Four launch pleases network

Flight of the Conchords duo Bret McKenzie (right) and Jemaine Clement have cemented their star status with an appearance on The Simpsons. Photo / Supplied

It's too early to say whether or not the giant duck in the harbour and tantalising billboards have paid off, but the director of programming at Mediaworks TV, Kelly Martin, says the network is pleased with the launch of new channel Four.

"We're happy with Sunday night's numbers, they were good. [Monday] night they were okay, and I think that's what it's going to be like for the next wee while. We are realistic, it's going to take a long time, but we are in here for the long haul," she says.

The youth-oriented channel was rolled out on Sunday, with the Flight of the Conchords episode of The Simpsons. The lineup of Family Guy, The Simpsons and film White Chicks attracted 8.2 per cent of the potential audience in the 18-to-49 age bracket from 6.30-8.30pm - an increase of 228 per cent from the previous Sunday, when C4 pulled 2.5 per cent of the potential viewers in the same time slot. On Monday, when it was up against some competitive programming on sister channel TV3 and rivals TV2 and TV One, Four attracted 5.3 per cent of potential viewers in its target demographic, up from 3.6 per cent on C4 the previous week.

Four will have even more competition thrown at it next month, when TVNZ launches its new digital youth-orientated channel U on March 13.

-TimeOut