1998 in Australian television

Events
  • February – Kim Kilbey starts hosting Australia's Funniest Home Video Show, replacing long-time host Jo Beth Taylor.
  • 12 February – British Swiss children's animated TV series Pingu (which started off as a segment on the Seven Network's The Book Place) makes its air on ABC for the very first time starting off with the first two episodes at 8:25am. It will later broadcast several more episodes on 24 March at 3:55pm and again in several months on weekdays at 10:25am, 9:25am, 7:25am (for Sundays), 8:25am (for a second time) and at 4:55pm (until 1 January 1999 in all states and on 8 January 1999 in Western Australia).
  • 16 February – The pink rabbit Mixy from The Ferals/Feral TV presents her very own children's weekday morning block on ABC starting from 7:30am to 10:00am.
  • 16 February – British children's TV series Teletubbies debuts on ABC.
  • 18 February – Australian talk show The Panel debuts on Network Ten.
  • 24 February – Australian hospital drama series All Saints debuts on the Seven Network.
  • 27 March – Darwin finally gets a second commercial television station when TND-34 opens, taking a Seven Network affiliation.
  • WIN Television WA is granted a licence to broadcast to regional & remote Western Australia.
  • 10 May – Australian drama series SeaChange debuts on ABC.
  • 24 June – In the magic moment of Neighbours 13-year history, here was one now-infamous incident, Karl Kennedy (Alan Fletcher) has a massive fight with Susan Kennedy (Jackie Woodbourne) about his feud with serial bombshell Sarah Beaumont (Nicola Charles), and slaps him in the face very hard.
  • 29 June - British sitcom Father Ted premieres on the ABC two years after its debut on the Nine Network.
  • 20 July - Hey Hey It's Saturday launches its Red Faces documentary series and spin off Gonged But Not Forgotten, premieres at 8.30pm, on the Nine Network
  • 31 July – The Wiggles' first self-titled television series, screens on the Seven Network.
  • 22 August – British pop duo the Lighthouse Family perform on the Nine Network variety program Hey Hey It's Saturday.
  • 5 October – Pokémon makes it debut on Network Ten.
  • 12 October – Nine Network debuts a brand new talk show called Strassman presented by American ventriloquist and comedian David Strassman at 9:00pm.
  • 22 November – The 1995 film Babe premieres on the Seven Network.
  • 27 November – After 25 years, The Midday Show is retired by the Nine Network. A Current Affair draws with a final goodbye with Ray Martin in the hot-seat before retiring for the very last time. Martin was replaced by Mike Munro from December 1998. Martin returns to the program 5 years later. On the same night, Brian Naylor retires from reading Melbourne's National Nine News after 20 years; he is replaced by Peter Hitchener, who remains in this role as of today.
  • December – The remote Central & Eastern Australia markets are aggregated, with Imparja taking a Nine Network affiliation & Seven Central (formerly QSTV) taking a joint Seven & Network Ten affiliation.
  • 20 December – The pay television station, Disney Channel Australia introduced pay television Foxtel to a children's group called The Wiggles who debuted in a TV special taking place in Disneyland, California titled The Wiggles in Disneyland, this was later screened on the Seven Network. Future Hollywood actor Hugh Jackman hosts the 1998 Carols In The Domain, live on the Seven Network.
  • 21 December – Network Ten debuts a brand new children's series aimed at pre-schoolers called In the Box, replacing The Music Shop.
  • 24 December – Australian children's TV series Misery Guts which only ran for 13 episodes premieres on Nine Network.

