1989 in Australian television
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Below is a list of television-related events in 1989.
Events
- December 1988 / January – Network Ten during the Cricket / Australian Open season[citation needed]. One week into January 1989 the network announced that the show would not return. Reasons given for YTT's axing are very bad ratings. It was unable to match its rivals from Seven or Nine.
- January – Nine Network launches two brand new daytime talk shows: In Melbourne Today and In Sydney Today, which later merge to become Ernie and Denise.
- January – 1992 Barcelona Olympicsfor $40 million.
- 13 January – American police drama series Hill Street Blues switches over to broadcast on ABC.
- 25 January – E Street(1989–1993).
- 30 January – Network Ten launches a brand new local morning series called Til Ten (1989–1991) hosted by Andrew Harwood[citation needed] and Joan McInnes.
- 6 February – The Afternoon Show (1987–1993) returns to the ABC for another year with a brand new lineup of two programmes presented by James Valentine. The two programmes include the debut of the British children's animated series Count Duckula and a repeat of the very first episode of Doctor Who to feature Tom Baker, Robot.
- 11 February – Long running Australian soap opera Home and Away starts airing in the UK for the very first time on ITV.
- 13 February – Australian investigative journalism/current affairs program Four Corners (1961–present) returns to the ABC for another year with Andrew Olle as presenter once again.
- 14 February – A brand new Australian sitcom called Network Ten. The series ran for only one season and 13 episodes.
- 14 February – American sitcom Network Ten.
- 28 February – A brand new live comedy series The Big Gig premieres on ABC (1989–1992).
- 28 February – Australian miniseries Edens Lost debuts on ABC at 8:30pm. The series only ran for three episodes and was shown on three days and one week with a budget of only $A3.9 million.
- 6 March – .
- 7 March – Australian drama series G.P. (1989–1996) debuts on the ABC.
- 13 March – Australian version of the children's game show Network Ten.
- 15 March – First episode of the new Australian police drama Police Rescue (1989–1996) airs on the ABC.
- 17 March – TV Week Logie Awards, telecast on the Seven Networkfor the first time.
- 20 March – Midday with Ray Martin.
- 23 March – Long running Australian soap opera Home and Away begins airing on British forces television on BFBS and SSVC Television. The networks have transmitted the show in a range of countries including Germany, Cyprus and the Falkland Islands.
- 31 March – Phase 1 of Network Tenaffiliate.
- April – American TV executive Bob Shanks is hired by Network Tento lift its ailing ratings.
- 12 April – Accident-prone[Kath & Kim) premieres on Seven Network(1989–1992).
- 1 May – Australian children's programme Swap Shop returns to the ABC for a brand new series.
- 6 May – Final episode of the Australian music television series The Factory (1987–1989) is broadcast on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation at 9:00am.
- 8 May – Australian media analysis television program Media Watch (1989–2000, 2002–present) presented by Stuart Littlemore debuts on the ABC airing on Monday nights.
- 8 May – Australian 7 episode sitcom Dearest Enemy starring Grigor Taylor, Frank Wilson and Bruce Spence premieres on ABC.
- 26 May – Neighbours launches a newly revised theme song, with an overload of new cast members who will be "boned" or "suspended" from the soap indefinitely between now and 1994. Between August and November 1989 Neighbours suffered poor ratings with 290,000 national viewers compared to Seven's Home and Away 1,500,000 nationally. The new-look and re-recorded Neighbours theme was again sung by Barry Crocker, which was used until mid-1992.
- 13 June – Australian children's sitcom Pugwall (1989–1991) debuts on the Nine Network.
- 16 June – SBS launches a new television series called Eat Carpet (1989–2005). Hosted by Annette Shun Wah who was also the host of SBS's other television series MC Tee Vee and The Noise
- 3 July – A new nightly version of the former long-running weekly Australian music television show Lisa Collins and Daniel Woods. The show itself received a modest following and was axed the following year.
- 22 July – American animated series ThunderCats airs on Seven Network in Victoria for the first time.
- 23 July – After poor ratings, disgraced[Network Tenis relaunched as 10 TV Australia, introducing a new lineup with increased game show content. Most of the new shows are axed by the end of the year following bad ratings.
- 29 July – Australian game show 10 TV Australia at 7:30pm on Saturdays as part of the network's attempted revamp. Despite the show returning, only 12 episodes were lasted in the face of stiff competition of AFL coverage on most-watched[citation needed] rival Channel Seven.
- 9 August – Greek-Australian sitcom, Acropolis Now premieres on Seven Networkin Australia (1989–1992).
- September – Network Ten is sold to Steve Cosser, head of Broadcom Australia, for $22 million.[citation needed]
- 14 September – After very nasty[10 TV Australia.
- 9 October – Sat. 1with the title beginning translated to Nachbarn.
- 21 October – British science fiction sitcom Red Dwarf premieres on ABC.
- 22 October – The 1985 film Back to the Future starring Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd premieres on 10 TV Australia.
- November – Jacki MacDonald quits Hey Hey It's Saturday after 11 years. McDonald is replaced by Denise Drysdale when the show returns in 1990.
- 17 November – Australian dating game show 10 TV Australia. The show was cancelled due to poor ratings, failing to match the success of its 1984 series, which broke records for 5:30pm.
- December – The Seven Network wins the 1989 ratings year with a record of 34.0% share.[citation needed]
- 5 December – Australian soap opera TV3.
- 16 December – The late Australian rock musician 10 TV Australia called Spin.
- 31 December – Phase 2 of Aggregation of Television services occurs in Orange & Wagga Wagga, with aggregation occurring in Wollongong and Canberra in March.
