Reality sailors fail to meet ratings challenge

Local reality show The Ultimate Challenge has fallen victim to low ratings on TV One after just two episodes.

In the show, 12 novice sailors are trained to sail Sir Peter Blake's yacht Lion NZ in the 50th annual Auckland to Suva race.

TVNZ is moving the show from prime-time on Monday evenings to the dead zone of 4pm on a Saturday after viewers for its 7.30pm time slot nearly halved.

TVNZ publicist Zara Potts said it had not attracted the hoped-for ratings because the audience was tired of the adventure-based reality television genre.

"This sort of show is proving to be a bit of a struggle."

Total Media chief executive Martin Gillman said he was surprised Challenge had flopped. He said it was a good show, and given New Zealand's love of sailing it should have done well.

It was possible the personalities on the boat were not charismatic enough to keep attention.

Ms Potts said the 7.30pm time slot was very competitive and it was up against New Zealand Idol and the second half of special one-hour Shortland St shows on TV2.

It also faced 60 Minutes on TV3, which attracted an extra 190,000 viewers last Monday, boosting its audience share from 20 per cent to 29 per cent.

TV One used to screen Coast Watch and Piha Rescue on Monday evenings.