TVNZ follows Nine. It’s not only the Nine Network in Australia that is grappling with a possible new news broadcast in the early evening, or rather replacing the existing poor performer with an expanded national bulletin. The faltering TVNZ is considering going down that route, along with possible game shows and lifestyle programs to try and reboot slumping ratings. The late afternoon news has been a staple of Australian TV for some years now in various guises, as have game shows (Deal or No Deal on Seven, the Price Is Right on Nine and Seven, Family Feud on Nine) but New Zealand has tended to remain aloof from these crass Australian ideas. The Prime and TV3 (Media Works, the old Ten Network associate) networks have more of an Australian feel and TV3 is doing better than TVNZ. But TVNZ wants to change to establish some difference to the competition (and to Sky TV, the Pay TV business owned by News Corp). Hence ideas like a late afternoon news. And it is no coincidence that TVNZ’s recently appointed News boss is former Nine network producer, Anthony Flannery. To him a late afternoon early evening news would be fairly normal, but in NZ TV terms, it’s radical. Likewise game shows and lifestyle programs, although NZ does have quite a few home-grown lifestyle/observational docos style programs (as Border Patrol, Serious Crash Unit, Neighbours At War and Motorway Patrol, all of which are seen here on Australian TV). TVNZ’s head of television, Jeff Latch, said yesterday a formal decision was likely to be made in six to eight weeks. — Glenn Dyer

Live at five, dead at six. Discussion continues about the possible introduction of a 5pm news on the Nine Network hosted by Ray Martin. Old folk with memories remember Nine’s first attempt to do this with a news-based show. It became known as “Live at Five, Dead At Six” for its impact on Nine News. The Seven Network has also unsuccessfully tried news at 5pm. All these experiments were introduced when early evening audiences were much larger and there was no Pay TV, public transport was better and the commute home was shorter. The people thinking about this at Nine — Ian Audsley (Ex-Seven network), Ian Law (no TV experience), Garry Linnell (no TV history), Jeff Browne (nil TV experience or history), John Choueifate (Sydney news director, not at Nine then) — have no corporate memory of what worked or failed in the past. All they want is a cheap, quick-fix to the problems of Nine’s news when the problem is in the news (reporters, look, readers) and at 5.30pm. — Glenn Dyer

Last night’s TV ratings
The Winners: The Nine Network and Sea Patrol sailed away with the ratings points last night, but Seven kept in close enough touch to give it a very good chance of winning the week once again. Sea Patrol averaged 1.624 million people, down a bit from last week, but enough to dominate. Getaway at 7.30pm had another strong night for Nine, averaging 1.503 million people. Seven News was got 1.449 million and Today Tonight was next with 1.346 million people. Nine News got 1.246 million and Seven’s final double ep of Lost for the season was got 1.162 million. A Current Affair had 1.162 million. Seven’s Home And Away was had 1.154 million (and won the competitive 7pm slot battle), with the 7pm ABC News second with 1.128 million people. The Footy Show (NRL/AFL) got 1.051 million, with over 40% of the audience in Melbourne alone. The NRL program did poorly in Sydney and Brisbane. That ’70’s Show on Seven at 7.30pm to 8.30pm averaged 1.068 million and Nine’s Temptation averaged 1.051 million at 7pm. It was the 12th and final program with a million or more viewers.

The Losers: Ten had a poor night, not one program with a million or more viewers. Neighbours at 6.30pm lost the gains from the revamp earlier in the week to average 852,000, Big Brother at 7pm averaged 989,000 (should be doing better this late in the season) and the two Law and Order: Criminal Intents at 8.30pm (883,000) and 9.30pm, (953,000) were below par.

News & CA: Seven News again won nationally and in every market but Brisbane. Today Tonight won everywhere bar Brisbane and Melbourne. Ten News at Five averaged 852,000. The Late News/Sports Tonight averaged 413,000. The 7.30 Report averaged 873,000, Lateline 244,000 and Lateline Business, 137,000. Nine’s Nightline 175,000. World News Australia, 243,000 at 6.30pm, 9.30pm, 160,000. 7am Sunrise 383,000, 7am Today, 250,000. 9am Morning, 161,000, KAK at 9am on Nine, 108,000; 9AM with David and Kim, 85,000.

The Stats: Nine won with a share of 31.4% (33.2%) from Seven with 27.0% (26.5%), Ten with 20.0% (20.1%), the ABC with 14.0% (13.9%) and SBS with 7.6% (6.2%). Thanks Rexy, 480,000 viewers for the repeat at 7.30pm. Nine won all five metro markets, Seven leads the week 27.4% to 26.6% for Nine. No regional figures available.

Glenn Dyer’s comments: Seven will win tonight with the AFL more popular than the Rugby League on Nine, and tomorrow night should be a close win to Nine. But Seven will have enough in the tank for a small win. Nine has three movies in a row Saturday night, surely the mark of a desperate programming crew. Sea Patrol was a bit predictable…detention, boat people, attractive boat person woman, single navy man, gets close…the Vaseline is applied, err, to the lens…But it was more entertaining than Brat Camp on the ABC, Law And Order on Ten and the departing Lost on Seven. And better than the NRL Footy Show; it needs to be kicked out of touch, on the full and out of the network.