It's been described as Fame meets Home and Away, and it's looking to be TVNZ's latest recipe for success.
After three years in development, Karaoke High began airing on TV2 this week, filling in the 7pm time slot left vacant by TVNZ's flagship soap opera Shortland Street.
Ratingsso far look to be only slightly down on the medical drama, which is typical of viewing patterns at this time of year, according to TVNZ spokesperson Robin Field.
The average audience size during Shortland Street's final week last week was 409,500, while the average audience size over the past three nights of Karaoke High has been 317,000.
Viewer response has been positive and message boards on TVNZ were filled with praise for the new series.
One fan, identified only as Whatever, said the show "should be on for longer than three weeks. It should be on for the whole year."
Other fans wrote that they preferred the programme to Shortland Street and that they would like to see it extended from its half hour format.
Field said TVNZ were very pleased with the series' launch and that the ratings were living up to expectations.
"It was put into the 7pm time slot which is a very valuable slot. It was put there anticipating good ratings and it's performing well for its slot," said Field.
The three-week long series also marked TVNZ's first venture into on-demand content when the debut episode was made available on the internet last week, prior to its on-screen premier.
The series, set at the fictional performing arts academy Kingston High, follows the trials and tribulations of aspiring teenage entertainers.
* Karaoke High screens weeknights on TV2 at 7.30pm, until January 5.
