Throng

Most watched

1. Dog Squad: 630,750 (TV ONE, 7:30pm - 8:00pm)
2. The Inspectors: 534,750 (TV ONE, 8:00pm - 8:30pm)
3. One News: 516,170 (TV ONE, 6:00pm - 7:00pm)
4. Close Up: 508,760 (TV ONE, 7:00pm - 7:30pm)
5. Desperate Housewives: 448,490 (TV2, 8:30pm - 9:30pm)

Most watched evening (7.30pm - 11pm)

1. Dog Squad: 630,750 (TV ONE, 7:30pm - 8:00pm)
2. The Inspectors: 534,750 (TV ONE, 8:00pm - 8:30pm)
3. Desperate Housewives: 448,490 (TV2, 8:30pm - 9:30pm)
4. Band of Brothers: 401,350 (TV ONE, 8:30pm - 9:40pm)
5. C.S.I: 399,740 (TV3, 8:30pm - 9:30pm)

Most watched daytime (9am - 5pm)

TVNZ’s Breakfast audience has enjoyed an immediate and noticeable boost since Paul Henry came back from holiday on the 1st of March. 
 
In the two weeks since Paul’s return, Breakfast has averaged 143,625* viewers every morning.  This is a significant gain on the previous fortnight’s average that showed119,008* people watching every morning.  It is also well ahead of the same period last year when 127,242* were watching.
 
While TVNZ’s Breakfast programme continues to grow in popularity the same can’t be said of TV3’s early morning show.  Official ratings data shows Sunrise has dropped almost 4,000* viewers on average every day since March 1st compared to the same period last year.

Top TV Shows: Week 10 (7th - 13th March 2010) (5+) Source: AGB Nielsen Media Research

Campbell Live has had another excellent ratings week, winning both the 18-49 and 25-54 demographics against Close Up.

For the week 8-12 March, Campbell Live averaged a 20.9% audience share 18-49 compared with Close Up’s 17.6%

In Close Up’s target audience of 25-54 year olds, Campbell Live also won with a 21.1% share compared with Close Up’s 20.7%.

Even more pleasing; Campbell Live is winning the year-to-date against Close Up in the 18-49 demographic. Campbell Live is averaging a 17.4% share against Close Up’s 16.7%.

“It’s good to see Campbell Live’s strong start to the year has maintained its momentum. John and the team are continuing to get the right mix of stories which seems to be appealing to viewers,” said TV3 Director of News and Current Affairs, Mark Jennings.

The current affairs game has just stepped up a level as TV3's new show The Nation finally makes it to screen this weekend.  While TVNZ's Q&A has broken a number of stories already this year, the opportunity now exists for TV3 to upstage the state broadcaster by broadcasting the show on Saturday mornings and repeating it again an hour before Q&A at 8am.

Hosted by Stephen Parker and Duncan Garner, TV3 describes The Nation as an in-depth weekly current affairs show focusing on the major players and forces which shape New Zealand.

The show's executive producer is Richard Harman who was also at the helm of Q&A's predecessor, Agenda, which was axed by TVNZ in 2008.

Game on!

Most watched

1. The Zoo: 516,860 (TV ONE, 7:00pm - 7:30pm)
2. Sunday: 512,280 (TV ONE, 7:30pm - 8:30pm)
3. One News: 431,310 (TV ONE, 6:00pm - 7:00pm)
4. Sunday Theatre: 326,420 (TV ONE, 8:30pm - 10:25pm)
5. The Heartbreak Kid: 303,580 (TV2, 8:30pm - 10:55pm)

Most watched evening (7.30pm - 11pm)

1. Sunday: 512,280 (TV ONE, 7:30pm - 8:30pm)
2. Sunday Theatre: 326,420 (TV ONE, 8:30pm - 10:25pm)
3. The Heartbreak Kid: 303,580 (TV2, 8:30pm - 10:55pm)
4. The Amazing Race: 303,300 (TV2, 7:35pm - 8:30pm)
5. Bones: 292,340 (TV3, 8:30pm - 9:30pm)

Most watched daytime (9am - 5pm)

Most watched

1. National Bank Country Calendar: 510,820 (TV ONE, 7:00pm - 7:30pm)
2. American Idol: 464,650 (TV2, 7:30pm - 9:30pm)
3. One News: 393,530 (TV ONE, 6:00pm - 7:00pm)
4. Jamie's American Road Trip: 347,810 (TV ONE, 7:30pm - 8:35pm)
5. America's Funniest Home Videos: 296,960 (TV2, 7:00pm - 7:30pm)

Most watched evening (7.30pm - 11pm)

1. American Idol: 464,650 (TV2, 7:30pm - 9:30pm)
2. Jamie's American Road Trip: 347,810 (TV ONE, 7:30pm - 8:35pm)
3. Grand Designs Revisited: 180,590 (TV3, 7:30pm - 8:30pm)
4. The Skeleton Key: 172,890 (TV3, 8:30pm - 10:40pm)
5. Midsomer Murders: 119,150 (PRIME, 8:30pm - 10:30pm)

Most watched daytime (9am - 5pm)

I read in one of yesterday's papers that Broadcasting Minister Jonathan Coleman had asked TVNZ chairman Sir John Anderson to prepare a plan to potentially separate the commercial and public broadcasting roles of the state broadcaster.

The Government is moving to set up TVNZ 7 as a public service broadcaster, leaving TV One and the other TVNZ channels to focus on making money.

Coleman yesterday confirmed his preference was to turn TVNZ 7 – and possibly TVNZ 6 – into public service-style channels.

Um. Isn't that already the case?  TVNZ 6 and TVNZ 7 are already publicly funded, non-commercial channels aren't they?