ADS is an Australian
television station
A television station is a set of equipment managed by a business, organisation or other entity, such as an amateur television (ATV) operator, that transmits video content and audio content via radio waves directly from a transmitter on the eart ...
based in
Adelaide
Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
,
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
. It is owned and operated by
Paramount Networks UK & Australia through their Australian holdings
Network 10
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 ...
.
History
ADS-10 began as ''ADS-7'' on 24 October 1959. In the late 1980s ADS-7 was bought by media entrepreneur Kerry Stokes, who also owned CTC-7 in Canberra. In 1987, Stokes planned to buy the Seven Network from John Fairfax which would have seen ADS-7 Adelaide and
CTC-7 Canberra align with ATN-7 Sydney and HSV-7 Melbourne. Stokes offered $100 million more than rival Christopher Skase for Seven, but was ultimately unsuccessful. Unable to build a metropolitan Seven television network, on 7 August 1987, Stokes sold ADS, CTC and his licence for NEW Perth to Northern Star Holdings, owners of Network Ten.
On 27 December 1987, ''ADS-7'' and ''SAS-10'' (owned by
Seven Network
The Seven Network (commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is a major Australian commercial free-to-air television network. It is owned by Seven West Media Limited, and is one of five main free-to-air television networks in Australia ...
affiliate
TVW-7
TVW is a television station broadcasting in Perth, Western Australia, wholly owned by Seven West Media. It was the first television station in Western Australia, commencing broadcasting on 16 October 1959. It broadcasts a modulated 64-QAM sign ...
Perth
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth i ...
starting in the 1970s) switched affiliations, ADS moving to channel 10, SAS moving to channel 7. In July 2007 ADS-10 moved from its original location on
Strangways Terrace,
North Adelaide
North Adelaide is a predominantly residential precinct and suburb of the City of Adelaide in South Australia, situated north of the River Torrens and within the Adelaide Park Lands.
History
Surveyor-General Colonel William Light of the colo ...
to a new studio on the corner of
Wakefield
Wakefield is a cathedral city in West Yorkshire, England located on the River Calder. The city had a population of 99,251 in the 2011 census.https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/census/2011/ks101ew Census 2011 table KS101EW Usual resident population, ...
and
Hutt streets in the
city
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
.
Digital multiplex
Program production
Following the station's official opening, the Opening Night Variety Show was hosted by Sydney TV identity Bobby Limb, his wife Dawn Lake and comedian Buster Fiddess. Produced by Fred Maxian and directed by Geoff Grant, the show introduced the station's lineup of hosts for news, children's and daytime shows: Marie Tomasetti, Ian Cochius, Blair Schwartz, Angela Stacey, Bob Moore, Peter Cellier, Ian Boyce and Mary McMahon.
The early schedule included a talent show, ''Stairway to the Stars'', hosted by Marie Tomasetti, the first show to recognise new talent, giving competitors an opportunity to perform. It was very basic, black and white, live action television. A weekly variety Monday night spectacular, ''The Light Show'', which could afford interstate talent such as the schoolboy group, the Bee Gees. Like all good TV variety shows of the era, a full studio orchestra and dancers backed leading artists such as Kamahl, Little Pattie, US TV star Michael Cole, and a long list of other overseas artists including Tommy Steele who toured Australia.
Equipped with a new three-camera outside broadcast van, imported from the German manufacturer Fernseh, the station covered live events such as the
John Martin's Christmas Pageant
The National Pharmacies Christmas Pageant is a parade held annually in the South Australian capital of Adelaide. Established in 1933, the event is staged annually on the second Saturday of November, typically from 9.30am except 2020 and 2021 wh ...
, Glenelg Beach Concerts, special events such as the arrival of The Mickey Mouse Club talent team, The Beatles' visit to Adelaide, as well as major sporting events.
The station was owned by Advertiser Newspapers and the local office of the Philips electronics group delivered a top technical fit-out at the North Adelaide studios and the Mount Lofty transmitter site (with the central of the three masts). Many of ADS-7's original staff came from Adelaide commercial radio station 5AD (also owned by The Advertiser) and the Adelaide theatre scene. Production experience was imported from Melbourne commercial television station GTV-9, Melbourne commercial radio station 3DB and the ABC's Melbourne television station, ABV-2
Under the leadership of general manager Keith McDonald and program manager Neville Thomson, the station built a national reputation for production values with strong
Art Direction under Trevor Ling and Brian Thompson.
Studio directors, John Adey, Lynton Taylor, Graeme Blair, Ted Craig and Steve Bowman, Tony Roberts and Ian Ridley turned out hours of live content each week including Sports panels, daytime game shows, cooking and lifestyle segment, religious program, and a "Funfair" hosted by Angela Stacy, Rick Patterson with Chris and Terry, lit up Adelaide afternoons.
Chief engineer, Norm Sawyer, Financial director, Brian Sallis and head of staging John Blain, technical director John Harvey, film manager Bronte Hall, telecine manager Trevor Tipplow, musical director John Drake and news editor Don Riddell were supported by a technical team many drawn from local radio and theatre who learnt the skills of television on the job. Cora Dove handled the make-up department.
