1987 in Australian television

none June 2020 March 2026 January 2012 1987 Australian television This is a list of events from 1987 in Australian television. Events January – Alan Bond, the owner of QTQ-9 & STW-9, also purchases TCN-9 & GTV-9 from Kerry Packer for $1.055 billion. The expanded Nine Network becomes the first coast-to-coast network. January – Long-running ABC music program Countdown launches as Countdown Pirate TV or CDP-TV. 5 January – British soap opera series EastEnders debuts on ABC. 10 January – Final episode of Australian soap opera Prime Time is being shown on Nine Network as the series was not a popular success. February – Fairfax, owners of ATN-7 & BTQ-7 purchase HSV-7 from The Herald and Weekly Times for $320 million. The move sees the replacement of most Melbourne-produced programming with networked programming from Sydney, including long-running shows such as World of Sport & sees Mal Walden sacked as newsreader. The revamped news service, read by former STW-9 newsreader Greg Pearce plunges to as low as zero in the ratings. 2 February – Canadian children's series The Kids of Degrassi Street, the first in the Degrassi trilogy series premieres on the ABC. 8 February – American sitcom ALF debuts on Seven Network. 11 February – Australian comedy series Hey Dad..! debuts on Seven Network. 12 February – Australian drama series Rafferty's Rules screens on Seven Network. 15 February – Network Ten premieres a brand new Australian music video program called Video Hits. 16 February – British children's animated series Henry's Cat makes its debut on the ABC at 3:55pm. 16 February – ABC debuts a brand new weekday afternoon magazine series called The Afternoon Show presented by former Models saxophonist James Valentine. The show begins by airing three programmes per day. One show (The Mysterious Cities of Gold) airs weekdays at 5:00pm, one (The Return of the Antelope) airs for only two days and the other three (which includes Behind the News, Educating Marmalade and Earthwatch) will be airing on one different day of the week for the 5:30pm timeslot. The third programme (which is the continuing episodes of The Kids of Degrassi Street) for this show also airs at 6:00pm on weeknights. 26 March – Prime Minister Bob Hawke calls off the proposed amalgamation of the ABC and SBS. 27 March - Mal Walden was sacked by new management after HSV-7 was taken over by the Fairfax group. He was told of his dismissal only minutes before going on air to present what became his final news bulletin for the station. 5 April – The infamous Grim Reaper advertisement debuts on television.https://www.abc.net.au/news/2007-04-05/grim-reaper-ad-turns-20/2235202 Grim Reaper ad turns 20 ABC News (Australia) 4 April 2007 21 March 2026 6 April – British children's television series Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends (later Thomas & Friends) debuts on ABC at 3:55pm. 6 April – ABC debuts a brand new comedy series called The Dingo Principle. 13 April – ABC weekday afternoon magazine series The Afternoon Show updates its schedule by airing four different programmes on five different days of the week. One show (a brand new Canadian-Scottish drama series called The Campbells) airs from Monday to Thursdays, the other (which is an Australian children's environmental series called Earthwatch now presented by David Smith) now airs only on Fridays, the next programme, a brand new sketch comedy series from Canada titled You Can't Do That on Television airs weekdays at 5:30pm and the last one includes reruns of the French-American-Canadian animated series Inspector Gadget being shown weeknights at 6:00pm. 17 April – The ABC launches its overnight music video block Rage. 20 April – ABC comedy series The Dingo Principle broadcasts a mock interview with the Ayatollah Khomeini, which results in diplomatic tensions with Iran, including the expulsion of two Australian diplomats. Two weeks later, the ABC receives a letter of complaint from the Soviet embassy regarding a skit lampooning Russian figures Mikhail Gorbachev and Vladimir Lenin. 