November 2016 archive

Remembering Channel 5A

Australians of a certain age will recall old TV dials having a channel number ‘5A’ — between Channels 5 and 6. The extra channel, likewise channels 0 and 11, were added to Australian TV dials from 1961 as it was apparent that the previous 10-channel spectrum was not going to be enough to sustain a …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2016/11/remembering-channel-5a.html

Obituary: Peter Sumner

Actor Peter Sumner, who first rose to prominence in the 1970s espionage drama Spyforce, has died at the age of 74. Born Peter Sumner-Potts, one of his first professional roles was working at the ABC — doing a range of tasks including writing, producing, directing, voice overs and working on radio shows. “And that gave …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2016/11/obituary-peter-sumner.html

TV At 60: ABC begins in Melbourne

The opening night of ABC‘s Melbourne station ABV2 went ahead without anywhere near the problems encountered by its Sydney sister two weeks earlier. The station was officially opened by Minister for Labour and National Service Harold Holt shortly after 7.00pm on Monday, 19 November 1956. Other speakers during the half-hour ceremony included Leader of the …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2016/11/tv-at-60-abc-begins-in-melbourne.html

40 years since The Sullivans

Every now and then a TV network will knock back a proposal, only to see it get picked up and become a success elsewhere. One of those programs was a World War II drama called The Sullivans. The concept had been offered by Crawford Productions to the Seven Network, which declined to pick it up. With …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2016/11/40-years-since-the-sullivans.html

SBS Viceland: The first week

This Tuesday at 4.00pm, SBS launches its new channel, SBS Viceland. The new channel, operating in a content licencing agreement with US-Canadian content provider VICE, replaces SBS2 but will maintain some SBS2 programming such as the daytime foreign-language news bulletins, A-League football and regular series The Feed, South Park, Full Frontal With Samantha Bee, Brooklyn …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2016/11/sbs-viceland-the-first-week.html

Obituary: Bob Francis

Former Adelaide radio and television broadcaster Bob Francis has died at the age of 77. Born in Egypt, Francis came to Adelaide in 1947 and ten years later started in radio at 5DN. While working at station 5AD, Francis was credited with leading the campaign to have The Beatles add Adelaide to their Australian tour …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2016/11/obituary-bob-francis.html

Nine and SCA in regional news expansion

The Nine Network and Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) have confirmed plans to expand regional news coverage across Queensland, Southern NSW/ACT and Victoria. The introduction of 15 regional news bulletins was agreed between Nine and SCA as part of their new programming affiliation agreement, effective from July this year, with Nine covering the necessary employee and capital …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2016/11/nine-and-sca-in-regional-news-expansion.html

The Young Doctors turns 40

The Young Doctors was destined to be one of Australia’s shortest lived serial dramas but in an ironic twist became the longest-running of its time.. Created by the Reg Watson for the Reg Grundy Organisation, The Young Doctors began as the story of five medical interns who had started at the fictional Alfred Memorial Hospital. Playing …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2016/11/the-young-doctors-turns-40.html

TV At 60: Opening Night of ABC

Today marks the 60th anniversary of the launch of ABC television. ABC’s first station to go to air was ABN2 in Sydney, operating from studios and a temporary transmitter based at Gore Hill in Sydney. However, construction at Gore Hill was not completed in time for opening night — leading the ABC to utilise its orchestral …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2016/11/tv-at-60-opening-night-of-abc.html

TV At 60: HSV7, First in Melbourne

Melbourne’s first television station had its beginning in April 1955, when newspaper publisher The Herald And Weekly Times (HWT) was successful in gaining a licence to operate one of two commercial licences available for Melbourne. By July, the company that was to be registered as Herald-Sun TV Pty Ltd (named after HWT’s two major newspapers) was …

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Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2016/11/tv-at-60-hsv7-first-in-melbourne.html