Shanghai/Hong Kong – Nickelodeon’s Spongebob Squarepants returns to China Central Television (CCTV) in January 2009. This was announced as Nickelodeon and Viacom Consumer Products (NVCP) awarded a multi-category licence for Spongebob Squarepants to Guangzhou Art-land. Spongebob Squarepants first aired in China on CCTV in 2006 with success in ratings within the 4-14 and 25-44 age groups. It was also shown from September to December 2007. The show will return in 2009 with all-new episodes in the country. NVCP’s strategic partnership with Guangzhou Art-land is a 3-year multi-category license extending to toys, apparel, footwear, home furnishings, stationery, gifts and novelties.