3 News reporter returns to NZ after being deported from Fiji

3 News political reporter Sia Aston has returned to New Zealand after being deported from Fiji by the military-led government.

Aston and cameraman Matt Smith were detained in a room by the military for five hours and had all of their footage confiscated after officials were not happy with their news reports.

"They wanted nothing but positive stories about the regime, the interim government. Anything outside that is just not allowed," said Aston.

The pair were guarded overnight by police and soldiers before being escorted to the airport and banned from the pacific country indefinitely.

ABC Australia's Sean Dorney was also deported from Fiji at the same time as the 3 News crew.

TVNZ's Barbara Dreaver was thrown out of Fiji in December last year.

TV news ratings for April 9, 2009

The following is the television news show viewership for Thursday April 9, 2009.

TVNZ / TV3
NZI Business - 37,800 / ASB Business - 28,880
Breakfast - 107,030 / Sunrise - 31,710
One News Midday - 107,140/ 3 News at 12 - 55,370
One News - 550,860 / 3 News - 298,740
Close Up - 444,110 / Campbell Live - 164,420
Tonight - 155,940 / Nightline - 131,570

Source: AGB NMR (Measurement: All people 5 years and over - average audience nationwide)
NB: NZI Business screens at 6.00am, while ASB Business screens at 6.30am during the first half hour of Breakfast.

Pippa Wetzell gives birth to a baby girl

Statement from Anthony Flannery:
TVNZ Breakfast Presenter, Pippa Wetzell had a baby girl this morning (Saturday, 11th April) and has named her, Cameron Jade (born 8lb 9oz).

I'm stoked about the safe arrival of little Cameron as is everyone at TVNZ and we pass on our very best wishes to Pippa and Torrin.

Pippa plans to return to Breakfast later this year and while we look forward to that we also want her to take all the time she can to hang out with her little girls, it's such precious time that passes so quickly.

I'm sure there will be many viewers wanting to pass on their congratulations and they are welcome to email a message to Pippa from the Breakfast page on our website which we will forward to her, www.tvnz.co.nz/breakfast.

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TV news ratings for April 8, 2009

The following is the television news show viewership for Wednesday April 8, 2009.

TVNZ / TV3
NZI Business - 66,790 / ASB Business - 22,890
Breakfast - 148,600 / Sunrise - 19,510
One News Midday - 117,590/ 3 News at 12 - 36,480
One News - 583,250 / 3 News - 347,450
Close Up - 517,770 / Campbell Live - 177,590
Tonight - 124,230 / Nightline - 108,550

Source: AGB NMR (Measurement: All people 5 years and over - average audience nationwide)
NB: NZI Business screens at 6.00am, while ASB Business screens at 6.30am during the first half hour of Breakfast.

TV news ratings for April 7, 2009

The following is the television news show viewership for Tuesday April 7, 2009.

TVNZ / TV3
NZI Business - 53,590 / ASB Business - 13,320
Breakfast - 126,650 / Sunrise - 22,770
One News Midday - 114,880/ 3 News at 12 - 41,550
One News - 717,570 / 3 News - 365,380
Close Up - 505,770 / Campbell Live - 211,770
Tonight - 115,050 / Nightline - 138,500

Source: AGB NMR (Measurement: All people 5 years and over - average audience nationwide)
NB: NZI Business screens at 6.00am, while ASB Business screens at 6.30am during the first half hour of Breakfast.

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TV news ratings for April 6, 2009

The following is the television news show viewership for Monday April 6, 2009.

TVNZ / TV3
NZI Business - 62,150 / ASB Business - 11,230
Breakfast - 124,660 / Sunrise - 25,160
One News Midday - 113,000/ 3 News at 12 - 19,990
One News - 653,180 / 3 News - 360,940
Close Up - 555,370 / Campbell Live - 251,440
Tonight - 124,790 / Nightline - 82,780

Source: AGB NMR (Measurement: All people 5 years and over - average audience nationwide)
NB: NZI Business screens at 6.00am, while ASB Business screens at 6.30am during the first half hour of Breakfast.

TV news ratings for April 3, 2009

The following is the television news show viewership for Friday April 3, 2009.

TVNZ / TV3
NZI Business - 48,860 / ASB Business - 660
Breakfast - 112,580 / Sunrise - 8,850
One News Midday - 102,370/ 3 News at 12 - 16,510
One News - 556,110 / 3 News - 219,950
Close Up - 443,340 / Campbell Live - 156,300
Tonight - 167,980 / Nightline - 125,390

Source: AGB NMR (Measurement: All people 5 years and over - average audience nationwide)
NB: NZI Business screens at 6.00am, while ASB Business screens at 6.30am during the first half hour of Breakfast.