Debuts

Domestic
Program Channel Debut date
Breakers Network Ten 2 February
Mixy ABC TV 16 February
The Panel Network Ten 18 February
Hot Streak Seven Network 23 February
All Saints Seven Network 24 February
Kings in Grass Castles Seven Network 29 March
Bananas in Pyjamas: Bumping and a Jumping ABC TV 13 April
Denise Seven Network 20 April
Battle of the Sexes Network Ten 27 April
SeaChange ABC TV 10 May
The Micallef P(r)ogram(me) ABC TV 11 May
Live and Kicking Seven Network 20 May
Petals ABC TV 1 June
Bobtales SBS TV 29 June
Gonged But Not Forgotten: Australia's Best & Worst Of Red Faces Nine Network 20 July
The Wiggles Seven Network 31 July
The Games ABC TV 17 August
Search for Treasure Island Seven Network 17 August
Something Stupid Seven Network 31 August
Driven Crazy Network Ten 4 September
Changing Rooms Nine Network 23 September
Stingers Nine Network 29 September
Skippy: Adventures in Bushtown Nine Network 8 October
House From Hell Network Ten 8 October
The Toothbrush Family (season 2) Network Ten 10 October
Ketchup: Cats Who Cook Network Ten 10 October
The Big Cheez Network Ten 10 October
Strassman Nine Network 12 October
The Day of the Roses Network Ten 18 October
A Difficult Woman ABC TV 18 October
The Russell Gilbert Show Nine Network 19 October
Hazards, Disasters and Survival ABC TV 26 October
Too Much Medicine? ABC TV 12 November
Global Village SBS TV 30 November
In the Box Network Ten 21 December
Misery Guts Nine Network 24 December

