Holmes show becomes no-show for viewers

Prime TV chief executive Chris Taylor (left) and presenter Paul Holmes. File picture / Adrian Malloch

Broadcaster Paul Holmes has reached an all-time low in the ratings, slipping off the radar as less than half a per cent of the nation tunes in.

Holmes, whose show on Prime has struggled to pull in audiences since it started, was watched by just 16,100 viewers aged 5 and over recently, compared with the previous week's low of 19,800.

Although the lows fell at the end of the week, when every channel is affected by the Friday night slump, Holmes' ratings performance has failed to pick up since the move six weeks ago to 6pm from the cut-throat 7pm slot.

The biggest audience the show has achieved at 6pm has been 42,000, despite being handed a regular audience from Prime News, which consistently pulls in between 100,000 and 170,000 viewers.

But Prime's bosses continue to back the show, with chief executive Chris Taylor dismissing the single-night figures.

The show was picking up in the channel's target 25-54 demographic, said Mr Taylor, who has previously disputed the accuracy of the ratings. Several weeks ago just under 4000 people aged between 25 and 54 were watching; last week that figure got as high as 25,000.

"We had a bad couple of weeks and now it's looking to pick up. What we're trying to do is change habit and it's proving more difficult than we thought. I'm not disappointed at this point [with its performance in the new 6pm slot]."

The programme was losing money, he said, but he stood behind it. "In any business you have to sustain losses before you make a profit. If you see the potential's there, you're prepared to wear those losses."

Taylor said further down the track more changes to the show would be made, and reminded viewers there was much more to Prime than Holmes.

"Paul's a very important part, but it's 2 1/2 hours out of 50 prime time hours. There's so much other good stuff."

The week before Holmes left TV One
Nov 1, 2004: 560,000 viewers

First week at Prime

Feb 7, 2005: 151,160 viewers

First week at 6pm

June 10: 19,800 viewers

Fourth week at 6pm

July 1: 16,100 viewers

- HERALD ON SUNDAY