This article is a summary of 1980 in Australian television.

Events

* 20 January - The 0/10 Network became known as

Network Ten Network 10 (commonly known as Ten Network, Channel 10 or simply 10) is an Australian commercial television network owned by Ten Network Holdings, a division of the Paramount Networks UK & Australia subsidiary of Paramount Global. One of five ...

to reflect

ATV ATV may refer to: Broadcasting * Amateur television *Analog television Television stations and companies * Ràdio i Televisió d'Andorra * ATV (Armenia) * ATV (Aruba), NBC affiliate * ATV (Australian TV station), Melbourne * ATV (Austria) * AT ...

moving from Channel 0 to channel 10. * 30 January - Australian sitcom '' Kingswood Country'' (a spinoff of the Australian comedy sketch series ''

The Naked Vicar Show ''The Naked Vicar Show'' is a satirical Australian radio and television series. The classic Australian sitcom ''Kingswood Country'' was spawned from sketches in the series. Production The series was written and produced by Gary Reilly and Ton ...

'') starring

Ross Higgins Ross or ROSS may refer to: People * Clan Ross, a Highland Scottish clan * Ross (name), including a list of people with the surname or given name Ross, as well as the meaning * Earl of Ross, a peerage of Scotland Places * RoSS, the Republic of Sout ...

premieres on

Seven Network The Seven Network (commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is a major Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, and is one of ...

. * 10 May -

airs the final episode of the Australian comedy series ''

Doctor Down Under ''Doctor Down Under'' was an Australian television comedy series based on a set of books by Richard Gordon about the misadventures of a group of doctors. The series follows directly from its predecessor '' Doctor on the Go'', and was produc ...

''. * 27 May - British comedy drama series '' Minder'' premieres on

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

. * 14 July - A remake of the 1970s Australian game show '' Great Temptation'' called ''

Sale of the Century ''Sale of the Century'' (stylized as ''$ale of the Century'') is an American television game show that originally debuted on September 29, 1969, on NBC daytime. It was one of three NBC game shows to premiere on that date, the other two being th ...

'' premieres on

Nine Network The Nine Network (stylised 9Network, commonly known as Channel Nine or simply Nine) is an Australian commercial free-to-air television network. It is owned by parent company Nine Entertainment and is one of five main free-to-air television netw ...

and becomes the biggest hit of the year. Tony Barber who has previously hosted ''Great Temptation'' will return to host this remake along with new co-host

Victoria Nicolls Victoria Nicolls, (born February 1954) often misspelt as Victoria Nicholls, is an Australian actress and television personality. Nicolls is well remembered by viewers for appearing in the Australian game show ''Sale of the Century (Australian ...

. * August -

TV Times ''TV Times'' is a British television listings magazine published by Future plc. It was originally published by Independent Television Publications, owned by the participating ITV companies. The magazine was acquired by IPC Media in 1989, which ...

and

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...

magazines are amalgamated into

TV Week ''TV Week'' is a weekly Australian magazine that provides television program listings information and highlights, as well as television-related news. Content ranges from previews for upcoming storylines of popular television programs, particu ...

. * 11 August - Canadian sceptic

James Randi James Randi (born Randall James Hamilton Zwinge; August 7, 1928 – October 20, 2020) was a Canadian-American stage magician, author and scientific skeptic who extensively challenged paranormal and pseudoscientific claims. Rodrigues 2010p. ...

was interviewed by Don Lane which ended with a fight about elderly psychic

Doris Stokes Doris May Fisher Stokes (6 January 1920 – 8 May 1987), born Doris Sutton, was a British Spiritualism, spiritualist, self-proclaimed Mediumship, medium, and author. Her professed ability to communicate with the dead, public performances, telev ...

. As he went to a commercial break he fired Randi from the show, telling him to p**s off. * 4 September - Australian drama miniseries ''

The Timeless Land ''The Timeless Land'' (1941) is a work of historical fiction by Eleanor Dark (1901–1985). The novel ''The Timeless Land'' is the first of ''The Timeless Land'' trilogy of novels about European settlement and exploration of Australia. Stor ...

'' debuts on

. * September - The

Australian Broadcasting Tribunal The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is an Australian government statutory authority within the Communications portfolio. ACMA was formed on 1 July 2005 with the merger of the Australian Broadcasting Authority and the Austr ...

refuses the takeover of

ATV10 ATV is a television station in Melbourne, Australia, part of Network 10 – one of the three major Australian free-to-air commercial television networks. The station is owned by Paramount Networks UK & Australia. History In April 1963, the ...

Rupert Murdoch Keith Rupert Murdoch ( ; born 11 March 1931) is an Australian-born American business magnate. Through his company News Corp, he is the owner of hundreds of local, national, and international publishing outlets around the world, including ...

News Limited News Corp Australia is an Australian media conglomerate and wholly owned subsidiary of the American News Corp. One of Australia's largest media conglomerates, News Corp Australia employs more than 8,000 staff nationwide and approximately 3,0 ...

