HD Ratings: Q+A’s Questionable Future

TVNZ 1 will be hoping for an election year bounce for Q+A, given last week’s episode was out-rated in the 25-54 demographic by not only the competition on TVNZ 2 and Three but also South Park re-runs on Duke, Prime’s movie and Bravo’s Killer’s Motive.

The current affairs hour shifted from off-peak to primetime 18 months ago, when TVNZ news chief John Gillespie predicted the new slot would reward Q+A with a bigger audience.

But so far that has yet to eventuate, with the 25-54 viewership being barely better than its original Sunday morning audience.

Even though it’s long been the Achilles heel of TVNZ 1’s Monday night schedule, last week’s Q+A stood out as one of the lowest-rating broadcasts yet, averaging only 0.6% of its target demo, 0.3% of 18-49s, 0.1% of 18-39s and 1.1% of household shoppers with kids.

Of course, overnight ratings in the on-demand age are only one factor that shapes a show’s future. And Q+A will be back next year,

But TVNZ executives must be agonising over the cost of keeping it in peak-hour when lead-in Prodigal Son last week averaged 3.0% of 25-54s.

Not only did Q+A squander this but its dramatic erosion of viewers set up 1 News Tonight to lose opposite Three’s Newshub Late in the same demo (Three’s 9.30 competition also was stronger than usual, with Death Row: The New Arrivals averaging 2.3% of 25-54s).

Otherwise, TVNZ 2 dominated most of the night with Shortland Street, Australian Survivor and the movie, You Again.

It easily won Monday in three of the core commercial demos and was pipped by TVNZ 1 for 25-54 honours.

But TVNZ 1 was back in charge on Tuesday, when it won a clean sweep of the key demos with its rock-solid line-up of The Chase, 1 News at 6pm, Seven Sharp, Serengeti, Inside Oxford Street and 20/20.

Wednesday was again TVNZ 2’s, with SS, Have You Been Paying Attention? and Hamish & Andy’s Perfect Holiday setting the pace for most of the night.

HYBPA fended off fierce competition from TVNZ 1’s Shop Well for Less and Three’s The Block while Hamish & Andy edged out Three’s The Rookie, which topped  TVNZ 1’s How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep in all the key demos except 25-54.

TVNZ 1 won the night’s biggest share of 25-54s but TVNZ 2 owned the rest.