Suvarna Garge (Editor)

1998 in Australian television

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Events

  • February – Kim Kilbey starts hosting Australia's Funniest Home Video Show, replacing long-time host Jo Beth Taylor.
  • 12 February – British Swiss children's animated TV series Pingu (which started off as a segment on Seven Network's The Book Place) makes its air on ABC for the very first time starting off with the first two episodes at 8:25am. It will later broadcast several more episodes on 24 March at 3:55pm and again in several months on weekdays at 10:25am, 9:25am, 7:25am (for Sundays), 8:25am (for a second time) and at 4:55pm (until 1 January 1999 in all states and on 8 January 1999 in Western Australia).
  • 16 February – The pink rabbit Mixy from The Ferals/Feral TV presents her very own children's weekday morning block on ABC starting from 7:30am to 10:00am.
  • 16 February – British children's TV series Teletubbies debuts on ABC.
  • 18 February – Australian talk show The Panel debuts on Network Ten.
  • 24 February – Australian hospital drama series All Saints debuts on Seven Network.
  • 27 March – Darwin finally gets a second commercial television station when TND-34 opens, taking a Seven Network affiliation.
  • WIN Television WA is granted a licence to broadcast to regional & remote Western Australia.
  • 10 May – Australian drama series SeaChange debuts on ABC.
  • 24 June – In the magic moment is Neighbours 13-year history here was one incident, Karl Kennedy has a massive fight with Susan Kennedy about his feud with serial bombshell Sarah Beaumont, and slaps him in the face very hard.
  • 20 July - Hey Hey It's Saturday launches its Red Faces documentary series and spin off Gonged But Not Forgotten, premieres at 8.30pm, on the Nine Network
  • 31 July – The Wiggles' first self-titled television series, screens on the Seven Network.
  • 5 October – Pokémon makes it debut on Network Ten.
  • 12 October – Nine Network debuts a brand new talk show called Strassman presented by American ventriloquist and comedian David Strassman at 9:00pm.
  • 27 November – After 25 years, The Midday Show is retired by the Nine Network. A Current Affair draws with a final goodbye with Ray Martin in the hot-seat before retiring for the very last time. Martin was replaced by Mike Munro from December 1998. Martin returns to the program 5 years later. On the same night, Brian Naylor retires from reading Melbourne's National Nine News after 20 years.
  • December – The remote Central & Eastern Australia markets are aggregated, with Imparja taking a Nine Network affiliation & Seven Central (formerly QSTV) taking a joint Seven & Network Ten affiliation.
  • 20 December – The pay television station, Disney Channel Australia launch the Wiggles in a TV special taking place in Disneyland, California titled The Wiggles Live at Disneyland, this was later screened on the Seven Network. Future Hollywood actor Hugh Jackman hosts the 1998 Carols In The Domain, live on the Seven Network.
  • 21 December – Network Ten debuts a brand new children's series aimed at pre-schoolers called In the Box.
  • 24 December – Australian children's TV series Misery Guts which only ran for 13 episodes premieres on Nine Network.
  • Changes to network affiliation

    This is a list of programs which made their premiere on an Australian television network that had previously premiered on another Australian television network. The networks involved in the switch of allegiances are predominantly both free-to-air networks or both subscription television networks. Programs that have their free-to-air/subscription television premiere, after previously premiering on the opposite platform (free-to air to subscription/subscription to free-to air) are not included. In some cases, programs may still air on the original television network. This occurs predominantly with programs shared between subscription television networks.

    Contents

    Subscription premieres

    This is a list of programs which made their premiere on Australian subscription television that had previously premiered on Australian free-to-air television. Programs may still air on the original free-to-air television network.

    Television shows

    ABC

  • Mr. Squiggle and Friends (1959–1999)
  • Four Corners (1961–present)
  • Seven Network

  • Wheel of Fortune (1981–1996, 1996–2003, 2004–06)
  • Home and Away (1988–present)
  • Blue Heelers (1994–2006)
  • The Great Outdoors (1993–present)
  • Today Tonight (1995–present)
  • Nine Network

  • Today (1982–present)
  • Sale of the Century (1980–2001)
  • A Current Affair (1971–1978, 1988–present)
  • Hey Hey It's Saturday (1971–1999)
  • Midday (1973–1998)
  • 60 Minutes (1979–present)
  • Australia's Funniest Home Video Show (1990–2000, 2000–2004, 2005–present)
  • The AFL Footy Show (1994–present)
  • The NRL Footy Show (1994–present)
  • Water Rats (1996–2001)
  • Burgo's Catch Phrase (1997–2001, 2002–2003)
  • The Price is Right (1993–1998)
  • Network Ten

  • Neighbours (Seven Network 1985, Network Ten 1986–present)
  • GMA with Bert Newton (1991–2005)
  • Totally Full Frontal (1998–1999)
  • References

    1998 in Australian television Wikipedia