. * 24 October -

Special Broadcasting Service The Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) is an Australian hybrid-funded public service broadcaster. About 80 percent of funding for the company is derived from the Australian Government. SBS operates six TV channels ( SBS, SBS Viceland, SBS World ...

was launched as Channel 0/28. * 12 November - In the 1980 season finale for Prisoner, Meg Jackson and Bob Morris marry, the Christmas performance and the mineshaft disaster. * The 1980 Moscow Olympics are televised on

via satellite.

Television

* 24 October - Channel 0/28

Debuts

New International Programming

* 1 January - '' The Duke'' (Seven Network) * 2 January - / '' Zoom the White Dolphin'' (ABC TV) * 13 January - ''

Quark A quark () is a type of elementary particle and a fundamental constituent of matter. Quarks combine to form composite particles called hadrons, the most stable of which are protons and neutrons, the components of atomic nuclei. All commonly o ...

'' (ABC TV) * 27 January - '' 240 Robert'' (Network Ten) * 3 February - ''

Rebecca Rebecca, ; Syriac: , ) from the Hebrew (lit., 'connection'), from Semitic root , 'to tie, couple or join', 'to secure', or 'to snare') () appears in the Hebrew Bible as the wife of Isaac and the mother of Jacob and Esau. According to biblical ...

'' (ABC TV) * 5 February - ''

The Omega Factor ''The Omega Factor'' (stylized as ''The Ωmega Factor'') is a British television series produced by BBC Scotland in 1979. It was created by Jack Gerson and produced by George Gallaccio, and transmitted in ten weekly episodes between 13 June an ...

'' (ABC TV) * 7 February - ''

Telford's Change ''Telford's Change'' is a 1979 BBC television series by Brian Clark which stars Peter Barkworth. The theme music was composed and played by jazz composer John Dankworth. Outline Barkworth plays a bank manager, Mark Telford, who takes a backward ...

'' (ABC TV) * 11 February - ''

The All-New Popeye Show ''The All New Popeye Hour'' is an American animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and King Features Entertainment. Starring the comic strip character Popeye, the series aired from 1978 to 1983 Saturday mornings on CBS ...

'' (Seven Network) * 21 February - ''

Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels ''Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels'' is an American animated mystery comedy series created by Joe Ruby and Ken Spears and produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions for ABC. The series aired during the network's Saturday morning schedule from Sep ...

'' (Seven Network) * 21 February - '' The Dukes of Hazzard'' (Network Ten) * 3 March - ''

Grange Hill ''Grange Hill'' is a British Children's television series, children's television drama series, originally produced by the BBC and portraying life in a typical Comprehensive school (England and Wales), comprehensive school. The show began its ru ...

'' (ABC TV) * 4 April - ''

A Connecticut Rabbit in King Arthur's Court A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes'' ...

'' (Network Ten - Sydney) * 22 April - ''

Beggarman, Thief ''Beggarman, Thief'' is a 1977 novel written by Irwin Shaw. It was a sequel to his 1970 bestseller '' Rich Man, Poor Man'' and focuses on the surviving Jordache siblings, Gretchen and Rudolph; their deceased brother Thomas' teenage son Wesley Jor ...

'' (Seven Network) * 26 May - ''

Fangface ''Fangface'' is a 30-minute Saturday morning cartoon produced by Ruby-Spears Productions for ABC that aired from September 9, 1978, to September 8, 1980. The executive producers were Joe Ruby and Ken Spears, and this was their first cartoon they m ...

'' (Network Ten) * 27 May - '' Minder'' (ABC TV) * 31 May - '' California Fever'' (Network Ten) * 4 June - ''

Jason of Star Command ''Jason of Star Command'' is a 1978-1979 live action television series by Filmation. The series revolves around the exploits of space adventurer Jason (Craig Littler) and his colleagues, including Professor E.J. Parsafoot (Charlie Dell) and the ...

'' (Nine Network) * 22 June - '' Scooby and Scrappy-Doo'' (Nine Network) * 2 July – ''

The Paper Lads ''The Paper Lads'' is a children's television series produced by Tyne Tees Television and broadcast nationally from 1977 to 1979. It was set in the northern industrial city of Newcastle upon Tyne, although much of the series was filmed in Gates ...

'' (Nine Network) * 5 July - ''

Godzilla is a fictional monster, or '' kaiju'', originating from a series of Japanese films. The character first appeared in the 1954 film ''Godzilla'' and became a worldwide pop culture icon, appearing in various media, including 32 films produc ...

'' (Seven Network) * 16 July - ''

Hagen Hagen () is the Largest cities in Germany, 41st-largest List of cities and towns in Germany, city in Germany. The municipality is located in the States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is located on the south eastern edge of the R ...

'' (Nine Network) * 2 August - ''

Space Sentinels ''Space Sentinels'' (originally titled ''Young Sentinels'' and renamed midway through its only season) is a Saturday morning animated series produced by Filmation which debuted on the American NBC network on September 10, 1977 and ran for thirtee ...

