KEY POINTS:
The battle for the remote is hotting up, with analysts predicting the latest ratings war to be the bloodiest yet.
All three free-to-air companies - TVNZ, TV3 and Prime - launched new seasons this month in a bid to lock in viewers and generate momentum for 2009.
TVNZ
kicked off its new season by scheduling proven winners such as Desperate Housewives, Lost and Grey's Anatomy to return in the same week.
TV3 is pinning some of its hopes on new reality show Wipeout Australia and returning favourites Bones and Numb3rs.
Prime, meanwhile, has a new season of Top Gear and hugely popular UK documentary series Stephen Fry in America.
Media commentator Martin Gilman said TVNZ's strong launch would make it the network to beat at a time when the credit crunch increased competition for viewers.
"During a depression, television viewing always increases because people choose to stay at home and watch more TV," said Gilman. "All three stations will be trying to win those audiences and it will be much harder than in previous years, simply because there is less money around. It will be a serious ratings battle."
Despite his praise for TVNZ, Gilman predicted ratings for all three companies would stay "pretty parallel for at least the first half of the year".
"The most important nights are Sunday and Monday - and that's where the main competition is going to be."
The Sunday night battleground will see Location, Location, Location and Sunday go up against Who Dares Wins, Top Town and Wipeout.
On Monday, Desperate Housewives on TV2 will go up against CSI on TV3, with TVOne offering Cops With Cameras.
Ratings for the week beginning Monday, February 16, the latest available, reveal TVOne and TV2 were the big winners.
They pulled in most viewers in key slots on most nights of the week in the total viewer category and 25-54 demographic - their target audience.
TV3, which concentrates on the 18-49 age group, was not far behind with shows such as CSI, House and America's Next Top Model all performing well.
TVNZ said no one was available to comment on viewing figures.
But TV3 director of programming Kelly Martin said her channel expected TVNZ to get good results with the return of its big hitters.
"We always have to factor in what shows will be up against TV3 but we expected that Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives would come back strong," she said.
"The writers' strike last year made for a weird year in terms of scheduling but this time there's a lot more of a level playing field."
Prime and Sky TV communications manager Lisa Franklin said the second series of Flight of the Conchords, which starts next month, would be a huge boost to ratings.
"Prime's returning favourites are the new series of Top Gear, the new series of America's Got Talent and perennial favourite Midsomer Murders in our popular Saturday night murder slot," she said.
