Complaints about timing of programmes

Press, 11 March 1983, Page 15

Complaints about timing of programmes

Sir.—So at last "On the Mat" has arrived back on our screens. Well, I suppose a programme that is produced in New Zealand and exported to many countries has a fairly modest following in its own country. However. TVNZ sees fit to show it at 10.55 p.m. which also was about the showing time of some of the programmes last year. In view of the fact that "The Sweeney." which precedes "On the Mat," has much more violence, murder, professional crime, etc., I would like to know why TVNZ screens “On the Mat" at such a late time in comparison with showing "The Sweeney" earlier and what rating does each programme have in comparison with each other? Do locally-produced programmes get any prefer-

ence? - Yours, etc.. R. J. THOM ‘Prisoner’ Sir.—l was amazed to find that “Prisoner" has been changed to 10.55 p.m. on a Thursday evening, which now means that it finishes at 11.45 p.m. It would be appreciated if the person in charge of television programming could advise myself and all other “Prisoner” fans who have to work, why the programme has been switched to a later timeslot? I had thought "Prisoner" was repeated at night, to enable working people to see it. This is now impossible, due to the late timeslot. Another point is the fact

that the programme. "Minder." which a repeat night-time programme, is on at 10 p.m. before “Prisoner." Why couldn't these two programmes have been changed around” To myself and most other working people I know, "Prisoner" is one of the best programmes on television. — Yours, etc.. D. I. PERANO (Mrs) (TVNZs controller of programming. Mr D. J. Monaghan, replies: "1. Audience surveys reveal a 9 per cent share of audience for ‘On the Mat’ and 19 per cent for ‘The Sweeney'. 2. Although ‘Prisoner’ is popular with afternoon audiences, the evening repeats have proved less acceptable to a majority of viewers."]