1998 in Australian television

List of years in Australian television
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Events

• February – Kim Kilbey starts hosting Australia's Funniest Home Video Show , replacing long-time host Jo Beth Taylor.
• 12 February – British Swiss children's animated TV series Pingu (which started off as a segment on the Seven Network's The Book Place ) makes its debut on ABC, starting off with the first two episodes at 8:25 am. It will later broadcast several more episodes on 24 March at 3:55 pm and again in several months on weekdays at 10:25 am, 9:25 am, 7:25 am (for Sundays), 8:25 am (for a second time) and at 4:55 pm (until 1 January 1999 in all states and on 8 January 1999 in Western Australia).
• 16 February – The pink rabbit Mixy from The Ferals / Feral TV presents her very own children's weekday morning block on ABC starting from 7:30 am to 10:00 am.
• 16 February – British children's TV series Teletubbies debuts on ABC.
• 18 February – Australian talk show The Panel debuts on Network Ten.
• 24 February – Australian hospital drama series All Saints debuts on the Seven Network.
• 27 March – Darwin finally gets a second commercial television station when TND-34 opens, taking a Seven Network affiliation.
• WIN Television WA is granted a licence to expand its broadcast into regional & remote Western Australia.
• 27 April - Network Ten launches game show Battle Of The Sexes, hosted by Ed Phillips, also that night, Network Ten begins Fast Forward’s Funniest Moments, featuring sketch highlights from the former Seven Network comedy show for 12 episode run. Fast Forward’s Funniest Moments was digitised and was released on DVD in 2004 as part of the Fast Forward In Rewind collection.
• 10 May – Australian drama series SeaChange debuts on ABC.
• 24 June – In the magic moment of Neighbours 13-year history, here was one now-infamous incident, Karl Kennedy (Alan Fletcher) has a massive fight with Susan Kennedy (Jackie Woodbourne) about his feud with serial bombshell Sarah Beaumont (Nicola Charles), and slaps him in the face very hard.
• 29 June – British sitcom Father Ted premieres on the ABC two years after its debut on the Nine Network.
• 7 July - GMA with Bert Newton celebrates its 1500th episode. The show began as The Morning Show in 1992 and took on the Good Morning Australia name the following year. That night, Network Ten screens the Kylie Minogue concert special Kylie — Intimate And Live, including behind-the-scenes footage of two months of preparation, planning and rehearsal for Minogue’s Australian tour.
• 20 July – Hey Hey It's Saturday launches its Red Faces documentary series and spin off Gonged But Not Forgotten, premieres at 8:30 pm, on the Nine Network
• 31 July – The Wiggles' first self-titled television series, screens on the Seven Network.
• 22 August – British pop duo the Lighthouse Family perform on the Nine Network variety program Hey Hey It's Saturday .
• 5 October – Pokémon makes it debut on Network Ten.
• 12 October – Nine Network debuts a brand new talk show called Strassman presented by American ventriloquist and comedian David Strassman at 9:00 pm.
• 22 November – The 1995 film Babe premieres on the Seven Network.
• 27 November – After 25 years, The Midday Show is retired by the Nine Network. A Current Affair draws with a final goodbye with Ray Martin in the hot-seat before retiring for the very last time. Martin was replaced by Mike Munro from December 1998. Martin returns to the program 5 years later. On the same night, Brian Naylor retires from reading Melbourne's National Nine News after 20 years; he is replaced by Peter Hitchener.
• December – The remote Central & Eastern Australia markets are aggregated, with Imparja taking a Nine Network affiliation & Seven Central (formerly QSTV) taking a joint Seven & Network Ten affiliation.
• 20 December – The pay television station, Disney Channel Australia introduced pay television Foxtel to a children's group called The Wiggles who debuted in a TV special taking place in Disneyland, California titled The Wiggles in Disneyland, this was later screened on the Seven Network. Future Hollywood actor Hugh Jackman hosts the 1998 Carols in the Domain, live on the Seven Network.
• 21 December – Network Ten debuts a brand new children's series aimed at pre-schoolers called In the Box , replacing The Music Shop .
• 24 December – Australian children's TV series Misery Guts which only ran for 13 episodes premieres on Nine Network.

