kendi, author of "Antiracist Baby;" Jade Fuller, Nya Collins, Zee Thomas, Kennedy Green, Emma Rose Smith and Mikayla Smith, the Nashville, Tenn., teens who founded Teens4Equality; social media star Tabitha Brown and her family; and family therapist, Dr. George James.

Nickelodeon premiered the hour-long special, "Kids Pick the President," on Monday, October 27, 2020 at 7pm ET/PT -- one week before 2020 Election Day -- with a simulcast on TeenNick and NickToons. Hosted by Keke Palmer, this one-hour special provides a thorough overview of the basics of voting and give kids a platform to voice their concerns on the issues they care about most in the 2020 presidential election, such as COVID-19, racial equality and the environment. The program also features child, adolescent and family psychologist Dr. Jen Harstein and youth activists, including: Zoe Jenkins, founder of a DEI initiative in her Lexington, KY high school; and Mari Copeny, who continues to raise awareness about the ongoing water crisis in her hometown of Flint, MI and has expanded her efforts to communities across the nation dealing with toxic water.

Hosted by CBS News Correspondent Jamie Yuccas, "Kids and the Impact of Climate Change" premiered on Saturday, April 17, 2021 from 9-10pm ET/PT on Nickelodeon. This one-hour special tackles environmental issues, educates kids on the importance of protecting the planet, and empowers action through stories of kids and families across the country who are working to address the effects of climate change in their communities. The special also features appearances by Tampa Bay Buccaneers' tight end Rob Gronkowski, actress Lily Collins, digital creator and actress Liza Koshy, actress and activist Skai Jackson, among others; who will be encouraging kids to do their part to protect the planet, by sharing small but impactful ways they are more eco-conscious in their daily lives. The program also explores environmental racism introducing viewers to communities that are being besieged by industries that target underserved areas, typically populated by minorities, bringing employment opportunities that often harm the environment and cause health issues for residents. The segment will include the stories of: Fionia Carlton, a former resident of Duplin County, NC, who had to relocate because she could no longer breathe the contaminated air; Naelyn Pike, an Apache activist from San Carlos, AZ, protecting her tribal land; and Sabirah Mahmud, who lives in a polluted section of Philadelphia, PA. Additional segments in the special include: a roundtable where kids educate their parents on environmental issues and ways they can make more eco-friendly choices; a lesson on what the Paris Climate Agreement is and explanation of terms like carbon footprint and greenhouse gases; and the results of a climate quiz about environmental issues conducted on www.nickplay.com, presented by guest kid reporter Rory Hu.

Hosted by CBS News correspondent Jamie Yuccas, "Kids, Immigration and Equality" premiered on Thursday, June 17, 2021 from 7:30-8pm ET/PT on Nickelodeon. Featuring appearances by J Balvin, Samantha Bee, Padma Lakshmi, Nancy Pelosi and Ben Simmons, among others, the special delves into some of the compelling stories of young people and families whose determination and perseverance in search of a better life represent the ideals that have shaped America into a diverse and dynamic country. The half-hour special begins with the story of early immigration in America, detailing the hope for a better life that drove many families to permanently settle in the U.S. The episode also delves into current immigration topics explaining who "Dreamers" are and what the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is. The segment focuses on the powerful stories of three young community advocates, Luz Chavez-Gonzales of Gaithersburg, Md., Kamau Chege of Seattle, Wash., and Estefany Pineda of East Boston, Mass., who have persevered in search of "The American Dream."

On Wednesday, October 6, 2021 at 7:30pm ET/PT, Nickelodeon premiered "Kids & Sports," a half-hour NICK NEW special, featuring appearances from 2021 Olympic silver Medalist Jordan Chiles, 2016 Olympic gold and silver medalist Laurie Hernandez, NBA All-Star Devin Booker, and five-time Olympic gold medalist and gymnastics icon Nadia Comaneci, among others. The special delves into the exciting world of sports, sharing personal and compelling stories about the power of athletics to shape and enrich kids' lives. Hosted by CBS News correspondent Jamie Yuccas, the half-hour special kicks off with a profile of the Famed Sierra Canyon High School and shares the story of Luzi, a 14-year-old from Orange County, Calif., who was born with Spina Bifida and through a myriad of sports has discovered there are no limits to what she can accomplish.

"Afghan Schoolgirls, Mrs. Doubtfire, and the West Powelton Steppers," a half-hour NICK NEWS special debuted on Wednesday, December 15, 2021 at 7:30pm ET/PT on Nickelodeon, hosted by CBS News Correspondent Jamie Yuccas. This half-hour special highlights the stories of incredible kids who are rising to the challenges they are faced with in order to make their dreams a reality, including female students in the heart of Afghanistan who are now being denied an education by laws reenacted by the Taliban, the kids from Broadway's Mrs. Doubtfire who are hitting the stage after a year and a half COVID-imposed hiatus and the members of Philadelphia's renowned West Powelton Steppers & Drum Squad who have found a safe haven and inspiration on this remarkable drill team.

"Coins, Skates & a Healthy Mind" premiered on Wednesday, February 16, 2022 at 7:30pm ET/PT on Nickelodeon. Hosted by CBS News Correspondent Vladimir Duthiers, this half-hour installment of Nick News includes kid journalist Rory Hu, reporting from Washington, D.C., offering viewers an insider's look at the U.S. Mint, and a wide-ranging interview with U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen, covering everything from the current state of the U.S. Economy to the new American Women Quarters Program, which celebrates the accomplishments and contributions made by women to the development and history of our country. This year's inaugural collection features the likenesses of Maya Angelou, Dr. Sally Ride, Wilma Mankiller, Nina Otero-Warren and Anna May Wong.

On Wednesday, March 23, 2022 at 7pm ET/PT, Nickelodeon premiered "Books, Basketball and Bullying," a new half-hour episode of NICK NEWS that takes viewers to a book club created BY kids FOR kids; then we find out what it takes to be a sports reporter; and finally, meet Enzo, he's a canine crusader who's on a mission to spread kindness.

NICK NEWS returned with a new half-hour special, "Courage, Cookies and Crops," on Wednesday, April 27, 2022 at 7pm ET/PT on Nickelodeon. This 30-minute installment spotlights the stories of remarkable and resilient kids who are rising to the challenges they are faced with, and are forging new and brighter futures, including a group of kids whose families have been forced to relocate to Lviv to flee the war raging in other cities across Ukraine; the members of Girl Scout Troop 6000, a specially created Girls Scouts program designed to serve girls in the New York City Shelter system; and Farmer Kendall, the youngest USDA certified farmer in the state of Georgia who is sharing the lessons she's learned through agriculture with kids in her community.Hosted by CBS News Correspondent Vladimir Duthiers.

"Metaverse, Media and Making History," a new half-hour NICK NEWS special, debuted on Wednesday, May 25, 2022 at 7pm ET/PT on Nickelodeon.

On Sunday, June 19, 2022 at 7:30pm ET/PT, Nickelodeon premiered "Juneteenth," a half-hour NICK NEWS special, which takes a deep dive into the history and meaning of Juneteenth and why it matters to all Americans.
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"Kids Pick the President," a new half-hour NICK NEWS special, debuted on Monday, October 28, 2024 at 8pm ET/PT on Nickelodeon. Kids can vote online (https://www.kidspickthepresident.com/) to tell the world who they want for President. This half-hour special reveals the results of the "Kids' Vote" online poll.