Hostage drama coverage draws ire of 'Coronation St' fans

By ALAN PERROTT

TVNZ received numerous complaints about its decision to cut into TV One's scheduled programmes to screen live the explosive end to the Russian hostage siege.

However, Friday's bloody climax to the hostage drama was a ratings winner, according to ACNielsen media research. The coverage attracted 13 per cent of the potential national audience - 2 per cent behind Holmes and Rick Stein's Food Heroes, which screened earlier on the same night - and 44 per cent of all viewers watching at that time.

The equivalent 9.30pm to 11.30pm slot on August 13, preceding the high-rating Olympic coverage, averaged a 6 per cent national rating.

TV One cut into its scheduled programmes at 9.20pm on Friday to screen the CNN coverage of Russian troops storming the school in North Ossetia being held by Chechen rebels.

Most advertising breaks were abandoned and the network's normal programming did not return until 11.30pm.

A TVNZ spokeswoman said the decision caused a flurry of calls from viewers complaining they had lost the last 10 minutes of Coronation St Secrets: Undressed.

She said some viewers complained the action had nothing to do with New Zealand and so should not cost them their normal Friday evening viewing.

Two other shows affected by the CNN coverage of the Russian drama were Absolute Power and a rerun of The Office. Both programmes will screen this Friday.

The reshuffle will also mean international news programme Foreign Correspondent will not begin until September 24.

TVNZ head of publicity Avon Adams said the decision to break into the schedule had been planned by the head of news, Bill Ralston, and head of content, Stephen Smith, should events come to a head.

She said the event was of global significance and presenting the attack was part of TVNZ's role as a public service broadcaster.

The network will compensate advertisers who lost prepaid broadcast time.

TVNZ pays a set fee for 24-hour access to CNN coverage.

A spokeswoman for TV3 said the private network would have taken live coverage of the drama in Russia as well, but its international provider, America's ABC, was concentrating on the US presidential election.