1996 in Australian television

Events

  • Australian television celebrates its 40th birthday with celebrations lasting throughout the year. The actual birthday was on 16 September.
  • Jessica Rowe joins Ten News Sydney in January to co-anchor with Ron Wilson for the next nine years.
  • 1 January – To celebrate the start of the new year, ABC-TV debuts a series of new idents featuring people doing various activities using inspiration and fun. As they do so, they draw the ABC's famous worm logo. The logo then fades before the video fades to black and the words "it's your abc" appear.
  • 5 February – American legal drama series JAG makes its debut on the Seven Network at 7:30 pm.
  • 12 February - Midday With Kerri-Anne begins on Nine Network at 12:00 pm. It marks the return of the traditional variety format to the Midday brand, with Kerri-Anne Kennerley taking over from last year's co-hosts Tracy Grimshaw and David Reyne.
  • 12 February – More tributes to Hey Hey It's Saturday's talent quest Red Faces continue with The Best and Worst of Red Faces No. 7 on Nine Network at 7:30 pm featuring more classic acts prior to 1995.
  • 12 February – Nine Network's new Australian police drama Water Rats debuts at 8:30 pm with a two-hour episode starring Colin Friels, Catherine McClements, Sophie Heathcote and Aaron Jeffery.
  • 16 February – A brand new state-based news and currents affairs program titled Stateline premieres on ABC at 6:00 pm and was shown every Friday evening. The show focus on issues concerning different states of Australia.
  • 19 February – Australia's favourite koala Blinky Bill returns to the ABC for a brand new series titled Blinky Bill's Extraordinary Excursion at 4:30 pm. The series follows the adventures of Blinky and the gang who were lost while on an excursion and helping other animals in a situation while trying to find their way back to Greenpatch.
  • 18 March – 40 Years of Television airs on the Seven Network, hosted by entertainers Garry McDonald and Magda Szubanski.
  • 20 March – American sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun debuts on the Seven Network.
  • April – Constable Wayne Patterson, portrayed by Grant Bowler, is killed in a car crash on the Blue Heelers episode An Act of Random Violence. Bowler departed the series.
  • 3 April – The Ferals return to the ABC with a five-minute sequel series titled Feral TV at 5:25 pm. The series also introduces new characters such as Kerry the Cane Toad and Rodney the Cockroach and follows the mischievous animals and their mishaps at a pirate television station.
  • 13 May WIN Television reintroduces its Albury Local News Bulletin nine months after it was axed.
  • 16 May – DIC's Sailor Moon premiered on the Seven Network as part of Agro's Cartoon Connection.
  • June – Liz Hayes quits the Today Show after 11 years and joins the 60 Minutes team, Tracy Grimshaw replaces Hayes on Today to co-host for the next nine years before leading up to A Current Affair from 2006 onwards.
  • 3 June – Australian children's comedy series The Genie from Down Under a co-production between ACTF, the ABC (Australia) and the BBC (UK) begins screening on ABC every Monday at 5:00 pm.
  • 17 June – Iconic British 1970s sitcom Fawlty Towers returns to air on the ABC again after being shown on commercial free for air television on Seven Network.
  • 12 July – After 12 years John Burgess retires as host of Wheel of Fortune. The following Monday, former Sale of the Century quizmaster, Tony Barber returns to TV and begins hosting a failed run which lasts for the remainder of the year. WOF relocates from Adelaide to Sydney during this time. Wheel of Fortune was nearly cancelled at the end of 1996 after dismal ratings, but the show continued its long run instead.
  • 18 July – Australian long running children's television series Play School celebrates its 30th birthday with a one-hour special on ABC at 4:00 pm.
  • 30 July – British sitcom Father Ted premieres on the Nine Network.
  • August – After a stand-off over who would air the show first with Seven owning the rights to the early seasons and Nine the current seasons, despite Seven not renewing the Warner Bros. output deal,[1] the first season of Friends screens on the Seven Network, almost two years after it premiered in the United States. Season two begins on the Nine Network in December.
  • 15 August - In Neighbours, Karl Kennedy’s surgery explodes.
  • 14 September - Sale Of The Century begins its 40 years of television celebrity challenge special, then at 8.30pm the two hour special 40 Years Of Television — The Reel History goes to air on the Nine Network.
  • 18 September - The Nine Network at 8.30pm airs another 40th Anniversary tribute special to Australian Television 40 Years Of Television — Then And Now, presented by Don Lane.
  • 19 September – 1.9 million watch Kerri-Anne Kennerley and treasurer Peter Costello dancing the Macarena live on the Midday Show.
  • 27 September - In Neighbours, Cheryl Stark dies.
  • 17 November – The 1993 film Jurassic Park premieres on the Seven Network.
  • 22 November - After a short live run in its 1.00pm timeslot, Reruns of Australian classic TV drama favourite Prisoner air for the last time on Network Ten. The following January, the Seven Network picked up the soap, which still airs all 692 episodes of reruns to this present day.
  • 1 December – Grant Piro presents the final episode of Couch Potato for 1996 on ABC with reruns of the Australian children's educational TV series Lift Off and the American children's mystery TV series Ghostwriter. This also marks his very last day as presenter of the series since 1991.
  • 10 December – Final episode of the Australian drama series G.P. screens on ABC.
  • The original 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon series airs on Australian television for the very last time on the Seven Network. It didn't return to air in Australia until the early 2010s where it was then aired on Network Ten's sister digital network Eleven.