International
Program Channel Debut date
Ghost Stories Network Ten 1 January
Ramadan Journeys SBS TV 4 January
The Lazarus Man Seven Network 8 January
Campus Cops Network Ten 17 January
The Merchant of Venice (1996) ABC TV 17 January
All Dogs Go to Heaven: The Series Seven Network 20 January
The Last Frontier Seven Network 22 January
Big Bad Beetleborgs Network Ten 2 February
The Great American Sex Scandal Seven Network 4 February
Jumanji Network Ten 6 February
Men in Black: The Series Network Ten 6 February
/ Nostromo ABC TV 6 February
Soul Man Seven Network 8 February
Stickin' Around (TV series) ABC TV 8 February
Veronica's Closet Nine Network 9 February
Just Shoot Me! Network Ten 11 February
/ Pingu ABC TV 12 February
Team Knight Rider Network Ten 13 February
Teletubbies ABC TV 16 February
Extreme Dinosaurs Network Ten 16 February
Materials We Need ABC TV 16 February
Stephen Hawking's Universe ABC TV 21 February
Midsomer Murders Nine Network 27 February
Dharma and Greg Seven Network 1 March
Goode Behavior Seven Network 2 March
/ Lil' Elvis Jones and the Truckstoppers ABC TV 6 March
/ The Little Lulu Show ABC TV 6 March
Jonathan Creek ABC TV 6 March
Homeboys in Outer Space Seven Network 13 March
// White Fang Seven Network 14 March
One West Waikiki Seven Network 24 March
Toonsylvania Nine Network 28 March
Kipper ABC TV 8 April
Sometime, Never ABC TV 13 April
Soul Music ABC TV 17 April
Buddies Seven Network 20 April
The Angry Beavers ABC TV 21 April
Our Mutual Friend (1998) ABC TV 26 April
Pauly Seven Network 27 April
Fly by Night Seven Network 27 April
/ Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation Network Ten 4 May
Mummies Alive! Seven Network 5 May
Hypernauts Nine Network 9 May
Spirits of the Jaguar ABC TV 10 May
Big Cat Diary ABC TV 13 May
Around the World in 80 Dreams Seven Network 14 May
Bureau of Alien Detectors Network Ten 15 May
Extreme Ghostbusters Network Ten 18 May
Power Rangers Turbo Seven Network 21 May
True Tilda ABC TV 24 May
Hairy Maclary ABC TV 1 June
The Forgotten Toys (TV series) ABC TV 1 June
The Morph Files ABC TV 1 June
Wyrd Sisters ABC TV 5 June
Radetzky March SBS TV 8 June
Freaky Stories ABC TV 8 June
/ Tabaluga Seven Network 13 June
A Respectable Trade Nine Network 14 June
Jungle Cubs Seven Network 20 June
Space: Above and Beyond SBS TV 28 June
Land of the Tiger ABC TV 28 June
// The Adventures of the Black Stallion Seven Network 28 June
Baywatch Nights Network Ten 30 June
Merlin Nine Network 5 July
Animal Shelf ABC TV 7 July
Enid Blyton's Enchanted Lands ABC TV 7 July
EZ Streets Network Ten 8 July
Deadly Games Seven Network 14 July
Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist SBS TV 18 July
Game On ABC TV 23 July
Pensacola: Wings of Gold Nine Network 8 August
Working Seven Network 9 August
Reckless Seven Network 12 August
Oscar and Friends ABC TV 12 August
The Scold's Bridle ABC TV 16 August
Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher Nine Network 17 August
The Human Body ABC TV 20 August
/ Minty ABC TV 20 August
Ally McBeal Seven Network 24 August
Fall from Grace Network Ten 24 August
Mad TV Nine Network 27 August
In the Red ABC TV 30 August
Plotlands ABC TV 4 September
Science Court Seven Network 5 September
Airport Nine Network 23 September
Cow and Chicken Seven Network 24 September
The Visitor Seven Network 24 September
The Roseanne Show Network Ten 28 September
The Magical World of Margaret Mahy ABC TV 28 September
Mr. Rhodes Seven Network 1 October
USA High Seven Network 3 October
Pokémon Network Ten 5 October
A Season in Purgatory Network Ten 12 October
Aliens in the Family (1996) Seven Network 21 October
Mr. & Mrs. Smith Seven Network 21 October
In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great ABC TV 24 October
How Do You Want Me? ABC TV 2 November
Ultraviolet ABC TV 4 November
Brooklyn South Nine Network 5 November
1914-1918 ABC TV 5 November
The New Adventures of Zorro (1997) Nine Network 7 November
The Cola Conquest ABC TV 21 November
The Jerry Springer Show Network Ten 26 November
Delia's How to Cook ABC TV 26 November
The Love Boat: The Next Wave Network Ten 29 November
The Life of Birds ABC TV 29 November
La Femme Nikita Nine Network 30 November
Felicity Seven Network 30 November
Tarzan: The Epic Adventures Nine Network 30 November
Looking After Jo Jo ABC TV 1 December
The Net Network Ten 2 December
PSI Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal Network Ten 2 December
Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place Seven Network 3 December
Townies Seven Network 3 December
The Ambassador Seven Network 3 December
Alright Already Network Ten 3 December
V.I.P. Network Ten 4 December
Brambly Hedge Nine Network 5 December
/ More Tales of the City Nine Network 6 December
Kids Say the Darndest Things Nine Network 8 December
Storm Warning Network Ten 14 December
The Boss ABC TV 14 December
Invasion America Nine Network 14 December
The Gregory Hines Show Nine Network 19 December
Meego Nine Network 19 December
Father Christmas and the Missing Reindeer Seven Network 23 December
/ Oscar's Orchestra ABC TV 28 December
/ Poltergeist: The Legacy Seven Network 29 December
Meet the Ancestors SBS TV 30 December
Project ALF Seven Network 30 December
Koki ABC TV 31 December

