TVNZ 1 Shuts Down Under Investigation

TVNZ 1 has axed Under Investigation, the Australian true-crime solving series that was hailed as “a new genre of TV“, after just one episode.

Monday’s premiere averaged just 0.7% of 25-54 year-olds, TVNZ 1’s target audience, vs 1.6% for TVNZ 2’s Naked Attraction and 1.5% for Three’s re-run of Cocaine: Living with the Cartels.

That was off the back of 2.4% for RFDS: Royal Flying Doctor Service, which has been struggling opposite TVNZ 2’s First Dates (2.7%) and barely beating Three’s Sydney Harbour Force (2.1%).

Under Investigation’s ratings were down sharply on previous 9.30 Monday programmes.

The week prior, The Man Who Fell From the Sky averaged 1.5% of 25-54s vs 1.8% for First Dates and 1.5% for Cartels.

And on November 15, the Guyon Espiner special on alcohol, Proof, averaged 1.8% vs 1.5% for TVNZ 2’s Naked Attraction and 2.0% for SHF.

TVNZ 1 is replacing Under Investigation with Big Fat Gypsy Weddings from next week.