 However , in 2012 , it was reported that the series ' ratings were declining . The average number of viewers aged 2 to 11 watching SpongeBob at any given time dropped 29 % in the first quarter from a year earlier , according to Nielsen . Wall Street Journal business writer John Jannarone suggested that the age of the series and oversaturation of the series might be contributing to the decline of the series ' ratings , and might also be directly responsible for the decline in Nickelodeon 's overall ratings . Media analyst Todd Juenger directly attributes the decline in Nickelodeon 's ratings to the availability of streaming video content on services like Netflix , a provider of on @-@ demand Internet streaming media . 