Debuts

Domestic

Program	Channel	Debut date
Breakers	Network Ten	2 February
Mixy	ABC TV	16 February
The Panel	Network Ten	18 February
Hot Streak	Seven Network	23 February
All Saints	Seven Network	24 February
Kings in Grass Castles	Seven Network	29 March
Bananas in Pyjamas: Bumping and a Jumping	ABC TV	13 April
Denise	Seven Network	20 April
Battle of the Sexes	Network Ten	27 April
SeaChange	ABC TV	10 May
The Micallef P(r)ogram(me)	ABC TV	11 May
Live and Kicking	Seven Network	20 May
Petals	ABC TV	1 June
Bobtales	SBS TV	29 June
Gonged But Not Forgotten: Australia's Best & Worst of Red Faces	Nine Network	20 July
The Wiggles // Let’s Wiggle	Seven Network	31 July
The Games	ABC TV	17 August
Search for Treasure Island	Seven Network	17 August
Something Stupid	Seven Network	31 August
Driven Crazy	Network Ten	4 September
Changing Rooms	Nine Network	23 September
Stingers	Nine Network	29 September
Skippy: Adventures in Bushtown	Nine Network	8 October
House From Hell	Network Ten	8 October
The Toothbrush Family (season 2)	Network Ten	10 October
Ketchup: Cats Who Cook	Network Ten	10 October
The Big Cheez	Network Ten	10 October
Strassman	Nine Network	12 October
The Day of the Roses	Network Ten	18 October
A Difficult Woman	ABC TV	18 October
The Russell Gilbert Show	Nine Network	19 October
Hazards, Disasters and Survival	ABC TV	26 October
Too Much Medicine?	ABC TV	12 November
Global Village	SBS TV	30 November
In the Box	Network Ten	21 December
Misery Guts	Nine Network	24 December

