2002 in Australian television
Events
- 25 January – Richard Morecroft reads his last ABC News bulletin. He is replaced the following Monday by Tony Eastley.
- 4 February – Nine cast members from All Saints participate in The Weakest Link: All Saints Special to mark the first and only anniversary of The Weakest Link in Australia. Erik Thomson wins the special, but his winnings are unknown.
- 11 February – The Nine Network's post-Sale of the Century replacement, Shafted hosted by former Hey Hey It's Saturday member Red Symons premieres. After dismal ratings the show is cancelled in April the same year. On the same day the network's post-Burgo's Catch Phrase replacement Pass the Buck, a new game show based on the UK game show containing a word association premieres leading into Nine's most-watched 6pm news bulletin, After dismal ratings the show is cancelled in May the same year.
- 11 March – The Seven Network's Docklands studios in Melbourne open, with the first Seven News Melbourne news bulletin being broadcast from the centre. This leads to a national relaunch of the Seven News brand with new sets and graphics in most cities. Also on that day, the nine remaining contestants from the third season of The Mole take part in a special episode of The Weakest Link for a chance to add $100,000 to the prize kitty. The team performed well against expectations, winning only $14,100, the lowest amount ever won on the Australian version of the show. On The Mole, this figure is rounded up to $15,000. The show was cancelled one month later after dismal ratings.
- 6 March – Foxtel introduces a new sports channel called Fox Footy Channel. It runs until 1 October 2006.
- 20 March – Tim Lane resigns from the Nine Network following a disagreement in regards to commentating AFL matches with Eddie McGuire involving the Collingwood Football Club. Lane defects to rival Network Ten in 2003, where he remained until Ten lost the rights at the end of 2011.
- 8 April – Australian media analysis television program Media Watch returns to air on the ABC several months after the broadcaster had removed its former managing director Jonathan Shier with David Marr taking over as host as Paul Barry had been sacked by Shier in 2000 following its cancellation.
- 24 April – Crystal-Rose Cluff wins the third season of The Mole, taking home $108,000 in prize money. Alaina Taylor is revealed as the Mole, and Marc Jongebloed is the runner-up.
- 2 May – Final episode of the Australian drama series (which is the very first television series in Australia to be filmed in widescreen) Something in the Air airs on ABC.
- 16 May – Kath & Kim premieres on the ABC and is a surprise hit. It was picked up by the Seven Network in 2007.
- 1 July – Peter Corbett wins the second season of Big Brother.
- 2 July – American science fiction fantasy series Smallville premieres on the Nine Network.
- 26 July – Mixy ends after 4-year run and it will be replaced by children's weekday morning and afternoon blocks on the ABC.
- 6 August – Eddie McGuire and Catriona Rowntree present an all new IQ test television series called Test Australia: The National IQ Test which is airing on Nine Network. It has also been ranked as the most watched television show for 2002 in Australia.
- 12 August – After being cancelled in 2001, Burgo's Catch Phrase relaunches on the Nine Network and is a surprise hit, with new graphics, new theme music and new prizes with the contestant backdrop increased to three people with the game show been produced by Grundy Television, leading into Nine's most-watched 6pm news bulletin.
- TV and radio personality Dylan Lewis is voted winner of Celebrity Big Brother.
- September – SBS launches its first Digital channel, the SBS World News Channel.
- 1 September – The Nine Network undergoes a revamp to change their on-air graphics, including changing their dots back to spears as well as the numeral becoming 3D for the colour-coded days.
- 30 September – The Wiggles return to television with a brand new television series called Lights, Camera, Action, Wiggles! airing for the first time ever on ABC.
- 4 October – Beyblade premieres on Fox Kids and two weeks later on Network Ten as part of Cheez TV. Also that day, David Koch takes over from Chris Reason as co-host of Sunrise, a role which he still holds as of today.[1]
- 29 November – Brian Henderson retires from reading Sydney's National Nine News after four decades. He is replaced the following Monday by Jim Waley, who manages to keep the bulletin on top of the ratings in Sydney for the next two years.[2]
Channels
New channels
- 6 March – Fox Footy Channel
Defunct channels
- 30 November – Oh! (replaced by FOX8 on Optus Television)
Premieres
Domestic series
| Program | Channel | Debut date |
|---|---|---|
| The Garden Gurus | Nine Network | 2 February |
| Shafted | Nine Network | 11 February |
| Pass the Buck | Nine Network | 11 February |
| Auction Squad | Seven Network | 13 February |
| Australian Survivor | Nine Network | 13 February |
| Fear Factor | Nine Network | 19 February |
| Saturday Night Footy | Network Ten | 30 March |
| Kath & Kim | ABC TV | 16 May |
| Old Tom | ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) | 6 June |
| Young Lions | Nine Network | 17 July |
| Celebrity Big Brother | Network Ten | 21 July |
| MDA | ABC TV | 23 July |
| Test Australia: The National IQ Test | Nine Network | 6 August |
| White Collar Blue | Network Ten | 12 August |
| Creature Features[3] | ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) | 9 September |
| CNNNN | ABC TV | 19 September |
