1 January – Digital Television arrives in the major state capitals of Australia, with the ABC and SBS permitted to operate multi-channel services.
25 January – The Seven Network loses the TV rights to the AFL for the first time, since televised football began in 1957. The rights are won by a Nine Network-Network Ten-Foxtel consortium.
1 February – The Network Ten undergoes a major revamp in its production and circle logo and on air graphics as a part of a new network re-launch, with the launch of its motto Seriously Ten, which are both currently in use to the 2012 revamp.
5 February – The Weakest Link premieres on the Seven Network, airing twice a week, Mondays and Fridays. After the AFL season concludes with Seven broadcasting for the last time, the latter show is bumped to only on Thursdays.
22 February – The voice actors behind the Funimation dubbed version of Dragon Ball Z Sean Schemmel (Goku, Nails and King Kai) and Christopher Sabat (Piccolo, Vegeta and Yamcha) appear on Cheez TV for an interview on Network Ten.
10 April – CSI: Crime Scene Investigation a sequel to the American mystery/crime drama television series in the CSI franchise, premieres on the Nine Network and is shown every Tuesday at 8:30 pm.
24 April – The Australian version of Big Brother premieres on Network Ten.
25 April – Brooke Marshall wins the second season of The Mole, taking home $100,000 in prize money. Michael Laffy is revealed as the Mole, and Hal Pritchard is the runner-up.
2 June – The ABBA Tribute Show goes to air live on the Nine Network.
24 June – Australian children's Sunday morning wrapper programme Couch Potato airs its final episode on ABC hosted by Abby Coleman and David Heinrich and finishing up with a rerun of SimsalaGrimm.
16 July –
Network Ten's Melbourne-based drama series The Secret Life of Us makes its first screening debut.
The first season of Big Brother was won by Ben Williams.
1 August – The ABC launches its very first digital multi-channel service ABC Kids. The channel airs programmes aimed at children and runs from 6:00am to 6:00pm.
11 September – Television networks relay coverage from CNN, NBC, ABC America and the BBC for up to 48 hours in the wake of the 11 September attacks. Ten News made the record books as the first Australian Television News Service to ever cover the Coverage on its Late News bulletin with Sandra Sully.
November – After Prime Television axes Regional television news bulletins in Newcastle, Wollongong and Canberra, and Southern Cross Ten axes regional bulletins in Canberra and North Queensland, the ABA holds an inquiry into the adequacy of regional news services. Bulletins eventually return to those areas in 2004, albeit in the form of two-minute updates during weekdays in the ratings season.
1 November – The ABC launches another digital multi-channel service called Fly TV. Airing from 6:00pm to 6:00am, the channel broadcasts music videos, reviews, comedy, drama, news programming, sport programmes, cartoons and current affairs for teenagers and young adults.
December – After 21 years, Sale of the Century is "rested". It later returns to the Nine Network as Temptation in 2005 and runs until 2007. Also another Nine Network game show Burgo's Catch Phrase has given the axe after 4 years.
December – The Nine Network will introduce a watermark on its programs. Until now, the Channel Nine watermark will now be broadcast on all news (until 2008 for the major revamp of its news bulletins, but reinstated in late 2009), current affairs and Live programs.
December – A record $72,900 is won on The Weakest Link's special titled The Best of the Best.
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.
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.
ABC
Four Corners (1961–present)
The Fat (2000–2003)
Seven Network
Wheel of Fortune (1981–1996, 1996–2003, 2004–present)
Home and Away (1988–present)
Blue Heelers (1994–2006)
Today Tonight (1995–present)
All Saints (1998–present)
Ground Force (1999–2004)
AMV (2000–present)
Nine Network
Today (1982–present)
Sale of the Century (1980–2001)
A Current Affair (1971–1978, 1988–2005, 2006–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)
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (1999–2006, 2007–2010)
Surprise Surprise (2000–2001)
Backyard Blitz (2000–2007)
Network Ten
Neighbours (1985–1989, 1989–present)
GMA With Bert Newton (1991–2005)
Rove Live (2000–2006)