International

Program	Channel	Debut date
Ghost Stories	Network Ten	1 January
Ramadan Journeys	SBS TV	4 January
The Lazarus Man	Seven Network	8 January
Campus Cops	Network Ten	17 January
The Merchant of Venice (1996)	ABC TV	17 January
All Dogs Go to Heaven: The Series	Seven Network	20 January
The Last Frontier	Seven Network	22 January
Big Bad Beetleborgs	Network Ten	2 February
The Great American Sex Scandal	Seven Network	4 February
Jumanji	Network Ten	6 February
Men in Black: The Series	Network Ten	6 February
/ Nostromo	ABC TV	6 February
Soul Man	Seven Network	8 February
Stickin' Around (TV series)	ABC TV	8 February
Veronica's Closet	Nine Network	9 February
Just Shoot Me!	Network Ten	11 February
/ Pingu	ABC TV	12 February
Team Knight Rider	Network Ten	13 February
Teletubbies	ABC TV	16 February
Extreme Dinosaurs	Network Ten	16 February
Materials We Need	ABC TV	16 February
Stephen Hawking's Universe	ABC TV	21 February
Midsomer Murders	Nine Network	27 February
Dharma and Greg	Seven Network	1 March
Goode Behavior	Seven Network	2 March
/ The Little Lulu Show	ABC TV	6 March
Jonathan Creek	ABC TV	6 March
Homeboys in Outer Space	Seven Network	13 March
/ / White Fang	Seven Network	14 March
One West Waikiki	Seven Network	24 March
Toonsylvania	Nine Network	28 March
Kipper	ABC TV	8 April
Sometime, Never	ABC TV	13 April
Soul Music	ABC TV	17 April
Buddies	Seven Network	20 April
The Angry Beavers	ABC TV	21 April
Our Mutual Friend (1998)	ABC TV	26 April
Pauly	Seven Network	27 April
Fly by Night	Seven Network	27 April
/ Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation	Network Ten	4 May
Mummies Alive!	Seven Network	5 May
Hypernauts	Nine Network	9 May
Spirits of the Jaguar	ABC TV	10 May
Big Cat Diary	ABC TV	13 May
Around the World in 80 Dreams	Seven Network	14 May
Bureau of Alien Detectors	Network Ten	15 May
Extreme Ghostbusters	Network Ten	18 May
Power Rangers Turbo	Seven Network	21 May
True Tilda	ABC TV	24 May
Hairy Maclary	ABC TV	1 June
The Forgotten Toys (TV series)	ABC TV	1 June
The Morph Files	ABC TV	1 June
Wyrd Sisters	ABC TV	5 June
Radetzky March	SBS TV	8 June
Freaky Stories	ABC TV	8 June
/ Tabaluga	Seven Network	13 June
A Respectable Trade	Nine Network	14 June
Jungle Cubs	Seven Network	20 June
Space: Above and Beyond	SBS TV	28 June
Land of the Tiger	ABC TV	28 June
/ / The Adventures of the Black Stallion	Seven Network	28 June
Baywatch Nights	Network Ten	30 June
Merlin	Nine Network	5 July
The Animal Shelf	ABC TV	7 July
Enid Blyton's Enchanted Lands	ABC TV	7 July
EZ Streets	Network Ten	8 July
Deadly Games	Seven Network	14 July
Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist	SBS TV	18 July
Game On	ABC TV	23 July
Pensacola: Wings of Gold	Nine Network	8 August
Working	Seven Network	9 August
Reckless	Seven Network	12 August
Oscar and Friends	ABC TV	12 August
The Scold's Bridle	ABC TV	16 August
Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher	Nine Network	17 August
The Human Body	ABC TV	20 August
/ Minty	ABC TV	20 August
Ally McBeal	Seven Network	24 August
Fall from Grace	Network Ten	24 August
Mad TV	Nine Network	27 August
In the Red	ABC TV	30 August
Plotlands	ABC TV	4 September
Science Court	Seven Network	5 September
Airport	Nine Network	23 September
Cow and Chicken	Seven Network	24 September
The Visitor	Seven Network	24 September
The Roseanne Show	Network Ten	28 September
The Magical World of Margaret Mahy	ABC TV	28 September
Mr. Rhodes	Seven Network	1 October
USA High	Seven Network	3 October
Pokémon	Network Ten	5 October
A Season in Purgatory	Network Ten	12 October
Aliens in the Family (1996)	Seven Network	21 October
Mr. & Mrs. Smith	Seven Network	21 October
In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great	ABC TV	24 October
How Do You Want Me?	ABC TV	2 November
Ultraviolet	ABC TV	4 November
Brooklyn South	Nine Network	5 November
1914-1918	ABC TV	5 November
The New Adventures of Zorro (1997)	Nine Network	7 November
The Cola Conquest	ABC TV	21 November
The Jerry Springer Show	Network Ten	26 November
Delia's How to Cook	ABC TV	26 November
The Love Boat: The Next Wave	Network Ten	29 November
The Life of Birds	ABC TV	29 November
La Femme Nikita	Nine Network	30 November
Felicity	Seven Network	30 November
Tarzan: The Epic Adventures	Nine Network	30 November
Looking After Jo Jo	ABC TV	1 December
The Net	Network Ten	2 December
PSI Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal	Network Ten	2 December
Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place	Seven Network	3 December
Townies	Seven Network	3 December
The Ambassador	Seven Network	3 December
Alright Already	Network Ten	3 December
V.I.P.	Network Ten	4 December
Brambly Hedge	Nine Network	5 December
/ More Tales of the City	Nine Network	6 December
Kids Say the Darndest Things	Nine Network	8 December
Storm Warning	Network Ten	14 December
The Boss	ABC TV	14 December
Invasion America	Nine Network	14 December
The Gregory Hines Show	Nine Network	19 December
Meego	Nine Network	19 December
Father Christmas and the Missing Reindeer	Seven Network	23 December
/ Oscar's Orchestra	ABC TV	28 December
/ Poltergeist: The Legacy	Seven Network	29 December
Meet the Ancestors	SBS TV	30 December
Project ALF	Seven Network	30 December
Koki	ABC TV	31 December

