HD Ratings: Copious COVID Coverage Conquers

Three’s decision to carry extended coverage of Wednesday afternoon’s COVID-19 press conference paid off in the ratings.

The first half-hour lost to 1 News’, averaging 5.6% of 25-54 year-olds vs 9.6%.

But as soon as TVNZ 1 switched to Coronation Street, Three’s continued coverage dominated, with the next half-hour averaging 4.6% of the demographic both channels target.

Thereafter, viewership averaged just 1.5% for the next hour but still easily out-rated Coro St and The Check Up, and TVNZ 2’s Murphy Brown and Home and Away.

The outcome was the same in the other key demo, 18-49.

Prime-time, however, belonged to TVNZ 1, with 1 News, Seven Sharp, Give Us a Clue and Kirstie & Phil’s Love It Or List It easily winning their slots in both core commercial demos.

Clue averaged 5.5% of 25-54s vs 3.9% for TVNZ 2’s MasterChef and 4.2% for Three’s The Block NZ.

At 8.30, Kirstie & Phil averaged 4.6% vs 2.7% for TVNZ 2’s Taskmaster NZ and 1.9% for Three’s LA’s Finest.

TVNZ 1’s Coro St and TVNZ 2’s Would I Lie to You? each averaged 1.8% at 9.30, vs 1.3% for Three’s Hawaii Five-O.

TVNZ notched up the night’s biggest key demo shares, of around 30%, while TVNZ 2 had 19+ shares and Three 17+.

TVNZ 1 also won Tuesday night whereas TVNZ 2 and Three reversed their positions.

TVNZ 1 scored a clean sweep, from its news shows through to Eat Well for Less?, Paramedics and Coro St proving unassailable in both demos.

MasterChef and Block were neck-and-neck but at 8.30 Three’s Emergency beat TVNZ 2’s Toddlers Behaving (Very) Badly.

Toddlers lead-out Grey’s Anatomy rated poorly, with just 0.3% of 25-54s vs 1.8% for Coro and 1.2% for NCIS: Los Angeles.

Prime’s 8.30 drama The Spanish Princess averaged 0.2% while its lead-out, Succession, bombed with 0.0%.