4 May – Australian children's weekday and weekend morning series The Cartoon Connection airs on Seven Network in Victoria for the first time starting off with The Herculoids (replacing The Bugs Bunny Show for Mondays to Wednesdays, The Road Runner Show for Thursdays and The Porky Pig Show for Fridays because all three of these shows aired on Seven only in Sydney), The Flintstones, Tom and Jerry and The Partridge Family on weekdays, Yogi's Treasure Hunt, Paw Paws, Galtar and the Golden Lance (replacing ThunderCats, this show first aired in Sydney in 1986, it didn't air in Melbourne until 1989) and Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? on Saturdays and The Smurfs, The Challenge of the GoBots, It's Punky Brewster and Defenders of the Earth on Sundays. 8 June – ABC comedy series The Dingo Principle airs its 10th and final episode. 25 June – After the ill-fated attempt of the Pirate TV format, the axing of the ABC's long-running music program, Countdown was announced, according to the network's then-managing director David Hill, who has said that the damage was done. 1 July – Neighbours screens the wedding of Scott Robinson and Charlene Mitchell, which later in November 1988 saw the most-watched all time episodes in the UK. 6 July – Reruns of the British children's television series Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends air on the ABC for the first time. This was also the second time the series had been broadcast. 6 July – Debut of British sitcom Executive Stress on ABC. July – Westfield buys Network Ten from Rupert Murdoch's News Limited for $842 million. 19 July – Countdown broadcasts for the very last time ever with the final Countdown Music and Video Awards from the Sydney Entertainment Centre. In the closing, Molly Meldrum took off his trademark cowboy hat to reveal a bald head, signing off and John Farnham performed "You're the Voice". The last one-hour show was presented by Neighbours stars Guy Pearce, Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan. 31 July – American sitcom The Golden Girls debuts on Seven Network. August – New cross-media ownership rules force the sale of the Seven Network. Fairfax sells its stations to Christopher Skase's Qintex company for $780 million. 17 August – The ABC broadcasts a lineup of children's morning programmes for the 7:00am to 10:00am timeslot for the first time. 12 September – Australian gardening and lifestyle programme Burke's Backyard, endorsed by gardener Don Burke, premieres on Nine Network. It was also one of the first of the long line of prime-time "infotainment" and lifestyle programs on commercial television. 26 October – A new Australian children's television series called Kaboodle debuts on ABC. 23 November – American soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful makes it debut on Network Ten at 1:00pm. 24 November – American action adventure series MacGyver makes its debut on Seven Network at 7:30pm. 2 December – American sitcom Perfect Strangers premieres on Seven Network. 