Subscription television

Domestic

Program	Channel	Debut date
Funhouse	Fox Kids	January

International

Program	Channel	Debut date
Good & Evil [1]	thecomedychannel	January
The Wacky World of Tex Avery	The Disney Channel	January
Pepper Ann	The Disney Channel	January
Nightmare Ned	The Disney Channel	January
Paul Merton in Galton & Simpson's [2]	arena	1 January
Extreme Machines [3]	Discovery Channel	6 January
Guiding Light [4]	FOX Soap	12 January
Singled Out [5]	MTV Australia	1 April
Renford Rejects [6]	Nickelodeon	5 June
Journey of Allen Strange, The The Journey of Allen Strange [6]	Nickelodeon	1 July
Family Affairs [7]	UKTV	3 July
CatDog [8]	Nickelodeon	10 October
Wild Thornberrys, The The Wild Thornberrys [9]	Nickelodeon	12 December
Franklin	Nickelodeon	1998
/ / The Adventures of Paddington Bear	Nickelodeon	1998
/ The 3 Friends and Jerry	Nickelodeon	1998
Breaker High	Fox Kids	1998
/ The Adventures of Sinbad	Fox Kids	1998
Bear in the Big Blue House	The Disney Channel	1998
/ / The Country Mouse and the City Mouse Adventures	Nickelodeon	1998
Kassai and Luk	Nickelodeon	1998
Austin Stories	The Comedy Channel	1998
Rex the Runt	The Comedy Channel	1998
/ Captain Star	The Disney Channel	1998
Pond Life	The Comedy Channel	1998
/ Pocket Dragon Adventures	Fox Kids	1998
Student Bodies	The Disney Channel	1998
The All New Captain Kangaroo	Fox Kids	1998
Space Goofs	Fox Kids	1998
The Adventures of Dawdle the Donkey	Fox Kids	1998
The Big Comfy Couch	The Disney Channel	1998
Chicken Minute	The Disney Channel	1998
The Kidsongs Television Show	The Disney Channel	1998

Telemovies

International

Program	Channel	Debut date
King Leek [2]	arena	29 January

Specials

International

Program	Channel	Debut date
Paul Reiser: Three and Half Blocks From Home [1]	thecomedychannel	18 January

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
The Gift	ABC TV	Nine Network	28 December

International

Program	New network(s)	Previous network(s)	Date
Murder, She Wrote	Nine Network	Network Ten	1 February
Keeping Up Appearances	Seven Network	ABC	28 March
Heartbeat	Seven Network	ABC	6 April
The New Archies	Network Ten	Nine Network	8 May
/ Father Ted	ABC	Nine Network	29 June
Jim Henson's The Storyteller	ABC	Network Ten	7 July
/ A Christmassy Ted	ABC	Nine Network	23 December

Subscription premieres

This is a list of programs which made their premiere on Australian subscription television that had previously premiered on Australian free-to-air television. Programs may still air on the original free-to-air television network.

Domestic

Program	Subscription network	Free-to-air network	Date
Crocadoo [10]	Cartoon Network	Nine Network	5 January

International

Program	Subscription network	Free-to-air network	Date
Traffik [11]	UKTV	ABC TV [ citation needed ]	4 January
Adventures of Tintin, The / The Adventures of Tintin [10]	Cartoon Network	ABC TV [ citation needed ]	5 January
99 - 1 [2]	arena	[ citation needed ]	11 January
Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit [11]	UKTV	ABC TV [ citation needed ]	17 January
The Fear [11]	UKTV	ABC TV [ citation needed ]	22 January
Lillie [12]	UKTV	Seven Network [ citation needed ]	2 April
South Park [13]	The Comedy Channel	SBS TV	2 June
Seinfeld [14] [15]	TV1	Nine Network Network Ten [ citation needed ]	6 July
Woof! [8]	Nickelodeon	Nine Network ABC TV [ citation needed ]	5 September
Demon Headmaster, The The Demon Headmaster [8]	Nickelodeon	ABC TV [ citation needed ]	5 September
Delta Wave [8]	Nickelodeon	[ citation needed ]	5 September
American Gothic [16]	TV1	Network Ten	5 December
Chronicles of Narnia, The The Chronicles of Narnia [9]	Nickelodeon	ABC TV [ citation needed ]	6 December
The Adventures of Sinbad	Fox Kids	Network Ten	1998
King of the Hill	Fox8	Seven Network	1998
/ / Secret Life of Toys	Fox Kids	ABC TV	1998

Television shows

ABC

• Mr. Squiggle and Friends (1959–1999)
• Four Corners (1961–present)

Seven Network

• Wheel of Fortune (1981–1996, 1996–2003, 2004–06)
• Home and Away (1988–present)
• Blue Heelers (1994–2006)
• The Great Outdoors (1993–present)
• Today Tonight (1995–present)

Nine Network

• Today (1982–present)
• Sale of the Century (1980–2001)
• A Current Affair (1971–1978, 1988–present)
• Hey Hey It's Saturday (1971–1999)
• Midday (1985–1998)
• 60 Minutes (1979–present)
• Australia's Funniest Home Video Show (1990–2000, 2000–2004, 2005–present)
• The AFL Footy Show (1994–present)
• The NRL Footy Show (1994–present)
• Water Rats (1996–2001)
• Burgo's Catch Phrase (1997–2001, 2002–2003)
• The Price is Right (1993–1998)