TV3 plan to revive Agenda

TV3 have confirmed that they are planning their own political show in an attempt to force TVNZ's Q+A off the air.

Funds for Q+A end in June and this is when TV3 are proposing to launch their own show, meaning that both shows will have to compete for NZ On Air funding.

"NZ On Air will have to decide whether it will fund Q+A or whether they fund ours. My pick is there won't be two political shows," said TV3 news and current affairs director Mark Jennings.

Making things even more interesting is the announcement that TV3's show will be called Agenda - the show TVNZ dumped in favour of Q+A.

Richard Harman, former producer of TVNZ's Agenda, approached TV3 as soon as his show was dumped by the state broadcaster. TVNZ recently decided to replace Agenda with Q+A so that they could produce it in-house.

TV3 say that their political editor Duncan Garner will most definitely be involved if their version of Agenda goes ahead, and that they will also approach Radio New Zealand's Morning Report presenter Sean Plunket to be co-host.

Q+A is presented by Paul Holmes, Therese Arseneau, and TVNZ political editor Guyon Espiner.

TV news ratings for April 2, 2009

The following is the television news show viewership for Thursday April 2, 2009.

TVNZ / TV3
NZI Business - 35,190 / ASB Business - 5,270
Breakfast - 134,500 / Sunrise - 37,600
One News Midday - 99,310/ 3 News at 12 - 31,730
One News - 536,960 / 3 News - 272,860
Close Up - 470,170 / Campbell Live - 182,860
Tonight - 132,660 / Nightline - 124,010

Source: AGB NMR (Measurement: All people 5 years and over - average audience nationwide)
NB: NZI Business screens at 6.00am, while ASB Business screens at 6.30am during the first half hour of Breakfast.

New logo for C4

C4 unveiled a new logo this week, however it was not as exciting as such an event could be.

Apart from the network promo that screens between some shows, most of the on-air look has remained exactly the same with the new logo just sitting where the old one used to.

The new style looks as though the old logo has been rolled out to sit flat, and to be honest it is nothing at all spectacular. Although it has already begun to grow on me, my initial thought was that the previous version was better.

However, one thing many will be happy about is that the watermark at the bottom of the screen during shows is now grey rather than coloured, and is a lot smaller and less intrusive. A large number of viewers had been complaining on message boards about the old logo getting in the way of shows such as 24.

Comedy Central begins on Sky

Comedy Central went live on Sky channel 010 yesterday, rather fitting for April Fools day.

The channel will be run by MTV Australian & New Zealand, who also operate our MTV and Nickelodeon channels on Sky.

Although Comedy Central is perhaps the world's biggest comedy brand, this is the first time the channel has been available in the Southern Hemisphere.

The 24/7 Sky channel will feature classic comedy shows such as Frasier, The Goodies, Seinfeld, and The Young Ones as well as recent hits including 30 Rock, Entourage, and How I Met Your Mother.

TV news ratings for April 1, 2009

The following is the television news show viewership for Wednesday April 1, 2009.

TVNZ / TV3
NZI Business - 39,100 / ASB Business - 16,310
Breakfast - 134,830 / Sunrise - 32,150
One News Midday - 136,670/ 3 News at 12 - 29,340
One News - 555,190 / 3 News - 344,980
Close Up - 432,190 / Campbell Live - 148,610
Tonight - 151,940 / Nightline - 136,620

Source: AGB NMR (Measurement: All people 5 years and over - average audience nationwide)
NB: NZI Business screens at 6.00am, while ASB Business screens at 6.30am during the first half hour of Breakfast.

TV news ratings for March 2009

The following is the average television news & current affairs show viewership for the month of March, 2009.

TVNZ / TV3
NZI Business - 39,600 / ASB Business - 10,460
Breakfast - 124,130 / Sunrise - 25,920
One News Midday - 103,320 / 3 News at 12 - 35,100
One News - 554,710 / 3 News - 305,630
Close Up - 441,560 / Campbell Live - 198,200
Tonight - 170,210 / Nightline - 134,470

Sunday - 473,250 / 60 Minutes - 282,650
Fair Go - 523,710 / Target - 286,060
20/20 - 335,890


Source: AGB NMR (Measurement: All people 5 years and over - average audience nationwide)