June 2017 archive

You Can’t See Round Corners — and a star is born

This week marks 50 years since the debut of the Sydney-based drama series You Can’t See Round Corners. The 26-part series was an adaptation of the novel written by Jon Cleary. Its leading actor was Ken Shorter playing the part of Frankie, a draft dodger who made his living as an SP bookie. The show …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2017/06/you-cant-see-round-corners-and-a-star-is-born.html

Remembering Listener In, TV Scene

It is 30 years ago this week that Melbourne’s TV Scene ceased publication after 62 years. It began as a radio magazine, Listener In, in 1925. By 1937 it had converted to a newspaper format. With television arriving in 1956, the Listener In showed it was adapting with the times… by adding “TV” to the …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2017/06/remembering-listener-in-tv-scene.html

Australia goes live to Our World

YouTube: watvhistory Only weeks after Australia was seeing Expo 67 live from Canada, the nation was once again linked to the Northern Hemisphere for a satellite television event. Our World was a two-hour real-time snapshot of a day in the life of 14 countries. Featuring live reports, beamed to the control centre at BBC in …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2017/06/australia-goes-live-to-our-world.html

When Temptation came to Katamatite

YouTube: Australian Television Archive It’s not often that the small Victorian town of Katamatite makes news, but in September 1973 it was the most famous town in Australia. The reason for its sudden fame was a woman called Dot Kilgour, a mother of three who operated the town’s single-pump petrol station with her husband Harry. …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2017/06/when-temptation-came-to-katamatite.html

Government confirms the axe to Community TV broadcasting

Community television is set to go off the air at the end of this month. Melbourne’s C31 has issued a statement to say that the government, namely the Department of Communications and Communications Minister Senator Mitch Fifield, has denied the sector, which also includes channels in Adelaide and Perth, any extension beyond the current end …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2017/06/government-confirms-the-axe-to-community-tv-broadcasting.html

Network Ten in administration… and viewers show the love

Lots of uncertainty but lots of love for the Ten Network as the network goes into voluntary administration. The announcement of the appointment of administrators comes after trading in Ten shares was halted on Tuesday. In a media release issued earlier today, Ten stated: “The Directors of Ten regret very much that these circumstances have …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2017/06/network-ten-in-administration-and-viewers-show-the-love.html

Obituary: Jill Singer

Jill Singer, award-winning journalist and former host of Today Tonight, has died at the age of 60. She was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder earlier this year. Singer’s career began at ABC radio in 1984, working her way up to television to a reporting role for The 7.30 Report and as producer of breakfast program First …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2017/06/obituary-jill-singer.html

Expo 67: Satellite TV makes history

Television by satellite came to Australia in the mid-1960s — with two special event programs that brought the world to bleary-eyed Australians in the early hours of the morning. The first such program was a live coverage of Australia’s contribution to Expo 67, being held in Montreal, Canada. Tuesday, 6 June 1967 was “Australia Day” …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2017/06/expo-67-satellite-tv-makes-history.html

Obituary: John K Watts

Perth sporting and media identity John K Watts has died at the age of 80. Watts had been diagnosed with a form of bone cancer in 2011, after previously having prostate cancer. Watts’ son Jon posted a tribute to his father on Facebook: “I am in absolute shock by it all as he was more …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2017/06/obituary-john-k-watts.html

Obituary: Lyn James

Lyn James, best known to Australians as hospital secretary Helen Gordon in The Young Doctors, has died at the age of 87. Born in Wales, James made her professional debut in 1949 as Marilyn James, working as a theatre actor in the UK, and then moving onto television roles. Some of her television credits included Nicholas …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2017/06/obituary-lyn-james.html