The station was self-contained with film processing, technical maintenance, set construction and even a gardener.
A highlight for the station were visits from national television shows to record South Australian episodes such as Coles Quiz, The Mobil Limb Show and Bandstand.
The station's national export program was Playroom, produced by
Heather Gell
Heather Doris Gell (19 May 1896 – 23 October 1988) was an Australian kindergarten teacher and early proponent of Dalcroze eurhythmics to Australia. She also worked as a radio broadcaster, television presenter and theatre producer.
Early li ...
, a pioneer in pre-school radio and television in Australia.
The news division, led by Don Riddell, produced early documentaries on the building of the Berlin Wall, Kenya and the formation of the Malaysian states. Film of interstate and major overseas events such as the assassination of US President John F. Kennedy and the Moon landing all arrived by air and were rushed to North Adelaide for transmission.
The station's news camera van could be spotted all over the state as cameramen Wally Herzfeld and Brian Taylor filmed everything from road accidents, political interviews, the arrival of VIPs at Adelaide Airport, local sport and the everyday events that made news.
Donald Campbell's land speed record attempts on Lake Eyre, ship wrecks on the Coorong and the disappearance of the Beaumont children were syndicated globally.
In the studios or on outside broadcasts, Mal Boxer and Brian Thomas were the audio directors who assisted either in the studio sound mix of news assignments or out in the field with audio equipment to complete the final product so it was ready to go to air.
Popular television shows made during the ADS-7 era include children's shows ''Cartoon Connection'', ''SPECCO'' (''SPace ECho COmpany'') (with Pam Tamblyn & Steve Curtis), ''KO'' (''Kids Only''), and later, as ADS-10, the national pre-school program ''
Mulligrubs''. Music programming from ADS included ''Music Express'' (1975–1986), hosted by Steve Curtis then Greg Clark and ''Nightshift'' hosted by David Day. Popular variety shows included ''
On The Sunnyside'', ''
The Penthouse Club
''The Penthouse Club'' was an Australian weekly variety program produced live to air from the studios of HSV-7 Melbourne from 10 October 1970. It was originally hosted by Michael Williamson (also a football commentator for HSV) and comedian Ma ...
'' and the weekday morning show, ''Lionel Williams' Woman's World''.
The local current affairs show ''
State Affair'', hosted by Guy Blackmore, aired weeknights at 6:30 following ''Seven National News'' and featured stories about South Australia and its people. From 1967 to 1984, the Easter Appeal telethon was held each year to raise money for the Adelaide Children's Hospital. ADS-7 also broadcast the
South Australian National Football League
The South Australian National Football League, or SANFL ( or ''S-A-N-F-L''), is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the state's governing body for the sport.
Originally formed as t ...
(SANFL)
Australian rules football matches for many years with a commentary team comprising
Bruce McAvaney
Bruce William McAvaney OAM (born 22 June 1953) is an Australian sports broadcaster with the Seven Network. McAvaney has presented high-profile events including the AFL Grand Final, Melbourne Cup, Australian Open, Test cricket and both Winter a ...
, and former SANFL players
Peter Marker
Peter Marker (born 21 March 1949) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with and captained Glenelg Football Club, Glenelg in the South Australian National Football League, SANFL during the late 1960s and 1970s, captaining the Tiger ...
,
Robert Oatey and Ian Day.
The Strangways Terrace site contained two studios. Studio 1 was the largest and home to productions such as the ''Channel Seven Easter Appeal'', ''Wheel of Fortune'', ''It's Academic'', ''SPECCO'' and ''KO'' while Studio 2 was host to smaller-scale entertainment programmes such as ''The Super Fun Show''
Wheel_of_Fortune''_originally_commenced_recording_in_studio_1_at_ADS-10_in_July_1981_with_Ernie_Sigley_(later_John_Burgess_(TV_host).html" ;"title="Wheel of Fortune (Australian game show)">Wheel of Fortune'' originally commenced recording in studio 1 at ADS-10 in July 1981 with Ernie Sigley (later John Burgess (TV host)">John Burgess from 1984), Adriana Xenides and Steve Curtis (later John Deeks from 1984) then after the changeover to SAS-7 in December 1987 moved to their studios where it remained until July 1996 when the show moved to ATN-7 Sydney.
Programming
Previous in-house productions
* ''
10 News First
''10 News First'' is an Australian television newscast, produced by Network 10. The network's ninety-minute long news program airs at 5pm each evening covering local, national and world news, including sport and weather. Weekend editions are ...
'' (Adelaide edition) (1987–2000, 2011–2020)
* ''
Studio 10
''Studio 10'' is an Australian morning talk show on Network 10. The show airs between 8:30am and noon on weekdays and a highlights show airs between 9:30am and noon on weekends. ''Studio 10'' is broadcast live from Network 10 Studios in Pyrm ...
'' 3-day outside broadcast (Feb 2014)
* ''Simply Footy'' (2002–2011)
*
AFL coverage:
Adelaide
Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
,
Port Adelaide (2002–2011)
* ''
The Music Shops'' (1996–1998)
* ''
Mulligrubs'' (1988–1996)
* ''
Wheel of Fortune'' (1981–1987, moved to SAS-7 in 1988)
* ''
Seven News
''7NEWS'' is the television news service of the Seven Network and, as of 2021, the highest-rating in Australia.
National bulletins are presented from Seven's high definition studios in Martin Place, Sydney, while flagship 6pm bulletins are ...
'' (Adelaide edition) (1959–1987)
* ''
Aweful Movies with Deadly Earnest/Deadly Earnest's Nightmare Theatre'' (1967–1975, 1978)
* ''State Affair'' (1980s)
* ''The Penthouse Club'' (1974–1975)
* ''Good Friday Appeal/Easter Appeal'' (1967–1984)
News and current affairs
ADS-10 produces a 90-minute local news program at 5pm on weeknights.
''10 News First'' is presented from the network's Melbourne studios by
Jennifer Keyte
Jennifer Anne Keyte (born 21 January 1960) is an Australian journalist and news presenter.
Keyte currently presents the Melbourne and Adelaide editions of ''10 News First''. She was previously a weekend news presenter on ''Seven News'' in Mel ...
with sports presenter
Stephen Quartermain and weather presenter
Kate Freebairn. Reporters, camera crews and editorial staff are based at ADS-10's Greenhill Road studios in Eastwood.
In September 2020, studio production of the Adelaide bulletin was transferred to Network 10's Melbourne headquarters, leading to redundancies among local presentation and production staff.
Reporters
* Vacant (Chief Of Staff)
* Tiffany Warne
* Katrina Muhsin
* Brett Clappis
* Alan Murrell (Senior)
* Jase Kemp (Sport)
* Caroline O'Dea
* Taylee Jones
* Max Burford (Sport)
* Jodie Oddy
Former presenters
*
Ian Cochius (1959–1960s)
*
Alec Macaskill (1960s–1976)
*
Sandy Roberts
Sandy Roberts (born 22 February 1950) is a veteran sports presenter and commentator formerly working on television for Fox Sports Australia and radio with Crocmedia. He was a long-time personality of the Seven Network for four decades, notably p ...
(1970s–1979)
*
Kevin Crease
Kevin John Crease (8 May 1936 – 12 April 2007) was a South Australian television presenter and news presenter. He was most noted for presenting South Australian edition of the Nine Network's'' National Nine News'' with Rob Kelvin between 198 ...
(1976–1986)
*
Anne Fulwood
Anne Fulwood (born 5 February 1959) is an Australian-born former reporter, journalist and writer with a long association as a newsreader and current affairs host, she was born in South Australia's Riverland region and began her career in the sta ...
(1984–1987)
* Steve Whitham (1979–1990)
* Steve Curtis (1975–1982)
* Caroline Ainsle (1987–1991)
* Sue Cardwell (1987–1993)
*
Keith Martyn (1982–1995)
* Marina Emsley (1991–1996)
* Nikki Dwyer (1992–2000)
* Katrina Shute (1995–2002)
*
Kelly Nestor
Kelly Nestor (born 22 August 1968) is an Australian television news presenter and is working for '' The Advertiser''.
Biography
Nestor was born and raised in Broken Hill, New South Wales, but made her name as a news presenter in Adelaide.
Ne ...
(2001–2006)
*
George Donikian
George Jack Donikian (born 15 December 1951) is an Australian former radio and television news presenter/personality. He has worked at the SBS as well as the Nine Network and Ten Network.
Early life
Donikian was born and raised in Kingsfor ...
(1991–2010)
*
Belinda Heggen (2011–2012)
* Jane Reilly (1994–2013)
*
Mark Aiston
Mark Aiston is an Australian sports journalist and sports presenter.
Aiston is currently a breakfast radio presenter on FIVEaa. He was previously a sport presenter on ''Ten Eyewitness News'' and breakfast radio presenter on Mix 102.3.
Career
Ai ...
(1996–2014)
Former reporters
*Adam Hegarty (now with ''
Nine News Queensland
''Nine News Queensland'' is the flagship state-based news bulletin of the Nine Network in Brisbane. It is screened across Queensland on weeknights, while on weekends it is also screened on a half-hour delay in the Northern Territory. Like all '' ...
'')
*
Alice Monfries
Alice Monfries (born 13 February 1987) is a journalist and news presenter for the Nine Network in Adelaide.
Career
Monfries studied journalism at the University of South Australia and began her career at Messenger Newspapers, where she was ...
(now with ''
Nine News Sydney
''Nine News Sydney'' is the local news bulletin for the Nine Network station in Sydney, airing across New South Wales each night.
Like all ''Nine News'' bulletins, the Sydney bulletin runs for one hour. from 6pm every day. It covers the day's ...
'')
*James Wakelin (was with ''
Nine News Adelaide'')
See also
*
Television broadcasting in Australia
Television broadcasting in Australia began officially on 16 September 1956, with the opening of TCN-9, quickly followed by national and commercial stations in Sydney and Melbourne, all these being in 625-line black and white. The commencement da ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ads (Tv Station)
News Corp Australia
Network 10
Television stations in South Australia
Television stations in Adelaide
Television channels and stations established in 1959