27 December – When the new year approaches, Kerry Stokes's ownership of ADS-7 (while owning Network Ten outlets in Perth and Canberra) and TVW-7's ownership of SAS-10, result in the stations deciding to cease broadcasting under swapped callsigns and affiliations. ADS-7 becomes ADS-10 and aligns to the Ten Network and SAS-10 becomes SAS-7 and aligns to the Seven Network. Network Ten loses the Winfield Cup rights to the Nine Network after 5 years. The following quote came from Seven National News reporter Alan Murrell on the 27 December 1987 edition regarding the move:July 2017 "Tonight will mark the end of the callsigns ADS-7 and SAS-10. Tomorrow, they be rebranded as ADS-10 and SAS-7. It's the first time such a change has been made. The switch follows a media shake-up earlier this year, which left ADS in the hands of the owners of the Ten Network. Already, the cosmetic changes are being made at Strangways Terrace and Gilberton. But viewers will notice little difference. They'll still turn the knob to Ten for Channel Ten programs, and to Seven for Seven programs. "The only difference will be that the local personalities will be seen on different channels. So if you want to watch Steve Whitham and Caroline Ainslie reading the news tomorrow night, you simply turn the dial three positions, from Seven-to ADS-10. And it's as easy as that." Debuts Program Network Debut date For Love or Money ABC TV 1987-02-03 3 February Hey Dad...! Seven Network 1987-02-11 11 February Rafferty's Rules Seven Network 1987-02-12 12 February Video Hits Network Ten 1987-02-15 15 February The Afternoon Show ABC TV 1987-02-16 16 February Willing and Abel Nine Network 1987-02-18 18 February Pot Luck Network Ten 1987-02-23 23 February Vietnam Network Ten 1987-02-23 23 February Camera Script ABC TV 1987-04-06 6 April The Dingo Principle ABC TV 1987-04-06 6 April Rage ABC TV 1987-04-17 17 April Night Shift Network Ten April MTV Nine Network April Fields of Fire Nine Network 1987-06-14 14 June Relative Merits ABC TV 1987-06-15 15 June Pals ABC TV 1987-07-13 13 July University Challenge ABC TV 1987-09-01 1 September Poor Man's Orange Network Ten 1987-09-06 6 September Ridgey Didge Network Ten 1987-09-07 7 September Burke's Backyard Nine Network 1987-09-12 12 September The Factory ABC TV 1987-09-19 19 September Kaboodle ABC TV 1987-10-26 26 October Nancy Wake Seven Network 1987-11-04 4 November Crossfire Nine Network 1987-12-07 7 December Rubbish Nine Network 1987-12-19 19 December New international programming Program Network Debut date CAN Legends of the World SBS TV 1987-01-02 2 January UK EastEnders ABC TV 1987-01-05 5 January UK In Sickness and in Health ABC TV 1987-01-05 5 January UK Oxbridge Blues ABC TV 1987-01-07 7 January USA The Last Sailors SBS TV 1987-01-11 11 January UK Howards' Way ABC TV 1987-01-16 16 January UK C.A.T.S. Eyes Network Ten 1987-01-20 20 January UK Jesus: The Evidence SBS TV 1987-01-26 26 January ITA The Great Oak SBS TV 1987-01-27 27 January UK Brookside SBS TV 1987-01-27 27 January UK Paradise Postponed ABC TV 1987-02-01 1 February Netherlands The Wijntak Family SBS TV 1987-02-01 1 February UK Aubrey ABC TV 1987-02-02 2 February CAN The Kids of Degrassi Street ABC TV 1987-02-02 2 February UK Crime, Inc. ABC TV 1987-02-04 4 February UK Who Dares Wins ABC TV 1987-02-05 5 February UK Dempsey and Makepeace Seven Network 1987-02-05 5 February USA ALF Seven Network 1987-02-08 8 February USA Valerie Seven Network 1987-02-08 8 February UK Oddie in Paradise ABC TV 1987-02-11 11 February USA My Sister Sam Nine Network 1987-02-12 12 February USA Head of the Class Nine Network 1987-02-12 12 February USA Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling Network Ten 1987-02-14 14 February CAN Today's Special ABC TV 1987-02-16 16 February USA If Tomorrow Comes Nine Network 1987-02-16 16 February UK Henry's Cat ABC TV 1987-02-16 16 February FRA/JPN The Mysterious Cities of Gold ABC TV 1987-02-16 16 February USA Sins Network Ten 1987-02-16 16 February UK Return of the Antelope ABC TV 1987-02-16 16 February UK Let's Go Maths ABC TV 1987-02-16 16 February GER Mandara SBS TV 1987-02-18 18 February USA Easy Street Nine Network 1987-02-23 23 February USA Dress Gray Nine Network 1987-02-23 