Hunter Valley digital viewing results revealed
25Jan10

Source: The Spy Report

Newcastle viewers love their digital channels, according to the first official release of channel viewing habits released this week.

GO!88, a part of the NBN/Nine Network, is Newcastle and the Hunter’s favourite channel, followed by ABC2 and Prime’s 7Two, while Southern Cross Ten sports channel One is the least watched.

The biggest nights for digital viewing in the Hunter are Thursday, Friday and Saturday, when the new channels account for as much as 10 per cent of viewing between them.

The reruns line-up of Get Smart, Hogan’s Heroes, Seinfeld and a movie on GO! snared 4.6 per cent of all Saturday night viewers in week three.

Prime TV network program manager Trevor Clarke has told The Newcastle Herald programs on digital channels were generally chosen to avoid cannibalising the ratings of main channels.

“If the program scheduled on Prime is attracting a mainly over-35 female audience, then our 7Two program will be targeted to young males, or vice versa,” Mr Clarke said.

“7Two is carefully scheduling programs like Ugly Betty to support what is happening on Prime, not to compete with it.”

Digital channels across the Hunter have attracted a combined 6.7% share, just behind SBS ONE on 7.4.