'' (Network Ten) * 4 August - '' Thunder'' (Network Ten) * 25 August - ''

Ballet Shoes A ballet shoe, or ballet slipper, is a lightweight shoe designed specifically for ballet dancing. It may be made from soft leather, canvas, or satin, and has flexible, thin full or split soles. Traditionally, women wear pink shoes and men wear wh ...

'' (Nine Network) * 9 September - ''

The Moon Stallion ''The Moon Stallion'' is a British children's television serial made by the BBC in 1978 and written by Brian Hayles, who also authored its novelization. The series stars Sarah Sutton as Diana Purwell, a young blind girl who becomes embroiled i ...

'' (ABC TV) * 25 September - '' Hawkmoor'' (ABC TV) * 20 October - '' Huntingtower'' (ABC TV) * 3 November - '' Pinocchio'' (ABC TV) * 16 November - ''

A New Kind of Family ''A New Kind of Family'' is an American sitcom that aired on ABC from September 1979 to January 1980. The series stars Eileen Brennan, Rob Lowe and Telma Hopkins. It is not to be confused with, nor is it related to, the series ''Family'', which ...

'' (Seven Network) * 17 November - '' Beyond Westworld'' (Seven Network) * 18 November - '' Big Shamus, Little Shamus'' (Seven Network) * 19 November - '' Me and Maxx'' (Network Ten) * 25 November - ''

Flo ''Flo'' is an American sitcom television series and a spin-off of ''Alice'' that aired on CBS from March 24, 1980, to June 30, 1981. The series starred Polly Holliday reprising her role as sassy and street-smart waitress Florence Jean "Flo" Castl ...

'' (Network Ten) * 26 November - ''

The Ropers ''The Ropers'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on ABC from March 13, 1979, to May 22, 1980. It is a spin-off of ''Three's Company'' and loosely based on the British sitcom ''George and Mildred'', which was itself a spin-off of ...

'' (Seven Network) * 2 December - ''

Mrs. Columbo ''Mrs. Columbo'' (1979–1980), later called ''Kate Columbo'', ''Kate the Detective'', and ''Kate Loves a Mystery'', is an American crime drama television series, initially based on the wife of Lieutenant Columbo, the title character from the ...

'' (Nine Network) * 3 December - ''

B.A.D. Cats ''B.A.D. Cats'' is an American action/police drama that aired on ABC from January until February 1980 on Friday nights at 8 PM Eastern time. The series stars Asher Brauner, Steve Hanks, and Michelle Pfeiffer in one of her first major acting rol ...

'' (Nine Network) * 4 December - '' The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show'' (Network Ten) * 9 December - ''

Flambards ''Flambards'' is a novel for children or young adults by K. M. Peyton, first published by Oxford University Press in 1967 with illustrations by Victor Ambrus. Alternatively, "Flambards" is the trilogy (1967–1969) or series (1967–1981) name ...

'' (Nine Network) * 22 December - '' The New Fred and Barney Show'' (Seven Network) * 23 December - ''

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

'' (Network Ten) * 25 December - ''

Bugs Bunny's Looney Christmas Tales ''Bugs Bunny's Looney Christmas Tales'' is a 1979 animated Christmas television special featuring Bugs Bunny and other Looney Tunes characters in three newly created cartoon shorts with seasonal themes. It premiered on CBS on November 27, 1979. ...

'' (Network Ten) * 26 December - '' Struck by Lightning'' (Seven Network)

Television shows

1950s

* ''

Mr. Squiggle and Friends ''Mr. Squiggle'' (originally also known as ''Mr. Squiggle and Friends'') is an Australian children's television series, and the name of the title character from that ABC show. The show was presented on television in many formats, between its inc ...

'' (1959–1999)

1960s

* ''

Four Corners The Four Corners is a region of the Southwestern United States consisting of the southwestern corner of Colorado, southeastern corner of Utah, northeastern corner of Arizona, and northwestern corner of New Mexico. The Four Corners area ...

'' (1961–present)

1970s

* ''

Hey Hey It's Saturday ''Hey Hey It's Saturday'' was a long-running variety television program on Australian television. It initially ran for 28 years on the Nine Network from 9 October 1971 to 20 November 1999, with a recess in 1978. Its host throughout its entire ...

'' (1971–1999, 2009–2010) * '' Young Talent Time'' (1971–1988) * ''

Countdown A countdown is a sequence of backward counting to indicate the time remaining before an event is scheduled to occur. NASA commonly employs the terms "L-minus" and "T-minus" during the preparation for and anticipation of a rocket launch, and eve ...

'' (1974–1987) * '' The Don Lane Show'' (1975–1983) * ''

60 Minutes ''60 Minutes'' is an American television news magazine broadcast on the CBS television network. Debuting in 1968, the program was created by Don Hewitt and Bill Leonard, who chose to set it apart from other news programs by using a unique styl ...

'' (1979–present) * '' Prisoner'' (1979–1986) * ''

'' (1979–1980)

1980s

* '' Kingswood Country'' (1980–1984) * ''

'' (1980–2001) * '' Arcade'' (1980)

Ending this year

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1980 In Australian Television

Events

Television

Debuts

New International Programming

Television shows

1950s

1960s

1970s

1980s

Ending this year

See also

References