ThreeNews debuted on Saturday night, just 24 hours after Newshub Live at 6pm went to air for the final time, and Sam Hayes and Mike McRoberts bid their viewers farewell. But how did the new-look news show rate with Kiwi viewers?

It’s now been revealed how the half-hour news offering rated with audiences compared with competitor TVNZ’s 1News at Six on Saturday and Sunday.

According to Nielsen, ThreeNews’ Saturday night bulletin reached nearly 340,000 people aged 5 and over – an increase of 89% from the previous week and 32% compared to the bulletin on the same date last year. On streaming platform ThreeNow, views were up 19% on the previous average over four weeks.

Seven Sharp co-host Hilary Barry (from left), 1News at 6pm presenter Simon Dallow, Breakfast presenter Jenny May Coffin and TVNZ chief correspondent John Campbell. Photo / TVNZ

Sunday’s ThreeNews bulletin reached 300,000 viewers in the same demographic.

Three’s weekend bulletins reached a combined total of 500,000 people, according to Warner Brothers Discovery.

Over at TVNZ, 1News at Six had an average overnight audience of 418,000 people in the 5 and over age demographic, reaching 687,000 people in total on Saturday night, while on Sunday, the bulletin had an average overnight audience of 632,900 in the same age bracket and reached 943,1000 people in total.

A TVNZ spokesperson noted that these numbers did not include those watching on the streaming site TVNZ+.

The ThreeNews weekend bulletins are hosted by Laura Tupou, while Samantha Hayes will host an hour-long bulletin on weeknights. Melissa Stokes hosts 1News at 6pm on the weekends, while Simon Dallow hosts during the week.

Reviewing the first ThreeNews show on Saturday night, the NZ Herald’s Shayne Currie weighed in for Media Insider.

• Francesca Rudkin: The verdict on the new Three News bulletin
• 'Thrilled': Samantha Hayes to host new-look 6pm TV bulletin
• 'Should have happened years ago': Paul Henry on Newshub closure

“Some television experts have questioned whether a digital publishing company has the skill set to produce consistently excellent bulletins, with high production values,” wrote Currie.

“Based on Saturday’s opening bulletin, it clearly can – the challenge now is to do it day in, day out. That includes a full hour-long bulletin on weekdays.”

“The first of the ratings will emerge in the next few days – they will give us a better understanding of how much interest there is in the new-look proprietor. The more interesting ratings will be those in a month’s time, once audience patterns and interest have settled.”

Samantha Hayes and Mike McRoberts fronting the final Newshub 6pm bulletin. Photo / Three

It comes after an emotional Hayes and Mike McRoberts delivered the final 6pm Newshub bulletin last week, signing off after 34 years on air.

Footage from some of the biggest news events covered by the broadcaster over the years was screened, with images of 9/11, the war on terror, the Christchurch mosque shootings and earthquakes, Covid lockdowns and All Blacks triumphs pulled from the 3 News archives.

“We’ve been through a lot, NZ, since that first news hour in 1989,” McRoberts said.

“We’ve travelled the world to bring you the biggest stories, from conflicts to natural disasters. We’ve poured cold water on some extraordinary claims, and waded in as our neighbours, the lucky country, weren’t so lucky.

“We’ve loved bringing you the news. Thank you, New Zealand.”