Television
Debuts
Program | Network | Debut date |
---|---|---|
E Street
|
Network Ten
|
25 January |
Til Ten | Network Ten
|
30 January |
Australia's Most Wanted | Seven Network | 5 February |
Tanamera – Lion of Singapore | Network Ten
|
7 February |
The Family Business | Network Ten
|
14 February |
Edens Lost | ABC TV
|
28 February |
The Big Gig | ABC TV
|
28 February |
G.P. | ABC TV
|
7 March |
Double Dare
|
Network Ten
|
13 March |
Police Rescue | ABC TV
|
15 March |
The Bert Newton Show | Seven Network | 20 March |
The Power, The Passion | Seven Network | 20 March |
Couchman | ABC TV
|
12 April |
Fast Forward | Seven Network | 12 April |
Living with the Law | ABC TV
|
24 April |
Media Watch | ABC TV
|
8 May |
Dearest Enemy | ABC TV
|
8 May |
This Man... This Woman | ABC TV
|
24 May |
Bunyip
|
ABC TV
|
5 June |
Pugwall | Nine Network | 13 June |
Eat Carpet | SBS TV | 16 June |
Club 10 | Network Ten
|
17 June |
Countdown Revolution
|
ABC TV
|
3 July |
Shadow of the Cobra | Seven Network | 23 July |
Family Double Dare | 10 TV Australia
|
24 July |
Candid Camera on Australia | 10 TV Australia
|
25 July |
Superquiz
|
10 TV Australia
|
25 July |
Happy Hatchday to Plasmo | ABC TV
|
4 August |
Acropolis Now | Seven Network | 9 August |
Naked Under Capricorn | Nine Network | 17 September |
Cassidy | ABC TV
|
25 October |
Bangkok Hilton | 10 TV Australia
|
5 November |
Grim Pickings | Nine Network | 15 November |
Spin | 10 TV Australia
|
16 December |
Bright Sparks | Unknown | 1989 |
New international programming
Changes to network affiliation
This is a list of programs which made their premiere on an Australian television network that had previously premiered on another Australian television network. The networks involved in the switch of allegiances are predominantly both free-to-air networks or both subscription television networks. Programs that have their free-to-air/subscription television premiere, after previously premiering on the opposite platform (free-to air to subscription/subscription to free-to air) are not included. In some cases, programs may still air on the original television network. This occurs predominantly with programs shared between subscription television networks.
Domestic
Program | New network(s) | Previous network(s) | Date |
---|---|---|---|
The Price Is Right | 10 TV Australia
|
Seven Network | 29 July |
International
Program | New network(s) | Previous network(s) | Date |
---|---|---|---|
Hill Street Blues | ABC TV | Nine Network | 13 January |
Gumby | ABC TV | Seven Network | 20 February |
Minder | Seven Network | ABC TV | 2 May |
/ ThunderCats | Seven Network (Victoria) | 10 TV Australia (Victoria)
|
22 July |
Miami Vice | 10 TV Australia
|
Nine Network | 30 August |
The Abbott and Costello Cartoon Show | ABC TV | 10 TV Australia
|
9 October |
Floyd on Fish
|
ABC TV | SBS TV | 13 October |
Sea Urchins | 10 TV Australia
|
ABC TV | 1989 |
Television shows
1950s
- Mr. Squiggle and Friends(1959–1999)
1960s
- Four Corners (1961–present)
1970s
- Hey Hey It's Saturday (1971–1999)
- 60 Minutes (1979–present)
1980s
- Sale of the Century (1980–2001)
- Wheel of Fortune (1981–1996, 1996–2003, 2004–08)
- Sunday (1981–2008)
- The Price is Right(1981–1985, 1989, 1993–1998, 2003–2005, 2012)
- Today (1982–present)
- Neighbours (1985–present)
- The Flying Doctors (1986–1993)
- Rage (1987–present)
- Home and Away (1988–present)
- Seven's Super Saturday (1988–1990)
- The Comedy Company (1988–1990)
- Fast Forward (1989–1992)
- The Big Gig (1989–1991)
- G.P. (1989–1996)
- Til Ten (1989–1991)
Ending this year
Date | Show | Channel | Debut |
---|---|---|---|
January | Young Talent Time | Network Ten
|
1971 |
19 January | University Challenge | ABC TV | 1987 |
31 January | Rock Arena | ABC TV | 1982 |
3 February | Earthwatch | ABC TV | 1979 |
4 February | Rock Arena | ABC TV | 1982 |
15 February | Tanamera – Lion of Singapore | Network Ten
|
7 February 1989 |
24 February | Ridgey Didge | Network Ten
|
1987 |
2 March | Edens Lost | ABC TV | 28 February 1989 |
14 March | The Family Business | Network Ten
|
14 February 1989 |
6 May | The Factory | ABC TV | 1987 |
9 June | Swap Shop | ABC TV | 1988 |
10 June | The Early Bird Show | Network Ten
|
1985 |
16 June | The Oz Game | ABC TV | 1988 |
22 June | Richmond Hill | Network Ten
|
1988 |
30 June | Bunyip
|
ABC TV | 5 June 1989 |
7 August | Family Double Dare | 10 TV Australia
|
24 July 1989 |
26 August | Club 10 | 10 TV Australia
|
17 June 1989 |
14 September | The Price Is Right | 10 TV Australia
|
29 July 1989 |
17 November | Perfect Match | 10 TV Australia
|
1984 |
16 November | Grim Pickings | Nine Network | 15 November 1989 |
17 November | The Bert Newton Show | Seven Network | 20 March 1989 |
Returning this year
Date | Show | Channel | Debut |
---|---|---|---|
29 July | The Price Is Right | 10 TV Australia
|
1981 |