1978 in Australian television

none June 2023 July 2015 November 2024 1978 Australian television This article is a summary of 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 1978-03-20 20 March Catspaw ABC 1978-06-08 8 June The Truckies ABC 1978-07-31 31 July Against the Wind Seven Network 1978-09-12 12 September The Daryl and Ossie Show The 0-10 Network 1978-09-11 11 September The Tea Ladies The 0-10 Network 1978-10-12 12 October Cuckoo in the Nest Seven Network 1978-12-22 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 – CAN The Whiteoaks of Jalna (2 January: The 0-10 Network – Melbourne, 29 November: The 0-10 Network – Sydney) 19 January/4 July – USA Quincy, M.E. (19 January: Seven Network – Melbourne, 4 July: Seven Network – Sydney) 4 February – USA Far Out Space Nuts (The 0-10 Network) 6 February – USA Man from Atlantis (Seven Network) 8 February – UK The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin (ABC TV) 7 February – UK Robin's Nest (ABC TV) 8 February/21 February – USA The Love Boat (8 February: The 0-10 Network – TV movie, 21 February: Nine Network – TV series) 16 February – USA Kingston: Confidential (The 0-10 Network) 17 February – UK Open All Hours (ABC TV) 17 February – USA Big Hawaii (The 0-10 Network) 18 March – USA McDuff, the Talking Dog (Nine Network) 20 March – UK The Kids from 47A (ABC TV) 3 April – USA The New Adventures of Batman (The 0-10 Network) 3 April/7 November – UK Another Bouquet (3 April: Seven Network – Sydney, 7 November: Seven Network – Melbourne) 7 April – USA Soap (ABC TV) 10 April – USA Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle (The 0-10 Network) 1 May – UK Children of the Stones (ABC TV) 8 May – USA The Blue Knight (The 0-10 Network) 9 May – UK Miss Jones and Son (ABC TV) 9 May – USA Clue Club (Nine Network) 13 May – USA Uncle Croc's Block (Nine Network) 13 May – USA James at 15 (Seven Network) 18 May – UK Noddy (ABC TV) 30 May – UK Mr. Men (ABC TV) 5 June – UK Mind Your Language (Seven Network) 19 June – USA Nashville 99 (Seven Network) 21 June/19 July – USA Yabba Dabba Doo! The Happy World of Hanna-Barbera (21 June: Nine Network – Sydney, 19 July: Nine Network – Melbourne) 22 June – UK Rocky O'Rourke (ABC TV) 26 June – UK Chorlton and the Wheelies (ABC TV) 28 June – UK The Flockton Flyer (ABC TV) 28 June – UK Sailor (ABC TV) 6 July – USA Fantasy Island (Nine Network) 19 August – USA Bugs and Daffy's Carnival of the Animals (The 0-10 Network) 20 August – USA The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams (TV series) (The 0-10 Network) 28 August – UK Jamie and the Magic Torch (ABC TV) 2 September – USA Space Academy (The 0-10 Network) 9 September – USA The Skatebirds (Nine Network) 9 September – USA The Krofft Supershow (Nine Network) 11 September – USA The Red Hand Gang (The 0-10 Network) 13 October – USA Three's Company (ABC TV) 23 October – UK Who Pays the Ferryman? (ABC TV) 24 October – UK Armchair Thriller (ABC TV) 27 October – UK Flower Stories (ABC TV) 6 November – USA C.P.O. Sharkey (Nine Network) 7 November – USA Carter Country (Seven Network) 7 November – USA The Oregon Trail (Seven Network) 8 November – USA Rosetti and Ryan (Nine Network) 11 November – USA Future Cop (Nine Network) 30 November – USA Loves Me, Loves Me Not (Seven Network) 30 November – USA Sha Na Na (Seven Network) 7 December – UK Citizen Smith (ABC TV) 8 December – USA The McLean Stevenson Show (The 0-10 Network) 23 December – USA Good Heavens (Nine Network) USA CHiPS (Nine Network – Brisbane) JPN Kum-Kum (The 0-10 Network) USA 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)David Bowie on The Don Lane Show https://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/curated/asset/96739-david-bowie-don-lane-show National Film and Sound Archive of Australia 3 November 2024 The Naked Vicar Show (1977–1978)Moran Albert Keating Chris The A to Z of Australian Radio and Television 4 August 2009 Scarecrow Press 978-0-8108-7022-2 208 https://books.google.com/books?id=OYRPAH2FrfcC&pg=PA208 en 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 1977 1978 Pot of Gold The 0-10 Network 1975 Returning this year No shows returning this year. See also 1978 in Australia List of Australian films of 1978 References 1978