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%.

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2 Responses to “HD Ratings: Copious COVID Coverage Conquers”


  1. Warning: preg_replace(): Unknown modifier '/' in /home/customer/www/screenscribe.net/public_html/wp-content/themes/headlines/includes/theme-comments.php on line 66
    August 26, 2021 at 4:36 pm

    Great result for Newshub and well deserved especially with the extended coverage and the continuation of Newshub Late while Tonight is absent. I’m guessing the state broadcaster wants to continue generating a profit over matching its rival’s coverage.

  2. It’s annoying when TVNZ cuts short the Q and A. I always find them interesting even when the media keeps asking the same question. If I was Jacinda I would run out of patience pretty fast ?

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