HDTV Ratings: Baby Kahu Drama Wins Big

Scott Wills as Detective Inspective Stuart Wildon

Last night’s HD dramatisation of the Baby Kahu case, Stolen, dwarfed the competition.

The two-hour telemovie drew 11.4% of TV3’s target audience, 18-49 year-olds, compared with V’s 6.1%, Castle’s 7.3% and Real Life’s 5.9%.

It was even more popular with 25-54 year-olds (12.4%) and household shoppers with kids (17.4%); even with 18-39 year-olds, it rated a robust 10.5%.

But not everyone was impressed. The NZ Herald’s Greg Dixon said “it failed to enthral”, although the ratings show it was one of those rare programmes where the audience built over the two hours, while several hours before it went to air, TangataWhenua.com urged people not to watch the South Pacific Pictures dramatisation because family members were worried about the effect it would have on the child, who’s now eight years old.

SPP Publicist Tamar Munch told ScreenScribe.tv: “Suggestions that Stolen was produced by South Pacific Pictures without discussion with Baby Kahu’s family are incorrect.

“On our initiative, the script was made available to them and we took on board their suggestions and requests for amendments. Our communications with the family were held in confidence and we wish to maintain that confidence.”