23 February USA Yogi's Treasure Hunt Seven Network 1987-02-28 28 February UK Fragile Earth ABC TV 1987-02-28 28 February FRA The Second Sex SBS TV 1987-03-02 2 March UK Barriers ABC TV 1987-03-09 9 March USA George Burns Comedy Week Seven Network 1987-03-10 10 March USA L.A. Law Network Ten 1987-03-12 12 March USA Fluppy Dogs Seven Network 1987-03-15 15 March UK Alias the Jester ABC TV 1987-03-23 23 March CAN/GER The Little Vampire Network Ten 1987-03-31 31 March USA The Redd Foxx Show Seven Network 1989-04-01 1 April GER Heimat SBS TV 1987-04-05 5 April UK Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends ABC TV 1987-04-06 6 April UK The Raggy Dolls ABC TV 1987-04-09 9 April CAN/SCO The Campbells ABC TV 1987-04-13 13 April CAN You Can't Do That on Television ABC TV 1987-04-13 13 April USA Vidal in Venice SBS TV 1987-04-13 13 April USA The Insiders Network Ten 1987-04-15 15 April GER Blam! SBS TV 1987-04-16 16 April USA Jim Henson Presents The World of Puppetry ABC TV 1987-04-16 16 April UK The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Seven Network 1987-04-21 21 April USA Defenders of the Earth Seven Network 1987-04-26 26 April UK The Monocled Mutineer ABC TV 1987-04-29 29 April UK Filthy, Rich and Catflap ABC TV 1987-04-30 30 April USA The Real Ghostbusters Network Ten 1987-05-02 2 May USA Pound Puppies (1986) Seven Network 1987-05-02 2 May SA 1928 Shaka Zulu Nine Network 1987-05-06 6 May UK Understanding the Under 12s ABC TV 1987-05-08 8 May UK Jimbo and the Jet-Set ABC TV 1987-05-11 11 May UK There Comes a Time Seven Network 1987-05-14 14 May UK The Life and Loves of a She-Devil Seven Network 1987-05-19 19 May UK Langley Bottom ABC TV 1987-05-27 27 May USA Matlock Nine Network 1987-05-27 27 May USA Donald Duck's 50th Birthday Network Ten (Sydney) 1987-05-30 30 May CAN Cities SBS TV 1987-06-03 3 June NZ The Krypton Factor ABC TV 1987-06-18 18 June USA Designing Women Nine Network 1987-06-22 22 June UK Cyprus: Britain's Grim Legacy SBS TV 1987-06-29 29 June USA Silverhawks Seven Network 1987-07-04 4 July USA Kissyfur Seven Network 1987-07-05 5 July UK Executive Stress ABC TV 1987-07-06 6 July FRA Once Upon a Time... Space SBS TV 1987-07-06 6 July NOR Teacher Haze ABC TV 1987-07-06 6 July UK Lovejoy ABC TV 1987-07-07 7 July UK Lytton's Diary ABC TV 1987-07-08 8 July UK The Troubles SBS TV 1987-07-20 20 July UK The Return of Sherlock Holmes Seven Network 1987-07-21 21 July USA Peter the Great Nine Network 1987-07-26 26 July USA The Golden Girls Seven Network 1987-07-31 31 July UK Cockleshell Bay Network Ten 1987-08-01 1 August USA The Great Space Coaster Network Ten 1987-08-11 11 August CZE Mysterious Island SBS TV 1987-08-14 14 August USA Popples Nine Network 1987-08-15 15 August UK The Family Ness ABC TV 1987-08-17 17 August FRA Robo Story ABC TV 1987-08-17 17 August USA Out on a Limb Nine Network 1987-08-17 17 August UK Hold the Dream ABC TV 1987-08-19 19 August UK First Among Equals Network Ten 1987-08-19 19 August UK All in Good Faith ABC TV 1987-08-24 24 August UK Three Up, Two Down ABC TV 1987-08-31 31 August YUG Hang in There, Floki SBS TV 1987-09-01 1 September UK The First Eden ABC TV 1987-09-06 6 September JPN/CAN The Wonderful Wizard of Oz ABC TV 1987-09-17 17 September AUS/USA The Berenstain Bears ABC TV 1987-09-21 21 September FRA Colette SBS TV 1987-09-26 26 September USA The Flintstone Kids Seven Network 1987-09-26 26 September UK Paddington's Birthday Bonanza ABC TV 1987-09-28 28 September UK Chocky's Challenge ABC TV 1987-10-05 5 October USA Ghostbusters ABC TV 1987-10-05 5 October UK Connie Nine Network 1987-10-07 7 October FRA The Land and the Mill SBS TV 1987-10-08 8 October USA DuckTales Seven Network 1987-10-11 11 October USA Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna Seven Network 1987-10-14 14 October POL The House SBS TV 1987-10-18 18 October UK Mr. Palfrey of Westminster ABC TV 1987-10-21 21 October UK Bulman Nine Network 1987-10-27 27 October USA Monte Carlo Network Ten 1987-11-02 2 November CAN Lorne Greene's New Wilderness ABC TV 1987-11-07 7 November USA Better Days Seven Network 1987-11-09 9 November UK Slinger's Day ABC TV 1987-11-16 16 November USA Sidekicks Seven Network 1987-11-22 22 November USA The Bold and the Beautiful Network Ten 1987-11-23 23 November UK Bread ABC TV 1987-11-23 23 November USA Santa Barbara Network Ten 1987-11-23 23 November USA Spies Seven Network 1987-11-24 24 November USA MacGyver Seven Network 1987-11-24 24 November UK High and Dry Seven Network 1987-11-25 25 November UK Codename Nine Network 1987-11-26 26 November USA Life with Lucy Nine Network 1987-11-27 27 November USA Misfits of Science Seven Network 1987-11-27 27 November USA Fortune Dane Seven Network 1987-11-28 28 November USA Shadow Chasers Nine Network 1987-12-02 2 December USA Perfect Strangers Seven Network 2 December USA Crime Story Network Ten 1987-12-06 6 December UK The Refuge Seven Network 7 December USA Comedy Break ABC TV 1987-12-08 8 December JPN Belle and Sebastian ABC TV 1987-12-08 8 December UK The Singing Detective ABC TV 13 December UK Puddle Lane ABC TV 1987-12-14 14 December UK Baby and Co. ABC TV 1987-12-14 14 December UK Dodger, Bonzo and the Rest ABC TV 1987-12-14 14 December UK Gems ABC TV 1987-12-14 14 December UK Mapp and Lucia Seven Network 1987-12-14 14 December UK Tucker's Luck ABC TV 1987-12-14 14 December UK Murder of a Moderate Man ABC TV 1987-12-15 15 December USA The Pee-wee Herman Show ABC TV 1987-12-18 18 December USA Carlton Your Doorman Nine Network 1987-12-19 19 December CAN/FRA Babar and Father Christmas ABC TV 1987-12-25 25 December USA The Cavanaughs ABC TV 1987-12-28 28 December USA The Ellen Burstyn Show Seven Network 1987-12-28 28 December UK Supergran Nine Network 1987 USA Our House Seven Network 1987 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 Mother and Son Network Ten ABC TV 1987-02-00 February Butterfly Island Seven Network ABC TV 1987-02-20 20 April International Program New network(s) Previous network(s) Date USA The New Scooby-Doo Movies Seven Network Nine Network 1987-02-07 7 February USA Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? Seven Network Nine Network 1987-04-18 18 April USA Donald Duck's 50th Birthday Seven Network (Melbourne) Network Ten 1987-07-19 19 July USA Finder of Lost Loves Seven Network Network Ten 1987-09-23 23 September USA Scooby and Scrappy-Doo Seven Network Nine Network 1987-09-26 26 September Television shows 1950s Mr. Squiggle (1959–1999) 1960s Four Corners (1961–present) 1970s Hey Hey It's Saturday (1971–1999, 2009–2010) Young Talent Time (1971–1989) Countdown (1974–1987) 60 Minutes (1979–present) 1980s Wheel of Fortune (1981–2008) Sunday (1981–2008) Today (1982–present) Perfect Match (1984–present) Neighbours (1985–present) The Flying Doctors (1986–1993) Rage (1987–present) Ending this year Date Show Channel Debut 22 March World of Sport Seven Melbourne 1959 10 January Prime Time Nine Network 1986 10 April 1987 Camera Script ABC 6 April 1987 8 June 1987 The Dingo Principle ABC 6 April 1987 18 June The Girl from Steel City SBS 1986 19 July Countdown ABC 1974 17 August Relative Merits ABC 15 June 1987 19 August Sons and Daughters Channel Seven 18 January 1982 29 August The Henderson Kids Channel Ten 9 May 1985 11 September It's a Knockout Channel Ten 17 April 1985 18 September The New Adventures of Blinky Bill ABC 22 October 1984 5 November Nancy Wake Channel Seven 4 November 1987 29 December The Fast Lane ABC 8 March 1985 See also 1987 in Australia List of Australian films of 1987 References 1987