HD Ratings: 3D To Be Deep-Sixed

3D hosts Duncan Garner and Samantha Hayes

Within days of announcing it wasn’t renewing MasterChef NZ, TV3 has revealed it’s planning to axe HD current affairs half-hour 3D.

The announcement follows another week of lousy ratings, with Monday’s 9.30 broadcast averaging only 1.2% – 3.0% of the core commercial demographics.

3D has struggled from the outset. The fault lies not in the calibre of the field reportage, which has notched up notable coups, but in the awkward studio presentation, changing time slots and being off-air for most of the year.

Its proposed cancellation caps a disastrous year for news and current affairs on TV3, with historically low ratings for 3News, the botched exit of John Campbell, and rocky starts for Story and Paul Henry Live.

“Long-form current affairs is challenging to make commercially viable all over the world,” news boss Mark Jennings said in a statement.

“Given the way media consumption habits are changing, unfortunately continuing 3D may not be possible.”

3D’s new Monday night slot wasn’t helped by lead-in Heroes Reborn’s poor ratings or incompatibility as a stablemate.

This week’s episode averaged only 2.4% – 4.3% off the back of The Block NZ: Villa Wars’ 6.3% – 8.5%.

The renovation hour seesawed with TV2’s My Kitchen Rules NZ (6.0% – 9.3%) and both lost to TV1’s Border Security International and The Force in the 25-54 demo.

The 8.30 hour was keenly contested in the same demo between TV1’s Criminal Minds and TV2’s Wentworth — but the latter dominated overall, averaging 7.9% – 13.3% compared to the former’s 3.5% – 8.1%.

At 9.30, The Walking Dead’s extra-long episode won its slot, with 5.1% – 7.9% of the major demos.

As a result, TV2 scooped three of the core demos for the night and TV1 won the 25-54 race: