Bruce Forsyth top of Christchurch TV poll

Press, 5 October 1977, Page 11

Bruce Forsyth top of Christchurch TV poll

By

KEN COATES

The most popular television programme with viewers in the Christchurch urban area during August was “Bruce Forsyth and the Generation Game,” according to the latest Broadcasting Corporation audience survey. Almost as highly rated was "The Muppet Show,” which gained a following of 43 per cent of viewers over the four weeks. August 6 to August 27. Fortyfour per cent watched Bruce Forsyth. The area surveyed was within a radius of 40 kilometres of the centre of Christchurch. The survey is based on samples each week with a population base of 279,000, aged 10 years and over. Television One remains a clear leader in its share of the audience in Christchurch, with 59.8 per cent, against TV2’s 402 per cent. South Pacific had little to match TVl’s earlySaturday evening line-up. The “family movie” slot drew only 22 per cent, with “Are You Being Served” and “On the Buses” drawing 19 per cent. “Upstairs. Downstairs,” which began on the last Saturday of the four weeks surveyed, raised t' - rating for TV2 to 20 p* cent. Television One's news

staff should derive satisfaction from the top rating the 6.30 p.m. news achieves on Sundays. In fact, the early-evening news consistently draws a major following throughout the week. Both “Sunday’s World.’’ the local magazine programme originating in turn in each of the four main centres, gained 32

per cent of viewers, and they stayed on to watch the TVI production, “Hellow Goodbye.” ‘‘Dickens of London” drew 25 per cent, “Seven Days,” 20 per cent, but the quality 8.8. C. series, “The Glittering Prizes,” in the 9.30 slot drew only 13 per cent. South Pacific’s Sunday programme, “On the Mat,” drew 27 per cent, and viewers stayed with the channel to watch "Alias Smith and Jones.” Over on TVI, “Arena,” the arts programme managed only a 5 per cent viewing. Later in the evening, on TV2, the most popular programmes were “Cilla’s World of Comedy,” and Sunday feature films. Dis—"ointingly, “Access” only 7 per cent, , ,jably because of its placement at 10 p.m..

while the later still “Father Brown” and ‘ Jennie” attracted only 5 per cent. On Mondays, TVl’s 6.30 news pulled in 40 per cent of viewers — possibly because of the strong pull of the preceding programme, ‘‘That’s My Mama,” with 24 per cent. TV2’s 6 p.m. news drew 16 per cent. “Close to Home” (32 ‘ per cent) maintained the edge for TVI, with 16'per . cent for “Cher” on TV2 opposite. One episode of “Sutherland’s Law” and three of “Wings” drew 36 per cent, as against 24 per cent for TV2’s “Movin’ On.” As expected M.A.S.H. continued to attract a major following on TVI on Tuesdays — 40 per cent of viewers. “Survivors,” at 36 per cent, was also popular on TVI. Top billing on TV2 for Tuesdays was the 8.30 movie, with a rating of 22 per cent. “After Ten,” the current affairs show, gained 6 per cent. Wednesday is the only day on which ratings for TV2 approach those for

TVI. Viewers are almost evenly divided between “Doctor in Charge,” at 30 per cent, and “Within These Walls” (25 per cent) on South Pacific, and “The Streets of San Francisco” (30 per cent) and “All in the Family” (33 per cent) on TVI.

“Ironside” tapers off with 17 per cent on TV2, The first episode of “The Mackenzie Affair” pulled in 33 per cent of viewers. As expected, TVl’s “When the Boat Comes In” on Thursdays was popular with 33 per cent of viewers, but “The Nearly Man” at 10 p.m. attracted only 7 per cent. T V 2 ’ s “Opportunity Knocks” drew 20 per cent and “Dad’s Army,” 23 per cent.

Friday viewing maintained the pattern, with “Coronation Street,” “The Waltons” and “Kung Fu” being popular on TVI, and “Upstairs, Downstairs,” and the police programmes, “Blue Knight,” “Harry Five-0” and “Van der Valk” in top place on TV2. The first “News Stand” programme gained 5 per cent of viewers.