June 2009 archive

1979: June 30-July 6

Countdown – 200 not out! In less than five years, Countdown has progressed from a hesitant, experimental program to a powerful force in the pop industry.  The program claims a weekly audience of over four million and superstars are scrambling for an invitation to appear.  And, even though the show’s host and talent co-ordinator Ian …

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Nine’s new channel targets young

In committing itself to a five-year deal, worth $500 million, to Warner Bros studios, the Nine Network now feels it has enough programming ammunition to tackle the digital age with a new channel. The new entertainment-based channel will tackle the younger adult age bracket – who are normally the domain of the Ten Network and, …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2009/06/nines-new-channel-targets-young.html

1979: June 23-29

Cover: Andrew McFarlane, Robert Coleby (Patrol Boat) Timeless Land stars are cast Michael Craig and Angela Punch will both return to Australia to star in ABC’s new big-budget series The Timeless Land, described as Australia’s own Forsythe Saga.  Production of the eight-part series, set in the 25 years following the arrival of the First Fleet …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2009/06/1979-june-23-29.html

1979: June 16-22

Young doctor with water on the brain Actor Eric Oldfield (pictured, with Kerri Eichhorn and Judy Lynne) knows what he’d do with a million dollars: “What I’d really like to do would be to clean up the ocean.  Get laws passed to stop the pollution of our waters.  Stop councils from pouring sewage into the …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2009/06/1979-june-16-22.html

New digital channel for WA

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has announced plans to licence a third commercial TV channel for viewers in regional and remote Western Australia. The new channel will be available only on digital and its commencement will coincide with a proposed roll-out of digital broadcasting by the existing local commercial networks, WIN and GWN, …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2009/06/new-digital-channel-for-wa.html

Bruce Paige and Extra to go from Nine

Brisbane’s QTQ9 – only months away from celebrating its 50th anniversary – has made two announcements today about two of its long-timers. The late-afternoon magazine program Extra is being wound up next week after a marathon 18 years on-air.  The program launched back in 1992 when the Nine Network launched ‘Extra’ programs in each capital …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2009/06/bruce-paige-and-extra-to-go-from-nine.html

ONE for the country

For digital viewers in regional eastern Australia, the wait is almost over for the new sports channel One HD. Macquarie Southern Cross Media (MSCM), the owner of Southern Cross Ten, has announced that it will start to relay One through its existing high-definition service on digital channel 50 from 2 July at 7.00pm. Southern Cross …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2009/06/one-for-the-country.html

1979: June 9-15

Wishing on a star TV Times asked six TV stars to nominate the secret role they’d most love to play.  Victoria Nicolls (The Restless Years) said she would love to do musical comedy roles.  “And if they were making The Ann Miller Story, I’d be desperate to play her.” Michael Beecher (The Young Doctors) nominated …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2009/06/1979-june-9-15.html

TV names in Queen’s Birthday Honours

John Michael Howson (pictured) and actor Joe Hasham are two of the over 550 Australians to be acknowledged in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours list. Howson started his career as a newspaper cadet journalist before becoming a writer for Melbourne’s ATV0 in 1964, contributing to The Ray Taylor Show and co-writer and performer (as Clown) …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2009/06/tv-names-in-queens-birthday-honours.html

Remembering the Juniors

Melbourne’s The Age newspaper reported on Friday that the former child stars of the variety series Brian And The Juniors are gathering for a reunion in Melbourne next week – the first such reunion since the show wound up back in 1970. The talent quest, one of the first variety programs on Melbourne television, began …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2009/06/remembering-the-juniors.html