HD Ratings: Round One of Format Wars

NZ versions of top-rating Aussie formats faced off for the first time on Monday, with mixed results.

TV2’s season premiere of My Kitchen Rules NZ averaged 7.5% – 14.8% in the commercial demographics off the back of Shortland Street’s 11.1% – 21.5%.

TV3’s The Block NZ: Villa Wars averaged 6.7% – 9.1% with a much lower lead-in from Story (2.1% – 3.6%).

MKR won in the 18-39 and household shoppers-with-kids demos while The Block was tops with 25-54s; both shows level-pegged with 18-49s.

MKR’s debut helped to boost viewership of lead-out Wentworth (6.5% – 11.7%) but TV3’s Heroes Reborn (3.1% – 3.5%) continued to finish third, with TV1’s Criminal Minds (3.7% – 7.5%) trouncing it as well.

TV2’s movie-length season premiere of The Walking Dead averaged 3.6% – 6.3%, winning its first hour in all the key demos except 25-54, where it lost to TV1’s Castle (2.4% – 5.5%).

TV3’s 3D improved in its new 9.30 slot, averaging 1.9% – 3.7% ahead of Inside Story’s 1.5% – 3.0%.

TV2’s new-look line-up won the night in all the key demos while TV1 was the clear runner-up: