1978 in Australian television
Events
- 20 March – Channel 0 launches its one-hour news service Eyewitness News with Bruce Mansfield as host.
- August – The ABC televises the 1978 Commonwealth Games from Edmonton, Alberta Canada. The opening and closing ceremonies are televised live, with event highlights each day.
- 12 September – The very first major mini-series produced for Australian commercial television with a budget of over a million dollars Against the Wind is screen on Seven Network. It is also the first major Australian TV production to be broadcast in the United States.
- September – The Federal Government gives the go-ahead for the launch of a multicultural television service, to be operated by the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS), with the expectation of the new channel operating in Sydney and Melbourne by 1980.
- October – Channel 0 makes a request to the Federal Government for permission to change its broadcast frequency to Network Ten.
- 7 November – The 0-10 Network televises the Melbourne Cup to a national audience for the first time. The telecast is regarded as one of the largest national sports telecasts mounted to date.
- 64% of Melbourne and 70% of Sydney households now own colour TV sets, giving Australia one of the fastest changeovers to colour in the world.
- Graham Kennedy wins a Logie award for presenting Blankety Blanks.
Debuts
| Program | Network | Debut date |
|---|---|---|
| Eyewitness News | Channel 0 | 20 March |
| Catspaw | ABC | 8 June |
| The Truckies | ABC | 31 July |
| Against the Wind | Seven Network | 12 September |
| The Daryl and Ossie Show | The 0-10 Network | 11 September |
| The Tea Ladies | The 0-10 Network | 12 October |
| Cuckoo in the Nest | Seven Network | 22 December |
| Alexander Bunyip's Billabong | ABC | 1978 |
| Good Morning Sydney | TEN-10 | 1978 |
| Case for the Defence | TEN-10 | 1978 |
| Wayzgoose | ABC | 1978 |
New International Programming
- 2 January/29 November –
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The Whiteoaks of Jalna (2 January: The 0-10 Network - Melbourne, 29 November: The 0-10 Network - Sydney) - 19 January/4 July –
Quincy, M.E. (19 January: Seven Network - Melbourne, 4 July: Seven Network - Sydney) - 4 February – Far Out Space Nuts (The 0-10 Network)
- 6 February – Man from Atlantis (Seven Network)
- 8 February –
The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin (ABC TV) - 7 February – Robin's Nest (ABC TV)
- 8 February/21 February – The Love Boat (8 February: The 0-10 Network - TV movie, 21 February: Nine Network - TV series)
- 16 February – Kingston: Confidential (The 0-10 Network)
- 17 February – Open All Hours (ABC TV)
- 17 February – Big Hawaii (The 0-10 Network)
- 18 March – McDuff, the Talking Dog (Nine Network)
- 20 March – The Kids from 47A (ABC TV)
- 3 April – The New Adventures of Batman (The 0-10 Network)
- 3 April/7 November – Another Bouquet (3 April: Seven Network - Sydney, 7 November: Seven Network - Melbourne)
- 7 April – Soap (ABC TV)
- 10 April – Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle (The 0-10 Network)
- 1 May – Children of the Stones (ABC TV)
- 8 May – The Blue Knight (The 0-10 Network)
- 9 May – Miss Jones and Son (ABC TV)
- 9 May – Clue Club (Nine Network)
- 13 May – Uncle Croc's Block (Nine Network)
- 13 May – James at 15 (Seven Network)
- 18 May – Noddy (ABC TV)
- 30 May – Mr. Men (ABC TV)
- 5 June – Mind Your Language (Seven Network)
- 19 June – Nashville 99 (Seven Network)
- 21 June/19 July – Yabba Dabba Doo! The Happy World of Hanna-Barbera (21 June: Nine Network - Sydney, 19 July: Nine Network - Melbourne)
- 22 June – Rocky O'Rourke (ABC TV)
- 26 June – Chorlton and the Wheelies (ABC TV)
- 28 June – The Flockton Flyer (ABC TV)
- 28 June – Sailor (ABC TV)
- 6 July – Fantasy Island (Nine Network)
- 19 August – Bugs and Daffy's Carnival of the Animals (The 0-10 Network)
- 20 August – The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams (TV series) (The 0-10 Network)
- 28 August – Jamie and the Magic Torch (ABC TV)
- 2 September – Space Academy (The 0-10 Network)
- 9 September – The Skatebirds (Nine Network)
- 9 September – The Krofft Supershow (Nine Network)
- 11 September – The Red Hand Gang (The 0-10 Network)
- 13 October – Three's Company (ABC TV)
- 23 October – Who Pays the Ferryman? (ABC TV)
- 24 October – Armchair Thriller (ABC TV)
- 27 October – Flower Stories (ABC TV)
- 6 November – C.P.O. Sharkey (Nine Network)
- 7 November – Carter Country (Seven Network)
- 7 November – The Oregon Trail (Seven Network)
- 8 November – Rosetti and Ryan (Nine Network)
- 11 November – Future Cop (Nine Network)
- 30 November – Loves Me, Loves Me Not (Seven Network)
- 30 November – Sha Na Na (Seven Network)
- 7 December – Citizen Smith (ABC TV)
- 8 December – The McLean Stevenson Show (The 0-10 Network)
- 23 December – Good Heavens (Nine Network)
- CHiPS (Nine Network - Brisbane)
Kum-Kum (The 0-10 Network)- Star Trek: The Animated Series (Nine Network)
Television shows
1950s
- Mr. Squiggle and Friends (1959–1999)
1960s
- Four Corners (1961–present)
1970s
- Hey Hey It's Saturday (1971–1999, 2009–2010)
- Young Talent Time (1971–1988)
- Countdown (1974–1987)
- The Don Lane Show (1975–1983)
- The Naked Vicar Show (1977–1978)
Ending this year
| Date | Show | Channel | Debut |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 March | Bobby Dazzler | Seven Network | 20 November 1977 |
| 18 April | A Current Affair | Nine Network | 22 November 1971 |
| 31 October | Against the Wind | Seven Network | 12 September 1978 |
| 3 November | Blankety Blanks | The 0-10 Network | 24 January 1977 |
| 1 December | This Day Tonight | ABC TV | 1967 |
| 3 November 1978 | The Daryl and Ossie Show | The 0-10 Network | 11 September 1978 |
| 1978 | It's Academic | Seven Network | 1970 |
| 1978 | The Naked Vicar Show | Seven Network | 1977 |
| 1978 | The Daryl and Ossie Cartoon Show | Nine Network | 1976 |
| 1978 | Pot of Gold | The 0-10 Network | 1975 |
Returning this year
- No shows returning this year.
References
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