TV news wars step up a gear

Early-evening television viewers may soon have few options besides news if plans for a current affairs programme proceed on TV2.

As the competition for prime-time viewers heats up, it has been revealed that Television New Zealand is considering running a news show on TV2 at 6pm or 6.30pm.

While the format is unknown, many in the industry speculate that the show will target the youth market so the state broadcaster does not cannibalise OneNews viewers.

TVNZ public affairs manager Megan Richards said investigations were under way but it was too early to say if the plan would go ahead.

"It's been a poorly kept secret that we are interested in the concept but there is nothing concrete yet. They are investigating whether it's a feasibility but it's incredibly early days."

In November, TV2's youth news programme Flipside, which ran at 5pm, was pulled due to low ratings.

At the time, TV3 news boss Mark Jennings said he was surprised by the cancellation but that he understood TVNZ was developing another current events programme aimed at the 18-39 age bracket.

TV3 director of marketing Roger Beaumont said establishing a credible news service with good ratings was a long and hard process.

However, Mr Beaumont said New Zealanders had a "strong appetite" for news and current affairs and that had contributed to TV3's decision to introduce a current affairs show in April. It will run at 7pm against Paul Holmes' new programme on Prime.

Prime Chief Executive Chris Taylor said a news programme at 6pm was a good idea but he was surprised that TVNZ would want to cannibalise its hour-long news on TV1.

Mr Taylor said Prime would watch what TVNZ did with interest.

Ms Richards said TVNZ head of news and current affairs Bill Ralston had previously stated that any news show that proceeded on TV2 would be done "extremely carefully and after a great deal of research".

"It's not something we would launch into without a great deal of care and preparation," she said.

"It's at the feasibility stage, just looking at what the options are and what the market is like."

Dr Joe Atkinson, a senior lecturer of political studies at Auckland University, said there was a market for another news programme but only if it offered something different from what was already available.

Dr Atkinson said there was a market for youth news, however Flipside had been along those lines and did not work out.

Meanwhile, Paul Homes has apparently secured a big name for his first interview in the impending current affairs war: Jonah Lomu.

The self-titled current affairs programme kicks off on February 7 as Prime fights to take a share of the audience from TVNZ and TV3.

Holmes regularly interviewed former All Black Jonah Lomu on his long-running TVNZ show and has convinced him to be his opening interview, say insiders.