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The battle begins for your early-morning viewing

It’s the old guard of TVNZ’s team versus the new kids on the block on Three as both shows return to the airwaves. Anna Murray reports.

As the team at TVNZ’s Breakfast once again ready the early alarm for their return to our screens on Monday, the show is also preparing for another competitor, in the form of the revamped AM.

AM is the latest iteration of Three’s morning TV slot that has been home to several different programmes since Sunrise first aired in 2007.

There have been name changes and format changes, and some have given TVNZ a good run for its money, although none has had the staying power of Breakfast, which is approaching a quarter-century on air.

But despite claiming to have won 100 per cent of mornings in the 5+ demographic last year, chances are the Breakfast team will still be looking across at their latest competition with some wariness. Because the new team assembled for AM is undoubtedly a strong one.

That lineup now includes Ryan Bridge, already familiar to morning viewers after stepping in at The AM Show after Duncan Garner’s abrupt resignation last year, as well as Melissa ChanGreen and Bernadine Oliver-Kerby, two experienced broadcasters.

Rounding out the team is their wildcard, William Waiirua, who has been given roving weather presenting duties. And what he lacks in experience broadcasting across three hours of live TV every day (which ain’t no joke), he makes up for in charisma.

Sarah Bristow, Discovery’s Director of News at Newshub, is confident the team has what it takes to topple Breakfast in the ratings.

‘‘Mel and Ryan will be the most vibrant, energetic, and inquisitive morning TV hosts in New Zealand,’’ she says.

‘‘Bernadine brings credibility across news and sports, which is matched by William’s boundless energy, humour, and cheekiness. I can’t wait for audiences to see what the team has been working on behind the scenes.’’

Breakfast will be hoping to get the jump on the competition by being back on air a week before AM launches on February 8.

AM, on the other hand, will have viewer curiosity on its side when it does hit our screens.

Breakfast appears to be trying to counter that novelty factor by introducing a few new elements of its own though. TVNZ is being coy about a new set it has invested in for Breakfast, but presenter Matty McLean says viewers will be ‘‘really excited at the fresh way we’re presenting our show’’.

‘‘The immediate difference you’ll notice is our set,’’ he says, which features designs by Auckland artist Flox. ‘‘It’s fun, it’s modern, and it allows for us to change up how we present different segments.

He is also telling viewers not to expect ‘‘the same old’’ this year. ‘‘If you’re new to Breakfast, or you haven’t been with us in a while, you won’t be disappointed. But if you’re one of our amazing viewers who stick with us regularly, you’ll still get the same show you know and love – just with a bit of a twist.’’

Paul Yurisich, TVNZ’s Head of News and Current Affairs agrees the first thing viewers will notice on Monday is the new set.

‘‘We have invested in something that’s very different to what anyone has had here before and I expect a few people to go ‘wow!’ ’’ he says.

He adds other changes are coming to the show, saying they don’t want anyone getting tired of how Breakfast does things.

‘‘As you’ll see on Monday, we want to present our content differently, balance our interviews with other creative storytelling and innovative ways of looking at issues, and all the team will have an equal part to play.’’

But new personnel and fancy new sets aside, this year’s ratings battle will also hinge on what early-morning viewers are in the mood for, because there will likely be a difference in style and tone between the two shows.

While Breakfast still brings the silly at times (because this is early morning telly and those are the rules), the show has offered a more hard-hitting current affairs agenda since John Campbell joined its lineup in 2019. AM is obviously yet to broadcast an episode, but the presenting lineup alone, especially with Waiirua in the mix, probably means there will be a little more entertainment to go with its news.

But each show will also be fighting an increasingly fluid media landscape. The ways in which people get their news and entertainment in the mornings are ever-changing, as TV continues to compete with social media, radio, and podcasts.

Whether the tried-and-true Breakfast formula holds on to its spot at the top of the TV ratings or the new AM team chips away at that advantage remains to be seen – but it’s clear both channels will need to consistently bring their A-game in the battle for Kiwis’ eyes and ears this year.

New personnel and fancy new sets aside, this year’s ratings battle will also hinge on what early-morning viewers are in the mood for, because there will likely be a difference in style and tone between the two shows.

Entertainment

en-nz

2022-01-28T08:00:00.0000000Z

2022-01-28T08:00:00.0000000Z

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