HD Ratings: Selfridges to Close?

How much longer can TV One afford to keep Mr Selfridge open in peak hour after Thursday’s episode?

The department store drama was beaten by not only HD rivals Arrow and CSI but also the TV One programmes that preceded and followed it.

It averaged merely 1.6% – 3.0% of the major demographics, and only reached 3.0% with TV One’s target audience, adults 25-54 year-olds.

That was less than half the 25-54 viewership of Arrow and CSI, each of which rated 6.7%.

But the gap was even wider among household shoppers with kids: Mr Selfridge averaged 1.9% compared to Arrow’s 11.4% and CSI’s 9.4%.

It rated lower in the 18-39 and 18-49 demos (1.6% – 2.5%) but so did Arrow (6.4%) and CSI (4.7% – 5.5%).

With seven more episodes to go in season two, it’s hard to see how Mr Selfridge can stay on air with takings this low — especially when lead-in The Art of the Architect rated well, averaging 3.6% – 7.3%, and even the ironically named Best Bits improved on the Edwardian drama, with 2.0% – 3.5%.

Opposite Motorway Patrol (11.7% – 16.5%), Cadbury Dream Factory ended its run in a Selfridge-like slump — 1.9% – 3.4% — but TV3’s 9.30 doco I Lost Weight But Lost My Husband (3.8% – 6.7%) supersized the slot’s ratings.

TV One’s salvation for the night was its news and current affairs flagships rating much higher than TV3’s.

Thursday’s peak-hour HD channel ratings and shares were:

• Adults 18-49: TV One, 4.7 rating/18.3 share; TV2, 8.0 rating/31.4 share; TV3, 4.7 rating/18.3 share
• Adults 18-39: TV One, 3.7 rating/15.7 share; TV2, 8.3 rating/35.0 share; TV3, 4.3 rating/18.1 share
• Adults 25-54: TV One, 6.0 rating/20.4 share; TV2, 8.6 rating/29.3 share; TV3, 5.5 rating/18.9 share
• HHS: TV One, 6.7 rating/18.9 share; TV2, 12.6 rating/35.6 share; TV3, 7.1 rating/20.1 share.

While well shy of last week’s highs, TV2’s Wednesday sitcoms still dominated from 7.30-9.30 – although TV3 saw an uptick in 3^rd Degree, which improved to 2.9% – 7.7% of the key demos opposite House Husbands’ 2.0% – 5.8%.

TV One’s 7.30 season premiere of Rapid Response averaged 5.9% – 9.2% and out-rated Mom in the 25-54 demo.

But the night’s biggest tussle was at 9.30 between Sons of Anarchy and Once Upon a Time.

The former averaged 4.5% – 8.3% to win with adults 25-54 and HHS while the latter (4.2% – 6.2%) was tops with adults 18-39 and 18-49.

Not even in the race was TV One’s Hostages, with 0.7% – 2.3% (it rated above 2.0% only with HHS).

Nonetheless, the network’s ratings and shares largely improved on the previous Wednesday’s, as did TV3’s, while TV2’s were down except among HHS.

Wednesday’s peak-hour HD channel ratings and shares were:

• Adults 18-49: TV One, 4.9 rating/17.8 share; TV2, 8.1 rating/29.8 share; TV3, 5.3 rating/19.3 share
• Adults 18-39: TV One, 4.1 rating/16.8 share; TV2, 7.6 rating/31.3 share; TV3, 4.7 rating/19.2 share
• Adults 25-54: TV One, 6.3 rating/20.4 share; TV2, 8.3 rating/26.9 share; TV3, 6.3 rating/20.5 share
• HHS: TV One, 8.2 rating/22.3 share; TV2, 10.8 rating/29.3 share; TV3, 9.2 rating/24.9 share.