2002 in Australian television

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Events

• 25 January – Richard Morecroft reads his last ABC News bulletin. He is replaced the following Monday by Tony Eastley.
• 4 February – Nine cast members from All Saints participate in The Weakest Link: All Saints Special to mark the first and only anniversary of The Weakest Link in Australia. Erik Thomson wins the special, but his winnings are unknown.
• 11 February – The Nine Network's post-Sale of the Century replacement, Shafted hosted by former Hey Hey It's Saturday member Red Symons premieres. After dismal ratings the show is cancelled in April the same year. On the same day the network's post-Burgo's Catch Phrase replacement Pass the Buck , a new game show based on the UK game show containing a word association premieres leading into Nine's most-watched 6pm news bulletin, After dismal ratings the show is cancelled in May the same year.
• 20 February – American science fiction fantasy series Star Trek: Enterprise premieres on the Nine Network.
• 11 March – The Seven Network's Docklands studios in Melbourne open, with the first Seven News Melbourne news bulletin being broadcast from the centre. This leads to a national relaunch of the Seven News brand with new sets and graphics in most cities. Also on that day, the nine remaining contestants from the third season of The Mole take part in a special episode of The Weakest Link for a chance to add $100,000 to the prize kitty. The team performed well against expectations, winning only $14,100, the lowest amount ever won on the Australian version of the show. On The Mole, this figure is rounded up to $15,000. The show was cancelled one month later after dismal ratings.
• 6 March – Foxtel introduces a new sports channel called Fox Footy Channel. It runs until 1 October 2006.
• 20 March – Tim Lane resigns from the Nine Network following a disagreement in regards to commentating AFL matches with Eddie McGuire involving the Collingwood Football Club. Lane defects to rival Network Ten in 2003, where he remained until Ten lost the rights at the end of 2011.
• 28 March – The Nine Network televises its first AFL game until Nine lost the TV rights at the end of 2006.
• 30 March – The Western Front premieres on Network Ten in Perth and was hosted by Tim Gossage and Lachy Reid.
• 30 March – Network Ten televises its first AFL game until Ten lost the TV rights at the end of 2011.
• 8 April – Frasier returns to the Nine Network and the show debuts its 7:00 pm weeknight timeslot.
• 8 April – Australian media analysis television program Media Watch returns to air on the ABC several months after the broadcaster had removed its former managing director Jonathan Shier with David Marr taking over as host as Paul Barry had been sacked by Shier in 2000 following its cancellation.
• 24 April – Crystal-Rose Cluff wins the third season of The Mole, taking home $108,000 in prize money. Alaina Taylor is revealed as the Mole, and Marc Jongebloed is the runner-up.
• 2 May – Final episode of the Australian drama series (which is the very first television series in Australia to be filmed in widescreen) Something in the Air airs on ABC.
• 16 May – Kath & Kim premieres on the ABC and is a surprise hit. It was picked up by the Seven Network in 2007.

• 1 July – Peter Corbett wins the second season of Big Brother.
• 2 July – American science fiction fantasy series Smallville premieres on the Nine Network.
• 26 July – Mixy ends after 4-year run and it will be replaced by children's weekday morning and afternoon blocks on the ABC.
• 6 August – Eddie McGuire and Catriona Rowntree present an all new IQ test television series called Test Australia: The National IQ Test which is airing on Nine Network. It has also been ranked as the most watched television show for 2002 in Australia.
• 8 August – The American action drama series 24 premieres on the Seven Network.
• 12 August –
  • After being cancelled in 2001, Burgo's Catch Phrase relaunches on the Nine Network and is a surprise hit, with new graphics, new theme music and new prizes with the contestant backdrop increased to three people with the game show been produced by Southern Star Endemol, leading into Nine's most-watched 6pm news bulletin.
  • TV and radio personality Dylan Lewis is voted winner of Celebrity Big Brother .
  • The Australian drama White Collar Blue premieres on Network Ten.
• September – SBS launches its first Digital channel, the SBS World News Channel .
• 1 September – The Nine Network undergoes a revamp to change their on-air graphics, including changing their dots back to spears as well as the numeral becoming 3D for the colour-coded days.
• 30 September – The Wiggles return to television with a brand new television series called Lights, Camera, Action, Wiggles! airing for the first time ever on ABC.
• 4 October – Beyblade premieres on Fox Kids and two weeks later on Network Ten as part of Cheez TV . Also that day, David Koch takes over from Chris Reason as co-host of Sunrise , a role which he still holds as of today. ^[1]
• 29 November – Brian Henderson retires from reading Sydney's National Nine News after four decades. He is replaced the following Monday by Jim Waley, who manages to keep the bulletin on top of the ratings in Sydney for the next two years. ^[2]

Channels

New channels

• 6 March – Fox Footy Channel

Defunct channels

• 30 November – Oh! (replaced by FOX8 on Optus Television)

