It was a big deal when Neighbours made the switch from the Seven Network to Network Ten in 1986. Never before had a drama series switched networks and it was a bold move by Ten, particularly as the show’s main weakness at Seven was its ratings performance in Sydney.
Ten’s persistence in promoting the series to a reluctant Sydney audience eventually paid off and the show became a hit across the Ten network before being picked up by the BBC, triggering the show’s international success.
The launch of Neighbours for Network Ten 32 years ago is among the latest additions to Classic TV Guides:
- Wednesday 4 November 1959 — MELBOURNE HSV7 3rd Birthday
- Saturday 24 February 1962 — SYDNEY BP Super Show: I Remember Jack Davey
- Saturday 24 February 1962 — VICTORIA BP Super Show: I Remember Jack Davey
- Friday 8 November 1968 — VICTORIA 3AK 24-Hour Launch
- Tuesday 22 April 1969 — VICTORIA Homicide‘s 200th episode
- Tuesday 22 April 1969 — TASMANIA NEW
- Sunday 21 September 1969 — SYDNEY The Royal Family
- Wednesday 24 December 1969 — VICTORIA Carols By Candlelight
- Saturday 28 September 1974 — BRISBANE VFL Grand Final
- Monday 13 January 1975 — VICTORIA Number 96 returns for 1975
- Saturday 12 November 1977 — BRISBANE Queensland Election
- Sunday 10 September 1978 — BRISBANE
- Monday 20 January 1986 — SYDNEY Neighbours begins on Ten. Off The Dish premieres
- Saturday 6 October 1990 — MELBOURNE AFL Grand Final
- Friday 27 November 1998 — MELBOURNE People’s Choice Awards. Final Midday. Brian Naylor retires
- Sunday 17 October 2004 — MELBOURNE 18th Annual ARIA Awards
Saturday 8 January 2005 — MELBOURNE Australia Unites: Reach Out For Asia
I remember TNT9 in Launceston and their Opening.
Around that time I worked there for the Sales Manager -, Gordon Bonner. We had ‘live’ shows and one year had a Telethon with interstate guests including Ena Harwood. A smaller Station to my former workplace at TCN 9 Sydney but great memories. Bruce England was Prog.Manager and some years ago a reunion was held. TNT is now Southern Cross TV and has a good local news coverage as well as international and interstate. Love to hear from others on the staff at that time. Radio 7EX shared our building at the time.
Caroline B.