Under a new strategic agreement with Paramount, German kidsnet Super RTL is looking to launch a domestic channel that would replace Nickelodeon in the region.

If approved, this deal would give Super RTL the German rights to popular kids shows such as PAW Patrol, The Loud House and SpongeBob SquarePants (pictured). And with this expanded content offering in its pocket, the broadcaster intends to “take over Nickelodeon’s established satellite frequency” and replace it with a free-to-air channel.

This new net is expected to “predominantly” air Nickelodeon shows and target a wide demographic of three- to 13-year-olds. It would be the third free-to-air kids channel operated by parentco RTL Deutschland, which also owns Super RTL and Toggo Plus (a timeshift channel that broadcasts Super RTL programming one hour later).

The agreement has been submitted to the Federal Cartel Office (Germany’s competition regulatory agency) for approval, so details such as the channel’s name and planned launch date are not yet finalized.

For its part, Paramount plans to focus its strategy in the region on other “high-reach touchpoints” such as Paramount+, Pluto TV and its pay-TV channels, according to Michael Keidel, VP of ad sales, affiliate and streaming partnerships in Northern, Central & Eastern Europe. “Through the strategic partnership with Super RTL, popular Nickelodeon characters and stories for children in Germany [will] continue to have a permanent place in the free-to-air TV [universe],” he notes in a release.

Last month, Paramount sold its 13% stake in Viacom18—which operates Nick-branded channels in India—for around US$517 million to Mumbai-based Reliance Industries.