New channels

Debuts

Domestic

Program Channel Debut date
Pacific Drive Nine Network 29 January
Water Rats Nine Network 12 February
Who Dares Wins Seven Network 14 February
Stateline ABC 16 February
Blinky Bill's Extraordinary Excursion ABC 19 February
Naked: Stories of Men ABC 3 March
Time Masters Seven Network 1 April
Feral TV ABC 3 April
Good News Week ABC 19 April
S'Cool Sport ABC 20 April
Recovery ABC 20 April
Sweat Network Ten 20 April
Mercury ABC 2 May
Australian Story ABC 29 May
Crocadoo Nine Network 31 May
Where You Find the Ladybird Network Ten 1 July
Sun on the Stubble ABC 14 July
Animal Hospital Nine Network 30 July
The Silver Brumby Network Ten 3 August
The Music Shop Network Ten 5 August
The Adventures of the Bush Patrol Seven Network 1 September
Medivac Network Ten 10 September
Twisted Tales Nine Network 2 December
Bananas in Pyjamas: Singing Time ABC 16 December
In Pit Lane C31 Melbourne 1996
House Gang SBS 1996

International

Program Channel Debut date
LAPD: Life on the Beat Network Ten 5 January
Road to Avonlea Network Ten 6 January
The Mask Seven Network 6 January
The Wizard of Oz Network Ten 6 January
/ Creepy Crawlers Network Ten 12 January
Cadfael Nine Network 13 January
Travels A La Carte SBS 13 January
Goggle-Eyes ABC 17 January
The Critic Network Ten 18 January
Button Nose Network Ten 20 January
Teenage Health Freak ABC 22 January
In the Company of Men ABC 22 January
Central Park West Nine Network 23 January
King Arthur and the Knights of Justice Network Ten 27 January
Dumb and Dumber Seven Network 3 February
Cro ABC 4 February
The All New Alexei Sayle Show ABC 5 February
JAG Seven Network 5 February
The Biz ABC 9 February
Hudson Street Network Ten 11 February
The New Adventures of Speed Racer Network Ten 11 February
Pirates ABC 11 February
Spender Network Ten 15 February
The Baldy Man Network Ten 1 March
Pride and Prejudice (1995) ABC 3 March
Phantom 2040 Seven Network 9 March
/ The Hanging Gale ABC 14 March
Extreme Network Ten 16 March
Hawkeye Seven Network 19 March
3rd Rock from the Sun Seven Network 20 March
Ned and Stacey Network Ten 20 March
Mortimer and Arabel ABC 5 April
Yogi the Easter Bear Seven Network 5 April
Happy Birthday Bunnykins Seven Network 5 April
Little Mouse on the Prairie Network Ten 6 April
Stickin' Around (minisodes) ABC 12 April
Sliders Network Ten 12 April
Out of the Blue Seven Network 13 April
Tales from the Crypt Seven Network 13 April
The Maxx SBS 13 April
The Choir ABC 14 April
Star Trek: Voyager Nine Network 16 April
American Gothic Network Ten 17 April
Mrs. Piggle Wiggle Network Ten 19 April
Bugs Seven Network 19 April
Street Sharks Network Ten 20 April
Elidor ABC 28 April
The New Adventures of Madeline ABC 1 May
Monty ABC 1 May
VR.5 Seven Network 2 May
Flipper (1995) Network Ten 4 May
The Thin Blue Line ABC 6 May
Murder One Seven Network 13 May
Sailor Moon Seven Network 16 May
Madison ABC 17 May
Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories Network Ten 17 May
Aaahh!!! Real Monsters ABC 29 May
/ Hercules: The Legendary Journeys Network Ten 1 June
/ The Genie From Down Under ABC 3 June
The Single Guy Network Ten 6 June
TV World: Time Traveller SBS 16 June
