December 2007 archive

The Year That Was… #10: Farewells

For our final tribute to the year 2007, some of those that sadly departed us this year: Andrea Stretton, journalist and TV presenter Charmaine Dragun, newsreader Chris Mainwaring, sports presenter Gordon Sloan, Big Brother contestant Justine Saunders, actress Kevin Crease, newsreader Lucky Grills, actor/performer Matt Price, journalist and commentator Norman Kaye, actor Robert Fidgeon, TV …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2007/12/the-year-that-was-10-farewells.html

The Year That Was… #9: Game shows sing, spell and con through ’07

Game shows are a staple in any TV network’s diet, but this year saw an absolute gluttony on the genre as new titles were unleashed onto the viewing public. The game show battle started in January when Seven launched The Rich List hosted by Andrew O’Keefe (pictured), already of Deal Or No Deal fame. The …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2007/12/the-year-that-was-9-game-shows-sing-spell-and-con-through-07.html

The Year That Was… #8: Reality check

The lights may have faded a bit on reality TV’s ratings this year but the genre still has some life left in it. Network Ten‘s big name franchises The Biggest Loser, Big Brother and Australian Idol all came back for more this year. The Biggest Loser largely followed the formula of last year but this …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2007/12/the-year-that-was-8-reality-check.html

The Year That Was… #7: Nine and WIN fight it out

This year’s big TV battle wasn’t just the high profile ratings stoush between Seven and Nine, it was also a boardroom battle between Nine and its largest regional affiliate WIN Television. For almost twenty years WIN had enjoyed a fruitful relationship with Nine as its affiliate in regional markets in New South Wales (including the …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2007/12/the-year-that-was-7-nine-and-win-fight-it-out.html

Twas the night before Christmas

This year marks the 70th anniversary of Australia’s biggest Christmas carols event, Carols By Candlelight. The idea for Carols By Candlelight was conceived by Melbourne radio identity Norman Banks, who in 1937 was strolling along a suburban street after a late-night on-air shift when he witnessed an elderly woman, her face lit only by candlelight, …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2007/12/twas-the-night-before-christmas.html

The Year That Was… #6: Drama makes a comeback

The year 2006 brought on all sorts of doom and gloom about TV drama production; ABC didn’t have money to make any, Seven had axed Blue Heelers after 12 years of loyal service, Ten had some luck with telemovies but Tripping Over didn’t fare so well, and their only ongoing production was the veteran soap …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2007/12/the-year-that-was-6-drama-makes-a-comeback.html

Christmas cheer from SBS! (1983)

More cheesy celebrity smiles at Christmas! Christmas usually brings out the inevitable Santa costumes – and in 1983, Network 0/28 host Basia Bonkowski was no exception, accompanied by newsreader George Donikian who instead opted for the traditional Greek costume. Source: TV Week, 24 December 1983

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2007/12/christmas-cheer-from-sbs-1983.html

The Year That Was… #5: The dawn of HD

New Year’s Day 2007 marked a change to Australia’s digital television landscape. From that day on, commercial stations were permitted to open a dedicated high-definition (HD) channel with content separate to the analogue or standard-definition channels (or the core channels as ACMA identifies them) Didn’t hear about it? You weren’t alone. We all thought the …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2007/12/the-year-that-was-5-the-dawn-of-hd.html

The Year That Was… #4: Lots of laughs in ’07

Australians love their comedy on TV, but in the last couple of years, apart from a few stand out successes like Spicks & Specks and Thank God You’re Here, there wasn’t a great deal to laugh about. Then 2007 came along and the tide was turning. ABC‘s The Chaser’s War On Everything was plucked from …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2007/12/the-year-that-was-4-lots-of-laughs-in-07.html

TV Week’s Strictly Christmas (1992)

The hit Australian movie of 1992 was Strictly Ballroom – so TV Week‘s celebrity Christmas issue that year was titled Strictly Christmas. Gathered for the annual celebrity Christmas photo shoot was Steven Jacobs (All Together Now, and these days on Today), Bruce Roberts (Home And Away), Gia Carides from Strictly Ballroom and also in the …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2007/12/tv-weeks-strictly-christmas-1992.html