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Monday 17 August 1959 — SYDNEY

All 3 Sydney channels present coverage of Princess Alexandra’s visit to Canberra in what is still considered to be a rare technical feat, requiring weeks of planning by technical staff, particularly as there was at the time no TV services operating in Canberra itself.

Sydney’s ABN2 was the host broadcaster, with its coverage being made available to ATN7 and TCN9, though the commercial channels also provided their own commentaries of the royal visit.

This day includes live coverage of the Princess’ visit to schoolchildren assembled at Manuka Oval. (ABN2 would replay this coverage on Tuesday night)

Later in the evening, ABN2 and ATN7 scheduled live coverage of the Princess (a cousin of Queen Elizabeth II who attended many royal engagements on the Queen’s behalf) attending the State Ball in Canberra. TCN9 schedules delayed coverage of the ball on film.

Film of ABN2’s coverage of the day’s events was sent to Melbourne for transmission on ABV2 later in the week.

The main purpose of Princess Alexandra’s Australian tour was to attend the Queensland centenary celebrations. After her stay in Canberra she spent three weeks touring Queensland.

The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane was named in her honour following her Queensland visit.

Source: TV News-Times, 15 August 1959

  ABN2 ATN7 TCN9
6AM
7AM 7.01am News, Weather
7.05 Cartoons
7.10 Ray Taylor
7.45 News, Weather
8AM 8am Ray Taylor
8.45 Autumn Affair
9AM 9am Music
10AM 10am Test Pattern, Music
11AM 11.15 Royal Visit: Princess Alexandra at Manuka Oval, Canberra 11.15 Royal Visit: Princess Alexandra at Manuka Oval, Canberra
11.45 News, Weather
11.55 A Woman’s View
11.15am Royal Visit: Princess Alexandra at Manuka Oval, Canberra
11.45 Close
12PM 12pm Test Pattern, Music 12pm Movie: Who Killed Gail Preston [IMDB]
1PM 1pm Close 1.30 Jane Wyman Theatre
2PM 2pm Test Pattern, Music 2pm Your Home. Del Cartwright
2.30 Dragnet
2pm Rendezvous With Roger
3PM 3pm A Man Called X
3.30 Melody With Milton
3pm Monday Matinee
3.30 Home And Beauty. Elaine White
4PM 4pm Woman’s World. Mary Mackay
4.30 New Zealand Mirror
4.45 Kindergarten Playtime
4pm Ramar Of The Jungle
4.30 Small Time. Chris Beard
4.45 Cartoons
4pm These Were The Hits
4.30 OSS
5PM 5pm Children’s TV Club 5pm Rocky Jones Space Ranger
5.25 Crusader Rabbit
5.30 Teen Time. Keith Walshe
5pm Annie Oakley
5.30 Desmond And The Channel 9-Pins
6PM 6pm Guy Lombardo And His Royal Canadians
6.30 The Life Of Riley
6.55 Focus
6.30 Laurel And Hardy
6.56 News, Weather
6pm The Mickey Mouse Club
6.25 Spunky And Tadpole
6.30 Huckleberry Hound
6.45 News, Weather
7PM  7pm ABC News, Newsreel
7.25 Weather
7.30 Glencannon
7pm McKenzie’s Raiders
7.30 Movie: Sea Hornet [IMDB]
7pm Robin Hood
7.30 Border Patrol
8PM  8pm Assignment Foreign Legion
8.30 Any Questions
8pm The Restless Gun
8.30 I Love Lucy
9PM  9pm Sports Cavalcade
9.25 Royal Visit: Princess Alexandra at State Ball, Canberra
9pm The Loretta Young Show
9.30 Royal Visit: Princess Alexandra at State Ball, Canberra
9pm Whitehall Playhouse
9.30 Trackdown
10PM  10.15 Science In Close-Up
10.30 News, Newsreel
10.55 Close
10.15 Feature 10pm Gunsmoke
10.30 Royal Visit: Princess Alexandra at State Ball, Canberra
11PM  11.10 News, Weather
11.20 Cue For Music. Roy Hampson
11.40 Close
11.30 The Star And The Story
12AM  12am Close
1AM 
2AM 
3AM 
4AM 
5AM 

ABN2_PrincessAlexandra

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