Cracker (USA) Seven Network 20 June
Kavanagh QC ABC 21 June
Mysterious Island Nine Network 22 June
Hamish Macbeth ABC 23 June
Postman Pat and the Tuba ABC TV 25 June
// Secret Life of Toys ABC 1 July
Insektors ABC 1 July
Fudge Network Ten 8 July
Winnetka Road Network Ten 9 July
/ Gogs ABC 12 July
Action Man (1995) Network Ten 12 July
The Amazing Live Sea Monkeys ABC 17 July
The Marvel Action Hour Network Ten 20 July
Just William ABC 21 July
The Secret World of Alex Mack ABC 22 July
The Brain: Our Universe Within SBS 28 July
Cardiac Arrest ABC 29 July
/ Father Ted Nine Network 30 July
The Langoliers Network Ten 31 July
The Jeff Foxworthy Show Network Ten 3 August
My Good Friend ABC 3 August
Friends[1] Seven Network 4 August
The Swine SBS 5 August
Almost Perfect Seven Network 5 August
Mot ABC 5 August
The Final Cut ABC 16 August
Tom Clancy's Op Center Seven Network 18 August
Kirk Nine Network 20 August
The Women of Brewster Place Seven Network 25 August
What-a-Mess (USA) ABC 29 August
Jim Henson's Animal Show Seven Network 31 August
JFK: Reckless Youth Seven Network 31 August
Black Hearts in Battersea ABC 1 September
/ Operavox: The Animated Operas ABC 1 September
VR Troopers Network Ten 2 September
Postman Pat and the Barometer ABC 12 September
Something Wilder Nine Network 16 September
Double Rush Seven Network 25 September
Malibu Shores Network Ten 29 September
Court TV: Inside America's Courts Nine Network 30 September
Savannah Network Ten 8 October
William's Wish Wellingtons ABC 22 October
New York Daze Nine Network 30 October
Bump in the Night ABC 5 November
M.A.N.T.I.S. Network Ten 20 November
Silent Witness ABC 22 November
Lonesome Dove: The Series Nine Network 25 November
Taxicab Confessions Network Ten 26 November
Earthworm Jim Network Ten 29 November
7th Heaven Network Ten 30 November
Nash Bridges Seven Network 2 December
The Drew Carey Show Nine Network 3 December
Kindred: The Embraced Network Ten 4 December
/ The Sentinel Network Ten 4 December
Boston Common Network Ten 5 December
The Wright Verdicts Network Ten 5 December
Bramwell Nine Network 6 December
Pointman Nine Network 6 December
Muppets Tonight Seven Network 6 December
Brotherly Love Seven Network 6 December
/ Iznogoud Seven Network 7 December
The Wind in the Willows (1995) Nine Network 7 December
/ Xena: Warrior Princess Network Ten 7 December
Caroline in the City Nine Network 9 December
Earth Star Voyager Seven Network 9 December
The Great Defender Seven Network 16 December
Santo Bugito ABC 19 December
Fire from the Earth SBS 20 December
Wishbone Nine Network 23 December
Duckman Seven Network 23 December
Space Precinct Seven Network 23 December
Scooby-Doo! in Arabian Nights Seven Network 24 December
The Forgotten Toys (TV special) ABC 25 December
Spot's Magical Christmas ABC 25 December
Thunder in Paradise Seven Network 27 December
Dexter's Laboratory Seven Network 28 December
/ Ballykissangel ABC 31 December
The Shnookums and Meat Funny Cartoon Show Seven Network 1996
/ Jin Jin and the Panda Patrol Seven Network 1996
/ The Bots Master Seven Network 1996
Freakazoid! Nine Network 1996
Pinky and the Brain Nine Network 1996