| Lights, Camera, Action, Wiggles! | ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) | 30 September |
| Don't Blame Me | Nine Network | 6 October |
| Fairy Tale Police Department | Seven Network | 18 October |
| Bad Cop, Bad Cop | ABC TV | 18 November |
| Kerri Anne | Nine Network | 28 November |
International series
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International
| Program | Channel | Debut date |
|---|---|---|
 The Osbournes[8] |
MTV | 4 April |
 Shinzo |
Fox Kids | 8 April |
| Time Squad[9] |
Cartoon Network | 3 May |
| Justice League[9] |
Cartoon Network | 8 June |
 //.svg.png.webp){kind=small} The Cramp Twins |
Cartoon Network | 1 July |
| The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius[10] |
Nickelodeon | 26 July |
| Zoids: Chaotic Century[11] |
Cartoon Network | 2 September |
| Beyblade |
Fox Kids | 4 October |
| The Story of Tracy Beaker[12] |
Nickelodeon | 18 October |
| Fun at the Funeral Parlor[13] |
UKTV | 22 October |
| The Anna Nicole Show[14] |
Arena | 5 November |
| Lenny Henry in Pieces[15] |
UKTV | 9 November |
| Yu-Gi-Oh! |
Nickelodeon | 2002 |
| The Fairly OddParents! |
Nickelodeon | 2002 |
| Invader Zim |
Nickelodeon | 2002 |
| Kim Possible |
Disney Channel | 2002 |
Specials
| Program | Channel | Debut date |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 Country Music Association Awards[15] |
Main Event | 7 November |
Free-to-air premieres
This is a list of programs which made their premiere on Australian free-to-air television that had previously premiered on Australian subscription television. Programs may still air on the original subscription television network.
International
| Program | Free-to-air network | Subscription network | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Osbournes [16][17] |
Network Ten | MTV | 1 July |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Li'l Horrors | Fox Kids | Seven Network | 2002 |
International
| Program | Subscription network | Free-to-air network | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
.svg.png.webp){kind=small} / The Saddle Club |
Fox Kids | ABC TV | 2002 |
| Saved by the Bell: The College Years[12] |
Nickelodeon | Seven Network | 5 October |
| Mary-Kate and Ashley in Action![12] |
Nickelodeon | 14 October |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elly & Jools | ABC Kids (digital only) | Nine Network | 23 February |
| Lizzie's Library | ABC Kids (digital only) | ABC TV | 2002 |
International
Ending / Resting this year
| Date | Show | Channel | Debut |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 January | Cybergirl | Network Ten | 21 July 2001 |
| 22 April | The Weakest Link | Seven Network | 5 February 2001 |
| 2 May | Something in the Air | ABC TV | 17 January 2000 |
| 7 July | Halifax f.p. | Seven Network | 9 October 1994 |
| 26 July | Mixy | ABC TV | 16 February 1998 |
| 29 September | All Aussie Adventures | Network Ten | 5 August 2001 |
| 14 November | BackBerner | ABC TV | 19 August 1999 |
| 18 December | Young Lions | Nine Network | 17 July 2002 |
References
- Coy, Bronte (6 November 2017). "Why Kochie was almost fired from Sunrise". Coffs Coast Advocate. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
- Peatling, Stephanie (3 December 2002). "The Waley it is ..." The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 28 May 2007.
- Hassall, Greg (9 September 2002). "Review of Creature Features". The Sydney Morning Herald's The Guide: 14–15.
- Courtis, Brian (20 February 2002). "Silky briefs and stolen Y-fronts". The Age. Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 12. Retrieved 7 January 2010.
- Molitorisz, Sacha (28 August 2002). "The best war series ever made". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 14 December 2002. Retrieved 28 December 2002.
- Schembri, Jim (17 October 2002). "The man behind Seinfeld is back with a new side-splitter". The Age. Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 20. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
- "Day in the life reveals sweet surprises". Herald Sun. Melbourne, Australia: News Limited. 17 February 2002. p. X03.
- Adams, Cameron (14 March 2002). "Last Word All the News That Fits". Herald Sun. Melbourne, Australia: News Limited. p. 64.
The Osbournes starts on MTV Australia from 4 April at 7pm.
- "Toon Watch". Toon HQ. Cartoon Network (Australia) (1): 6. 2002.
- "What's New On Nick? – July / August 2002". Nickelodeon (Australia). 2002. Archived from the original on 4 August 2002. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
- "Toon Watch". Toon HQ. Cartoon Network (Australia) (2): 5. 2002.
- "What's New On Nick? – July / August 2002". Nickelodeon (Australia). 2002. Archived from the original on 4 December 2002. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
- "UKTV Highlights". UKTV (Australia and New Zealand). 2002. Archived from the original on 19 October 2002. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
- Miller, Kylie (30 October 2003). "NETWORKING". The Age Green Guide. Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 12. Retrieved 14 January 2010.
- "FOXTEL Highlights (General Entertainment)". Foxtel. Archived from the original on 6 November 2002. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
- Melloy, Neil (22 June 2002). "Ozzy-speak defies bleeper". Courier Mail. Brisbane, Australia: News Limited. p. 18.
- Farrer, Gordon (28 June 2002). "Unholy and mundane". The Age. Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Limited. p. 17. Retrieved 17 December 2009.
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