Viewers bail out halfway into M J doco
Nearly three quarters of a million New Zealanders tuned in for the first instalment of the Michael Jackson bombshell documentary Leaving Neverland.
However, just 40 per cent of the film’s total audience watched from start to finish. About 432,000 people switched off, after watching some of the shocking documentary on TVNZ1.
The documentary, which started on Sunday night, accuses the late King of Pop of paedophilia. His $2 billion estate denies the allegations but the film has rewritten history – painting a previous music industry legend as a serial sexual abuser.
Before it aired in New Zealand, news of the allegations had forced the music industry to reconsider Jackson’s legacy.
Radio stations in New Zealand were among the first in the world to ban his songs.
TVNZ said 716,000 viewers tuned in for the first half of Leaving Neverland. Another 13,000 streamed it live and 24,000 had watched it in full on TVNZ On Demand.
While more than 700,000 watched some of documentary, far fewer people made it through the entire 2-hour screening.
Less than half of the 716,000 total managed to stomach the entire show, a TVNZ spokeswoman said.
She said 284,000 viewers, aged 5 plus, watched all of it.
It screened at 8.30pm on Sunday. Part two was to start at the same time yesterday.
Part one of Leaving Neverland was one of Sunday’s most watched programmes at 8.30pm, according to the spokeswoman.
In the commercial age range of 25-54 years, 144,000 people watched the entire feature.
In the first instalment, two men alleged Jackson sexually abused them as boys.
James Safechuck and Wade Robson spoke with director Dan Reed, and gave detailed descriptions of abuse. They said the alleged abuse started with the singer instructing them to perform a sex act.
Reed also spoke to the families of the two men. Their mothers described Jackson as ‘‘childlike’’ and revealed they had forged a friendship with the singer. The boys’ families used to stay at Neverland, and said they were able to pick any guest room they wanted – but the guest rooms were always separate from Jackson’s house.