The history of Australian television

The first television broadcast in Australia occurred on 16 September 1956. It was an event was that was organised by TCN-9 Sydney and it featured a variety of programming including news bulletins, live sport, and children's shows.

In fact, a TV presenter called Bruce Gyngell was the first person to appear on Australian television.

He famously said, "Good evening, and welcome to television" during the very first broadcast.

However, this was only the start of television's dominance over mass media. Soon, many other television channels began.

HSV-7 was Melbourne's first television station and was launched on 4 November 1956, just weeks after TCN-9 in Sydney.

Next, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's (ABC) first television station, ABN-2, began broadcasting in Sydney on 5 November 1956.

It also provided a mix of educational and entertainment programs, which were free to watch for anyone with a television set.

The first major TV event held in Australia was the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games, which held during November of that same year.

As a result, television rapidly gained popularity in Australia. By 1957 there were already 200,000 sets in homes around the country.

In these early years, Graham Kennedy became one of Australia's first TV stars.

He rose to fame in the late 1950s with his variety show In Melbourne Tonight.

Kennedy became famous as a master of improvisation and his show became must-see viewing for many Australians.

By the mid-1960s, there were over 20 commercial television stations operating across Australia.

In September 1964, Channel 0 (which would later become Network 10) had launched in Melbourne.

It offered a slightly different mix of programming, including live sport, news, and similar variety shows to other channels.

However, the success of Channel 0's debut paved the way for the further expansion of commercial television in Australia.

In 1966, ABC first aired Play School, one of its longest running children's shows.

It quickly became a firm favourite among Australian families because of its groundbreaking use of puppets and simple sets.

By the end of the decade, TV became a central feature of some of the greatest historical events of the decade.

People were able to watch Neil Armstrong take his first steps on the moon in 1969.

It also allowed viewers to witness the first 'televised war', the Vietnam War, and see the horror of war in the safety of their own homes.

The 1970s was a decade of gradual consolidation of the major TV channels in Australia.

Up until this point, all TV sets and shows were broadcast in black and white colours. 

Then, the greatest change came with Australia's first colour test broadcast occurred on 19 October 1974.

Once the tests were considered to be successful, many channels preceded the full-time introduction of colour TV, which began in March 1975.

Another change of this decade was the creation of the first regional television stations in Australia.

In contrast to the big channels in the major cities, these smaller stations were independently operated.

By the early 1980s, there were more than four million television sets in use across Australia.

This decade saw the introduction of a number of new channels and services. In 1980, Channel 0 was renamed Channel Ten and expanded with a new station in Brisbane.

Thanks to its mix of programming, including soap operas, game shows, and variety programs, Channel Ten quickly became a hit with young viewers.

Also in 1980, the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) was launched, which was designed to provide multilingual programming that reflected the diversity of Australia's multicultural population. 

In 1982, the Australian government introduced a system of funding for the production of local drama and children's programs.

This 'equity quota' system attempted to ensure that a certain percentage of Australian content was shown on commercial television stations.

Then, the first Indigenous television program, Imparja, began broadcasting in 1988.

It had a mission to create content relevant to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

In 1995, pay-TV service Foxtel was introduced. This was a subscription-based service, meaning that people had to pay for the specific things they wanted to watch.

To entice people to do this, Foxtel offered a wide range of channels, including movies, sport, and entertainment.

However, many Australians were happy to rely upon the many free channels available to them rather than paying this subscription fee.

Then, in 1996, Sky News Australia launched, which the country's first 24-hour news channel based in Australia.

It provided constant coverage of breaking news from around the globe but delivered from an Australian perspective.

The same year, the Australian government updated and introduced new laws that required all television stations to broadcast an increased minimum amount of Australian content.

As before, these laws aimed to support the local television industry and ensure that Australian stories were told on screen.

The 2000s were a decade of significant change for Australian television. In 2001, digital television was introduced, allowing viewers to watch multiple channels on one screen and providing access to interactive services such as games and shopping.

Digital television quickly became the standard in Australia, with more than 80% of homes using it by 2010.

In 2003, ABC launched a new digital-only channel, ABC Kids. ABC Kids, a 24-hour channel, offered a range of children's programming, including cartoons, educational shows, and live-action series.

Then, in 2007, the National Indigenous Television Service (NITV) was launched, providing a range of programming, including news, sport, and culture.

Just like Imparja before, it was targeted at the First Nations people in regional areas.

Most famously, this was also the decade when reality TV became popular in Australia.

Multi-million-dollar productions such as Big Brother, Australian Idol, and The Block gained massive audiences.

The 2010s suddenly saw the first real challenge to television's dominance as the key media platform for Australians.

This was the time when there was a surge in the popularity of online streaming services such as Netflix and Stan.

These services allow viewers to watch TV shows and movies online without having to subscribe to a traditional pay-TV service.

In an effort to complete, in 2008, ABC had launched iView, a free online service that allows viewers to watch ABC programs on demand.

iView quickly became one of the most popular streaming services in Australia, boasting more than two million users by 2016.

In 2017, the Australian government introduced a new tax rebate for television and film productions to encourage more investment in the local industry and support jobs in the sector.

As of 2021, streaming services such as Netflix and Stan continue to grow in popularity.

For most people, television has become a distant second behind online streaming services.

Today, Australian television is still enjoyed by millions of people across the country.

While once an integral part of Australian culture, it is facing severe financial pressures in order to stay relevant in an increasingly online world.