Opening night for Melbourne’s second commercial channel, GTV9. The broadcast was highlighted by the arrival of Governor Sir Dallas Brooks, who entered the studio in a chauffeur-driven limousine before officially opening the new channel. The two-hour variety show that followed set the tone that GTV9 was going to be heavily into live variety — elements of which continue to appear on the channel more than fifty years later.
Rival channel HSV7 did not let the night go without throwing up some competition, by launching a new sports show and featuring a Fred Astaire movie.
TV At 60: Viewing’s fine on GTV9
Source: The Age, 17 January 1957
| ABV2 | HSV7 | GTV9 | |
| 6AM | |||
| 7AM | |||
| 8AM | |||
| 9AM | |||
| 10AM | |||
| 11AM | |||
| 12PM | |||
| 1PM | |||
| 2PM | 2pm Tennis: Australian Championships Live from Kooyong. Commentator Ray McDonald |
2pm Tennis: Australian Championships Live from Kooyong. Commentators Danny Webb, Bill Collins, Bert Day |
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| 3PM | |||
| 4PM | |||
| 5PM | 5pm Close | ||
| 6PM | 6pm Peter’s Fun Fair 6.30 Hopalong Cassidy |
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| 7PM | 7pm News, Sport, Weather 7.15 The Liberace Show 7.45 Look |
7pm News, Weather. Danny Webb, Brenda Marshall 7.15 All Sports Show. Bill Collins PREMIERE |
7.30pm Opening Night Interviews. John McMahon |
| 8PM | 8.15 Movie: Golden Arrow [IMDB] | 8pm Scarlet Pimpernel 8.30 Movie: You’ll Never Get Rich [IMDB] |
8pm Opening Night Program: GTV9. Terry Dear, Geoff Corke, Lou Toppano’s orchestra, Bob Dyer, Toni Lamond, Frank Sheldon, Happy Hammond, Ray Dickson, Ron Blaskett. Official opening by Governor of Victoria Sir Dallas Brooks. |
| 9PM | 9.45 Close | ||
| 10PM | 10pm Racket Squad 10.30 Wrestling |
10pm Close | |
| 11PM | 11.30 Close | ||
| 12AM | |||
| 1AM | |||
| 2AM | |||
| 3AM | |||
| 4AM | |||
| 5AM |
