HD Ratings: Ledger Doco Rules

Three’s premiere of I Am Heath Ledger on Monday helped the network to smash the competition in all the core commercial demographics.

It averaged 4.8% of Three’s key 25-54 demo, 4.3% of 18-49, 4.8% of 18-39 and 6.4% of household shoppers with kids. It was even competitive with TVNZ 1’s Criminal Minds in the 5+ stakes (3.4% vs 4.0%).

It benefitted from an unusually strong 25-54 lead-in from Newshub Live (5.8%), The Project (4.0%) and House Rules (7.9%).

The Project posted its best 25-54 average for the month to beat 1’s The Extreme Cake Makers (3.7%) while Newshub Live was competitive with a new-look 1 News (6.4%).

Shortland Street ruled at 7.00, with 8.5%, while at 7.30 1’s The Celebrity Chase (3.7%) trailed 2’s Family Food Fight (4.1%) and House Rules.

But 25-54 viewers deserted 2 ‘s re-run of The Lake House (1.4%) at 8.30 — as did viewers in the other key demos. The movie averaged only 0.8% of 18-39s and 1.2% of 18-49s.

The Criminal Minds double-ep sustained its audience over two hours whereas the Ledger doco halved its viewership over the same period.

Even so, it held enough viewers for Three to win the night with blockbuster shares of 35.3% (18-39), 28.9% (18-49), 27.5% (25-54) and 26.7% (household shoppers with kids).