Network Ten

• Neighbours (Seven Network 1985, Network Ten 1986–present)
• GMA with Bert Newton (1991–2005)
• Totally Full Frontal (1998–1999)

Ending / Resting this year

Date	Show	Channel	Debut
10 February	Raw FM	ABC TV	1997
15 March	Children's Hospital	ABC TV	1997
14 April	Li'l Elvis Jones and the Truckstoppers	ABC TV	6 March 1998
13 June	Challenger	Channel Nine	1997
23 June	Good Guys, Bad Guys	Channel Nine	1997
6 July	Magic Mountain	ABC TV	1997
24 July	The Silver Brumby	Network Ten	1996
19 August	The Genie from Down Under	ABC TV	1996
18 September	Battle of the Sexes	Channel Ten	27 April 1998
21 September	Bobtales	SBS TV	29 June 1998
30 September	Crocadoo	Channel Nine	1996
2 October	The Price Is Right	Channel Nine	1993
5 October	Something Stupid	Channel Seven	31 August 1998
8 November	A Difficult Woman	ABC TV	18 October 1998
15 November	Who Dares Wins	Channel Seven	1996
17 November	Skippy: Adventures in Bushtown	Channel Nine	8 October 1998
19 November	House From Hell	Channel Ten	8 October 1998
23 November	Healthy, Wealthy and Wise	Channel Ten	1992
23 November	State Coroner	Channel Ten	1997
23 November	The Russell Gilbert Show	Channel Nine	19 October 1998
27 November	Driven Crazy	Channel Ten	4 September 1998
27 November	The Music Shop	Channel Ten	1996
27 November	Hot Streak	Channel Seven	23 February 1998
27 November	The Midday Show	Channel Nine	1985
27 November	In Melbourne Tonight	Channel Nine	1996 (II)
18 December	Where You Find the Ladybird	Channel Ten	1996
1998	A*mazing	Channel Seven	1994
1998	Time Masters	Channel Seven	1996

See also

• 1998 in Australia
• List of Australian films of 1998

References

1. "thecomedychannel Highlights". Foxtel. Archived from the original on 17 January 1998. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
2. "arena Highlights". Foxtel. Archived from the original on 17 January 1998. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
3. "Discovery Channel Highlights". Foxtel. Archived from the original on 17 January 1998. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
4. "FOX Soap Highlights". Foxtel. Archived from the original on 17 January 1998. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
5. Shaw, Meaghan; Harris, Paul; Kalina, Paul; Farrant, Darrin (26 March 1998). "Programs – Wednesday". The Age Green Guide . Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 44. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
6. Nickelodeon (Australia) (1998). Nick Nooze. 1.
7. Schembri, Jim; Harris, Paul; Kalina, Paul (30 July 1998). "Programs – Monday". The Age Green Guide . Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 32. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
8. Nickelodeon (Australia) (1998). Nick Nooze. 2.
9. "What's New On Nick? – December 1998". Nickelodeon (Australia). 1998. Archived from the original on 6 December 1998. Retrieved 17 December 2009.
10. "Cartoon Network Highlights". Foxtel. Archived from the original on 17 January 1998. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
11. "UKTV Highlights". Foxtel. Archived from the original on 17 January 1998. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
12. Shaw, Meaghan; Harris, Paul; Kalina, Paul (2 April 1998). "Programs – Thursday". The Age Green Guide . Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 42. Retrieved 10 February 2010.
13. Freeman, Jane (11 May 1998). "A high-flier takes a walk". Sydney Morning Herald . Sydney, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 2. Retrieved 27 December 2009. And thecomedychannel on Foxtel has already snapped up the show for pay television from June 2.
14. Elder, Bruce (30 March 1997). "The new MUSIC WARS". Sydney Morning Herald . Sydney, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 13. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
15. TIPPET, GARY; HARRIS, PAUL; KALINA, PAUL; FARRANT, DARRIN (2 July 1998). "Programs – Wednesday". The Age . Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 32. Retrieved 27 December 2009. For those who tuned in to this re-run of the sitcom – which kicked off on Monday with the rarely-seen pilot
16. Joyce, James (11 July 1998). "Prime skips Heartbeat". Newcastle Herald . Newcastle, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 2. Retrieved 27 December 2009. TV1 has picked up the rerun rights to Shaun Cassidy's short-lived American terror series American Gothic (originally screened on Ten) and will air the twisted drama from December 5.