FRANKLY, regular TV holds little interest to kids under 11 years old – who usually can be found glued to “SpongeBob” or “Drake & Josh” on cable.

So why is “Deal or No Deal” suddenly the hottest show on TV for the grade-school crew?

TV execs are scratching their heads wondering how the game show is drawing the biggest ratings of the summer on broadcast TV among young children, ages 2-11.

The most obvious explanation is that – like “American Idol” – it is one of those rare shows that really is for the whole family.

Not that show is totally wholesome – it features a small army of scantily clad, suitcase-opening models and at least an occassional sexual innuendo.

But it has something that seems to appeal to everyone.

Media Life, a trade magazine for advertisers, thinks it’s because “unscripted competition-based shows are very popular among young ones.”

Big rating among primary-school aged kids for shows like “Idol,” “Fear Factor” and “Amazing Race” seem to prove that out, the magazine wrote recently.