Subscription television

Domestic
Program Channel Debut date
Funhouse Fox Kids January

International
Program Channel Debut date
Good & Evil[1] thecomedychannel January
The Wacky World of Tex Avery The Disney Channel January
Pepper Ann The Disney Channel January
Nightmare Ned The Disney Channel January
Paul Merton in Galton & Simpson's[2] arena 1 January
Extreme Machines[3] Discovery Channel 6 January
Guiding Light[4] FOX Soap 12 January
Singled Out[5] MTV Australia 1 April
Renford Rejects[6] Nickelodeon 5 June
Journey of Allen Strange, The The Journey of Allen Strange[6] Nickelodeon 1 July
Family Affairs[7] UKTV 3 July
CatDog[8] Nickelodeon 10 October
Wild Thornberrys, The The Wild Thornberrys[9] Nickelodeon 12 December
Franklin Nickelodeon 1998
// The Adventures of Paddington Bear Nickelodeon 1998
/ The 3 Friends and Jerry Nickelodeon 1998
Breaker High Fox Kids 1998
/ The Adventures of Sinbad Fox Kids 1998
Bear in the Big Blue House The Disney Channel 1998
// The Country Mouse and the City Mouse Adventures Nickelodeon 1998
Kassai and Luk Nickelodeon 1998
Austin Stories The Comedy Channel 1998
Rex the Runt The Comedy Channel 1998
/ Captain Star The Disney Channel 1998
Pond Life The Comedy Channel 1998
/ Pocket Dragon Adventures Fox Kids 1998
Student Bodies The Disney Channel 1998
The All-New Captain Kangaroo Show Fox Kids 1998
Space Goofs Fox Kids 1998

Telemovies

International
Program Channel Debut date
King Leek[2] arena 29 January

Specials

International
Program Channel Debut date
Paul Reiser: Three and Half Blocks From Home[1] thecomedychannel 18 January

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
The Gift ABC TV Nine Network 28 December

International
Program New network(s) Previous network(s) Date
Murder, She Wrote Nine Network Network Ten 1 February
Keeping Up Appearances Seven Network ABC 28 March
Heartbeat Seven Network ABC 6 April
The New Archies Network Ten Nine Network 8 May
/ Father Ted ABC Nine Network 29 June
Jim Henson's The Storyteller ABC Network Ten 7 July
/ A Christmassy Ted ABC Nine Network 23 December

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
Crocadoo[10] Cartoon Network Nine Network 5 January

International
Program Subscription network Free-to-air network Date
Traffik[11] UKTV ABC TV 4 January
Adventures of Tintin, The/ The Adventures of Tintin[10] Cartoon Network ABC TV 5 January
99 - 1[2] arena 11 January
Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit[11] UKTV ABC TV 17 January
The Fear[11] UKTV ABC TV 22 January
Lillie[12] UKTV Seven Network 2 April
South Park[13] The Comedy Channel SBS TV 2 June
Seinfeld[14][15] TV1 Nine Network
Network Ten		 6 July
Woof![8] Nickelodeon Nine Network
ABC TV		 5 September
Demon Headmaster, The The Demon Headmaster [8] Nickelodeon ABC TV 5 September
Delta Wave [8] Nickelodeon 5 September
American Gothic[16] TV1 Network Ten 5 December
Chronicles of Narnia, The The Chronicles of Narnia [9] Nickelodeon ABC TV 6 December
The Adventures of Sinbad Fox Kids Network Ten 1998
King of the Hill Fox8 Seven Network 1998
// Secret Life of Toys Fox Kids ABC TV 1998

Television shows

ABC

  • Mr. Squiggle and Friends (1959–1999)
  • Four Corners (1961–present)

Seven Network

Nine Network

Network Ten

  • Neighbours (Seven Network 1985, Network Ten 1986–present)
  • GMA with Bert Newton (1991–2005)
  • Totally Full Frontal (1998–1999)

