1982 in Australian television explained
Events
Television
- 2 January - Nine Network's popular soap opera, The Young Doctors, makes it UK television debut, on the newly formed, Central Independent Television network, which began broadcasting to the Midlands the previous day. The franchise was previously held by ATV. Thirteen of the fourteen ITV companies eventually ran the series during the afternoon, the most common slot was Monday and Tuesday at 15:30-16:00, although some initially broadcast it early evening at 17:15-17:45 before moving the series to daytime.
- 11 January - American police drama series Hill Street Blues debuts on the Nine Network.
- 18 January - Australian soap opera Sons and Daughters premieres on the Seven Network.
- February - Rupert Murdoch’s Network Ten makes a successful $9.2m bid for the rights to televise the 1984 Olympic Games from Los Angeles. Ten was up against a Seven Network bid and a joint Nine Network-ABC bid.
- 1 March - British children's animated series Doctor Snuggles premieres on the ABC at 4:30pm airing for the most part throughout the whole year.
- 7 April - British children's animated series Danger Mouse makes its first screening on ABC in Sydney and some other states in Australia. It would later air in Victoria in 1983.
- 10 June - Australian mini-series Sara Dane based on the bestselling 1954 novel by the late Irish Australian romance fiction novelist Catherine Gaskin debuts on Network Ten.[1]
- 28 June - The Nine Network introduces its new breakfast TV show, National News Today, This was used for a few weeks before it was later shortened the title to "Today".
- 1 July - The ABC celebrates its 50th anniversary starting with a special called From Carbon Mikes to Satellites followed by Quiros, a music drama written specifically for the occasion and broadcast across both ABC television and FM radio.
- July - The Mike Walsh Show celebrates its 2000th episode on Nine Network.
- September - The Nine Network and ABC jointly televise the 1982 Commonwealth Games from Brisbane.
- 25 September - The VFL Grand Final is televised on Seven Network.
- 24 October - The 1977 film Star Wars directed by George Lucas premieres on Network Ten.
- 25 October - Seven's rural drama serial, A Country Practice, begins airing on seven regional ITV companies in the UK. Over the next 17 years, each of the fourteen ITV contractors would run the series at their own regional pace, and screened later episodes in a half-hour edited format.
- 13 December - The ABC premieres Faces of Change, an all new six episode program that studies women's changing roles in Australian society.
- Nine, Seven and the ABC conduct stereo test transmissions.
- Former Network Ten reporter Jana Wendt joins Nine Network's 60 Minutes team as its first female reporter.
- The Australian Children's Television Foundation (aka ACTF) a national non-profit children's media production and policy hub that helps develop children's television policy; distributes and pays for Australian children's television series; supports new children's media; and develops screen resources for the education sector is launched. The hub is also best known for making well known Australian television shows for children such as Round the Twist, Kaboodle and Worst Best Friends.
Debuts
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.
International
Television shows
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
Ending this year
Returning this year
- 8 February - 11AM (Seven Network)
See also
Notes and References
- News: For 'Taurus Rising', success is in the stars. . . 11 August 1982 . February 6, 2024 . 26 . National Library of Australia.
The Martian Chronicles (6 January: Network Ten - Melbourne)
The Smurfs (Seven Network)
Flappers (Network Ten)