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.

Domestic

Program New network(s) Previous network(s) Date
Hey Dad..! Network Ten Seven Network 23 September

International

Program New network(s) Previous network(s) Date
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Nine Network Seven Network 20 February
Fawlty Towers ABC Seven Network 17 June
Count Duckula Network Ten ABC 22 August
Friends[6] Nine Network Seven Network 9 December
Danger Mouse Network Ten ABC 1996

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.

Domestic

Program Subscription network Free-to-air network Date
The Adventures of Blinky Bill Fox Kids ABC 3 June
Blinky Bill's Extraordinary Excursion Fox Kids ABC 1996
Fast Forward The Comedy Channel Seven Network 1996
The Big Gig The Comedy Channel ABC 1996
The Comedy Company The Comedy Channel Network Ten 1996
Let the Blood Run Free The Comedy Channel Network Ten 1996
Alvin Purple The Comedy Channel ABC 1996
Fox Kids Klubhouse Fox Kids 1996

International

Program Subscription network Free-to-air network Date
Droopy Dog Cartoon Network Seven Network 1 January
Wisdom of the Gnomes Nickelodeon ABC 5 February
H.R. Pufnstuf Nickelodeon Nine Network
Network Ten
March
Yogi the Easter Bear Cartoon Network Seven Network April
Mother Goose and Grimm Nickelodeon 14 April
/ Where's Wally? Nickelodeon ABC 20 April
/ Dr. Zitbag's Transylvania Pet Shop Nickelodeon 5 May
Mickey Mouse and Friends Disney Channel June
Donald's Quack Attack Disney Channel June
The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh Disney Channel Seven Network June
/ The Muppet Show Disney Channel Seven Network
Nine Network
Network Ten
June
Muppet Babies Disney Channel Network Ten June
Dumbo's Circus Disney Channel June
DuckTales Disney Channel Seven Network June
TaleSpin Disney Channel Seven Network June
Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers Disney Channel Seven Network June
Gargoyles Disney Channel Seven Network June
Bill Nye the Science Guy Disney Channel June
Mousercise Disney Channel June
Welcome to Pooh Corner Disney Channel June
Doctor Who (1963) UKTV ABC 1 August
Rockliffe's Babies UKTV 5 August
Big Bag Cartoon Network 7 September
Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous[7] TV1 Nine Network 4 November
Captain Planet and the Planeteers Cartoon Network ABC
Groundling Marsh Fox Kids
The Tracey Ullman Show Fox8 ABC
Mom P.I. Disney Channel
Huckleberry Hound Cartoon Network Nine Network
Seven Network
2 Stupid Dogs Cartoon Network Seven Network
Crazy Like a Fox Disney Channel Network Ten
The What-a-Cartoon! Show Cartoon Network
Polka Dot Door Horizon Learning Channel
Bookmice Horizon Learning Channel
Girls on Top The Comedy Channel ABC
Simon The Comedy Channel
EastEnders UKTV ABC
The Good Life UKTV ABC
Seven Network
Network Ten
The New Statesman The Comedy Channel Seven Network
Beavis and Butt-head The Comedy Channel
Hi-De-Hi! UKTV ABC
Shortland Street UKTV SBS
Scooby's All-Star Laff-A-Lympics Cartoon Network Nine Network
Seven Network
Boy Meets World Disney Channel Nine Network
Dinosaurs Disney Channel Seven Network
// White Fang Disney Channel
Dallas Fox8 Network Ten
The Goodies UKTV ABC
Seven Network
Network Ten
All Creatures Great and Small UKTV ABC
The Two Ronnies UKTV ABC
Seven Network
The Piglet Files The Comedy Channel Seven Network
Top of the Pops UKTV
Adventures in Wonderland Disney Channel
Join In! Horizon Learning Channel
Danger UXB UKTV ABC
Hannay UKTV ABC
The Critic Arena Network Ten
Minder UKTV ABC
Seven Network
Network Ten
Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders Fox Kids
/ Sky Dancers Fox Kids
The 5 Mrs. Buchanans Fox8
Four on the Floor The Comedy Channel
African Skies Disney Channel
Fawlty Towers UKTV ABC
Seven Network