Ending / Resting this year
DateShowChannelDebut
10 February Raw FM ABC TV 1997
15 March Children's Hospital ABC TV 1997
14 April Li'l Elvis Jones and the Truckstoppers ABC TV 6 March 1998
13 June Challenger Channel Nine 1997
23 June Good Guys, Bad Guys Channel Nine 1997
6 July Magic Mountain ABC TV 1997
24 July The Silver Brumby Network Ten 1996
19 August The Genie from Down Under ABC TV 1996
18 September Battle of the Sexes Channel Ten 27 April 1998
21 September Bobtales SBS TV 29 June 1998
30 September Crocadoo Channel Nine 1996
2 October The Price Is Right Channel Nine 1993
5 October Something Stupid Channel Seven 31 August 1998
8 November A Difficult Woman ABC TV 18 October 1998
15 November Who Dares Wins Channel Seven 1996
17 November Skippy: Adventures in Bushtown Channel Nine 8 October 1998
19 November House From Hell Channel Ten 8 October 1998
23 November Healthy, Wealthy and Wise Channel Ten 1992
23 November State Coroner Channel Ten 1997
23 November The Russell Gilbert Show Channel Nine 19 October 1998
27 November Driven Crazy Channel Ten 4 September 1998
27 November The Music Shop Channel Ten 1996
27 November Hot Streak Channel Seven 23 February 1998
27 November The Midday Show Channel Nine 1985
27 November In Melbourne Tonight Channel Nine 1996 (II)
18 December Where You Find the Ladybird Channel Ten 1996
1998 A*mazing Channel Seven 1994
1998 Time Masters Channel Seven 1996
gollark: Ones higher than LEO will stick around for a while. They won't *work* for a hundred years though.
gollark: I imagine you can probably pick out lots of bad things in any generation's time-spent-growing-up.
gollark: Cool how .money is a top level domain.
gollark: Just put all the ideologies in an arena and see who comes out alive.
gollark: I hope if this happens again it's handled better, at least.

See also

References
  1. "thecomedychannel Highlights". Foxtel. Archived from the original on 17 January 1998. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
  2. "arena Highlights". Foxtel. Archived from the original on 17 January 1998. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
  3. "Discovery Channel Highlights". Foxtel. Archived from the original on 17 January 1998. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
  4. "FOX Soap Highlights". Foxtel. Archived from the original on 17 January 1998. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
  5. Shaw, Meaghan; Harris, Paul; Kalina, Paul; Farrant, Darrin (26 March 1998). "Programs – Wednesday". The Age Green Guide. Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 44. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
  6. Nickelodeon (Australia) (1998). Nick Nooze. 1.CS1 maint: untitled periodical (link)
  7. Schembri, Jim; Harris, Paul; Kalina, Paul (30 July 1998). "Programs – Monday". The Age Green Guide. Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 32. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
  8. Nickelodeon (Australia) (1998). Nick Nooze. 2.CS1 maint: untitled periodical (link)
  9. "What's New On Nick? – December 1998". Nickelodeon (Australia). 1998. Archived from the original on 6 December 1998. Retrieved 17 December 2009.
  10. "Cartoon Network Highlights". Foxtel. Archived from the original on 17 January 1998. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
  11. "UKTV Highlights". Foxtel. Archived from the original on 17 January 1998. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
  12. Shaw, Meaghan; Harris, Paul; Kalina, Paul (2 April 1998). "Programs – Thursday". The Age Green Guide. Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 42. Retrieved 10 February 2010.
  13. Freeman, Jane (11 May 1998). "A high-flier takes a walk". Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 2. Retrieved 27 December 2009. And thecomedychannel on Foxtel has already snapped up the show for pay television from June 2.
  14. Elder, Bruce (30 March 1997). "The new MUSIC WARS". Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 13. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  15. TIPPET, GARY; PAUL HARRIS; PAUL KALINA; DARRIN FARRANT (2 July 1998). "Programs – Wednesday". The Age. Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 32. Retrieved 27 December 2009. For those who tuned in to this re-run of the sitcom – which kicked off on Monday with the rarely-seen pilot
  16. Joyce, James (11 July 1998). "Prime skips Heartbeat". Newcastle Herald. Newcastle, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 2. Retrieved 27 December 2009. TV1 has picked up the rerun rights to Shaun Cassidy's short-lived American terror series American Gothic (originally screened on Ten) and will air the twisted drama from December 5.
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