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Introduction of Television in Australia - Melbourne Olympic Games
The Melbourne Olympic Games in 1956 led to the introduction of television in Australia, although it was only initially available in Melbourne and Sydney, most other cities didn't get TV until 1959. Government and commercial stations broadcast the Olympic Games throughout the country. However, at this point in time, they were very expensive, usually costing $400 or more, and only a small percentage of households owned TVs. The industry was initially dominated by American TV shows. -
ABC TV established
While the Australian Broadcasting Company was established in 1932 as a radio service, the introduction of television in Australia led to the creation of a division of the ABC dedicated to television. In the present day, the ABC runs five free-to-air channels, broadcasting various forms of entertainment including news, kids' shows, sports coverage, arts and comedy. -
Expansion of Australian Television in the 1960s
Television continues to expand in the 1960s as stations are introduced in regional places including Gippsland and Newcastle. In 1964, Channel 0 and Channel 10 commence broadcasting in Melbourne and Sydney respectively. The introduction of the coaxial cable allows for closer networking between Sydney and Melbourne stations. -
Astro Boy is Released
Australia is introduced to Japanese anime with Astro Boy being an iconic favourite. While the animation style was drastically different to traditional American-style cartoons, it was a hit nonetheless, with the futuristic themes resonating with children and adults being raised in a Cold War-influenced world. Other popular anime would be released in the following years, with The Adventures of Kimba the White Lion in 1965 and Sailor Moon in the 1990s. -
ABC airs first episode of Play School
Play School, an educational children's program, releases its first episode on 18 July 1966. The series continues to run on ABC Kids over fifty years after its initial release, making it the second-longest running television show in Australia (after Four Corners). -
Satellite Broadcasts - Our World 1967
The first multi-satellite television program which "brought the world to Australia" - fourteen contributing countries broadcasted an aspect of their daily life and culture. Australia showcased a Melbourne tram leaving its depot in the early morning. -
Skippy the Bush Kangaroo
Skippy the Bush Kangaroo first aired in Australia in 1968, and would eventually earn worldwide success. A children's show which follows the story of an intelligent kangaroo and her human friends. -
First episode of Behind the News
Behind the News, an educational news program aimed at primary-school aged children, aired its first episode in 1968 as Current Affairs, though it was renamed shortly after. New episodes continue to release 54 years later. It is the third-longest running Australian TV Show after Four Corners and Play School. In 2023, a spin-off aimed for high school students, BtN High, was released. -
Moon Landing is Televised
The Apollo 11 Moon Landing was televised live by Australian televisions in 1969. -
Colour Television Introduced in Australia
Colour television is finally introduced to all TV stations in Australia - Australians were delighted and enthusiastic at the change. -
Establishment of SBS
The Special Broadcasting Services (SBS) is established, broadcasting media in a variety of languages, and would gradually help immigrants adjust to Australian life, making society more inclusive and multicultural. -
Pay TV
Subscription-based television is introduced in the early 1990s - the idea of paying for something that had always been free was controversial. In 1995, the first Australian Pay TV Provider, Galaxy, was introduced, later followed by Foxtel, Optus and Austar. In 1998, Foxtel absorbed Galaxy. -
Sydney Olympic Games Opening Ceremony
The opening ceremony of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney set a new record for the vast amount of people that tuned in to watch it. Over 3.7 billion people watched the ceremony worldwide. Seven Network broadcast the ceremony in Australia, which, with over 6.5 million views, remains one of the highest-rated television programs in the country. -
Digital Television
The Australian Government aimed to make television digital-only by the mid 2010s. As a result, from 1 January 2001, new forms of broadcasting were implemented throughout the country. The benefits of digital broadcasting included higher quality image and sound, as well as a wider range of channels. Many free-to-air stations introduced spin-off channels. For example, the ABC launched a 24-hour news channel and another channel dedicated to children's entertainment (ABC Kids). -
Reality Television
Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, reality television started became wildly popular in Australia, and continues to do so today. The Block, with its first episode airing in 2003, and MasterChef in 2009, are two example of iconic reality television shows that remain popular today. Reality TV is so successful due to how simple and cheap it is to produce, and its addictiveness attracts a wide number of viewers. -
End of Analogue TV
As digital TV completely takes over the country, the last remaining analogue TV transmitters are shut down, marking the end of a 57-year-long era. The last analogue transmitters to be shut down were mostly located in regional areas of Australia. This meant that all households across Australia had to make the switch to digital television. -
Modern streaming services
In recent years, numerous video-on-demand services have been introduced to Australia. Subscription services such as Netflix, Stan, Youtube Red and Foxtel Now offer different experiences to the established Pay TV. These services allow users to stream a large variety of content via televisions and other devices. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the number of people using these subscription-based services skyrocketed, becoming an integral part of Australian entertainment. -
Bluey is released
Award-winning children's show 'Bluey' is released, and becomes beloved by people of all ages, even outside of Australia. The show is praised for the way it handles real-world issues.