Changes to network affiliation

This is a list of programs which made their premiere on an Australian television network that had 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 having premiered 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.

International

Program New network(s) Previous network(s) Date
Tom and Jerry Cartoon Network Max 1 January
Quick Draw McGraw Cartoon Network Max 21 January
/ ReBoot Nickelodeon Max 3 February
Eye of the Storm Nickelodeon Max 3 February
Tales from Fat Tulip's Garden Nickeldeon Max 8 February
The Baby Huey Show Nickelodeon Max 9 March
Eerie, Indiana Nickelodeon Max 10 March
The Little Green Man Nickelodeon Max 16 March
Astro Boy Nickelodeon Max 27 July
Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons Nickelodeon Max 1996

Television shows

ABC TV

Seven Network

Nine Network

Network Ten

Ending this year

DateShowChannelDebut
28 January House of Fun Network Ten 1993
25 March Blinky Bill's Extraordinary Excursion ABC 19 February 1996
7 April Naked: Stories of Men ABC 3 March 1996
9 May Fire Seven Network 1995
28 June Mulligrubs Network Ten 1988
25 July Mercury ABC 2 May 1996
30 August First Edition ABC 1993
19 November Sweat Network Ten 20 April 1996
22 November Police Rescue ABC 1989
22 November Ship to Shore ABC
Nine Network
1993
27 November Talk to the Animals Seven Network 1993
10 December G.P. ABC 1989

See also

References

  1. Browne, Rachel (3 August 1996). "Friends for life". The Sun-Herald. Sydney: Fairfax Media. p. 9. Retrieved 17 January 2010.
  2. Elder, Bruce (2 June 1996). "Disney to the rescue". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. p. 1. Retrieved 21 December 2009. The Disney Channel, which kicks off with the TV premiere of Aladdin at 6.30 pm on Saturday, June 8
  3. Eliezer, Christie (25 May 1996). "Oz to get 2nd music TV channel". Billboard. 108 (21): 64. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 21 December 2009. Australia's second 24-hour music TV channel is set to roll out June 14.
  4. Freeman, Jane; Andrew Conway (30 June 1996). "The Joke Stops Here". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. p. 2. Retrieved 1 January 2010.
  5. Browne, Rachel (4 August 1996). "Sex on TV". The Sun-Herald. p. 4. Retrieved 10 July 2010.
  6. Mitchell, Lisa (28 November 1996). "Summer in the sitting room". The Age. Melbourne: Fairfax Media. p. 5. Retrieved 17 January 2010.
  7. BROWNE, RACHEL (12 October 1996). "In a bit of a stew". The Sun-Herald. Sydney: Fairfax Media. p. 100. Retrieved 27 December 2009.
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