John Campbell, Heather du Plessis-Allan, Duncan Garner, Mike Hosking and Pippa Wetzell
John Campbell, Heather du Plessis-Allan, Duncan Garner, Mike Hosking and Pippa Wetzell
TV3's new current affairs show Story faces an uphill battle to win back viewers. Here are five of the biggest obstacles it needs to overcome.
Now we've got bad blood
John Campbell's tear-jerking departure from TV3 was only four weeks ago, and it still stings. What makes matters worse is the way he was replaced: first with reality show Road Cops, then with a locally produced version of UK show Come Dine With Me being fast-tracked into the 7pm slot. Some viewers threatened TV3 boycotts, others switched over to TV One (see below). They haven't forgotten what happened, so Story's biggest obstacle is surely winning back those with a bad case of the TV3 blues.
Since the demise of Campbell Live, Seven Sharp has seen a major boost in its ratings. On Tuesday, it had its biggest night ever with a whopping 675,000 viewers tuning in. Campbell Live's biggest ratings were for its last show, topping 500,000 for the first time. When Story debuts, it needs to become appointment viewing, hitting hard, with big interviews, good gets, and issues that can win back viewers - and respect.
That name
What's the story with Story, TV3? Sure, we get that Du Plessis-Allan at Seven and Duncan's the Boss wouldn't quite work, but surely a quick brainstorming session could come up with something better than Story. Story signifies a blank page, an empty vessel, or the equivalent of Kanye West's cover art for Yeezus - a see-through jewel case featuring a rewritable CD inside. We're not sold on the name - let's hope you prove us wrong.
Divisive hosts
Journalist John Campbell. Photo / Greg Bowker
Let's face facts: people tuned into Campbell Live because of John Campbell. His heart-on-sleeve presenting style wasn't for everyone, but he had a way of winning people over and an easy, personable presence. Duncan Garner and Heather du Plessis-Allan are bigger, more divisive characters. That full-on attitude could work - but one of them is going to need to tone things down. Stay off the triple-shot lattes before broadcast Garner, it's for the best.
Stay away from celebrities
With Rachel Glucina signed up and so many prime time reality shows on screen, TV3 runs the risk of turning into New Zealand's version of the E! Channel. Rumours abound they're about to cut their 6pm news hour in half, and after the Campbell Live debacle, we need to see some stability in their news and current affairs production. So please, don't give us interviews with celeb dancers, rookie renovators, aspiring singers or Bachelorettes. There's enough of that already.