Premieres

Domestic series

Program	Channel	Debut date
The Garden Gurus	Nine Network	2 February
Shafted	Nine Network	11 February
Pass the Buck	Nine Network	11 February
Auction Squad	Seven Network	13 February
Australian Survivor	Nine Network	13 February
Fear Factor	Nine Network	19 February
Saturday Night Footy	Network Ten	30 March
Kath & Kim	ABC TV	16 May
Old Tom	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	6 June
Young Lions	Nine Network	17 July
Celebrity Big Brother	Network Ten	21 July
MDA	ABC TV	23 July
Test Australia: The National IQ Test	Nine Network	6 August
White Collar Blue	Network Ten	12 August
Creature Features [3]	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	9 September
CNNNN	ABC TV	19 September
Lights, Camera, Action, Wiggles!	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	30 September
Don't Blame Me	Nine Network	6 October
Fairy Tale Police Department	Seven Network	18 October
Mornings with Kerri-Anne	Nine Network	28 October
Bad Cop, Bad Cop	ABC TV	18 November

International series

Program	Channel	Debut date
Level 9	Nine Network	4 January
Yizo Yizo	SBS TV	5 January
Two Thousand Acres of Sky	Seven Network	6 January
The Strip	Nine Network	7 January
Hitler's Holocaust	SBS TV	10 January
/ Secrets of the Dead	SBS TV	13 January
The Cindy Margolis Show	Nine Network	14 January
Vampires, Pirates and Aliens	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	30 January
Atlantis High	ABC Kids (digital only)	4 February
Merlin the Magical Puppy	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	4 February
Busy Buses	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	4 February
The Hoobs	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	4 February
Eddy and the Bear	ABC Kids (digital only)	4 February
Little Ghosts	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	4 February
The Famous Five (1995)	ABC Kids (digital only)	5 February
The Adventures of Dawdle the Donkey	ABC Kids (digital only)	9 February
Black Books	ABC TV	14 February
The Six Wives of Henry VIII	ABC TV	17 February
North Square [4]	ABC TV	20 February
Star Trek: Enterprise	Nine Network	20 February
Digimon Tamers	Network Ten	26 February
/ Don't Eat the Neighbours	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	7 March
The Kumars at No. 42	ABC TV	21 March
Connie the Cow	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	17 April
/ Guinevere Jones	Network Ten	4 May
Rescue Heroes	Network Ten	6 May
Night and Day	ABC TV	7 May
The Legend of Tarzan	Seven Network	18 May
Angelina Ballerina	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	27 May
Fourways Farm	ABC Kids (digital only)	6 June
/ Starhill Ponies	ABC Kids (digital only)	6 June
/ Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001)	Network Ten	9 June
Sir Gadabout: The Worst Knight in the Land	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	10 June
Molly's Gang	ABC Kids (digital only)	10 June
Dog and Duck	ABC Kids (digital only)	10 June
Construction Site	ABC Kids (digital only)	12 June
Teacher's Pet	Seven Network	22 June
/ Queer as Folk	SBS TV	1 July
Smallville	Nine Network	2 July
The Way We Live Now (2001)	ABC TV	7 July
The Book Group	ABC TV	12 July
/ Cyberchase	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	15 July
SpongeBob SquarePants	Network Ten	12 August
Caillou	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	15 August
Baby Blues	Nine Network	31 August
Band of Brothers [5]	Nine Network	2 September
Medabots	Network Ten	14 September
The Ripping Friends	Fly TV (digital only)	14 September
Pongwiffy	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	16 September
Olliver's Adventures	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	16 September
Engie Benjy	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	16 September
Zoids: Chaotic Century	Network Ten	17 September
Curb Your Enthusiasm [6]	Nine Network	23 September
Small Potatoes (1999)	ABC TV	3 October
Beyblade	Network Ten	14 October
Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series	Network Ten	12 October
The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius	Network Ten	18 October
Dr. Phil	Nine Network	21 October
/ Ace Lightning	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	22 October
Bounty Hamster	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	4 November
Andy Pandy (2002)	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	7 November
Foyle's War	ABC TV	8 November
Teletubbies Everywhere	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	2 December [7]
/ The Dead Zone	Nine Network	2 December
Mr. Bean: The Animated Series	ABC TV	3 December
Archie's Weird Mysteries	Seven Network	7 December
Funny Little Bugs	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	9 December
/ X-DuckX	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	23 December
The Adventures of Mole	Seven Network	26 December
The Adventures of Toad	Seven Network	27 December
Animal Ark	ABC Kids (digital only)	2002
/ / Anthony Ant	ABC Kids (digital only)	2002
/ / / Upstairs, Downstairs Bears	ABC Kids (digital only)	2002
/ / Blazing Dragons	ABC Kids (digital only)	2002
Buzz and Poppy	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	2002
Oscar Charlie	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	2002
Binka	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	2002
Snailsbury Tales	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	2002
Oswald	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	2002
/ Slim Pig	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	2002
The Wheels on the Bus	ABC Kids (digital only)	2002
/ Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings (2002)	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	2002
/ Henry's World	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	2002
The Fantastic Flying Journey	ABC Kids (digital only)	2002
Mopatop's Shop	ABC Kids (digital only)	2002
Skipper & Skeeto	ABC Kids (digital only)	2002
Microscopic Milton	ABC Kids (digital only)	2002
Letters from Felix	ABC Kids (digital only)	2002
Coupling	ABC TV	2002
Scrubs	Seven Network	2002
24	Seven Network	2002
Sheena	Network Ten	2002
The Queen's Nose	ABC Kids (digital only)	2002
/ Clifford the Big Red Dog	Nine Network	2002
Footballers' Wives	Network Ten	2002
Amazon	Nine Network	2002
Dog Eat Dog	Seven Network	2002
Really Wild Animals	ABC Kids (digital only)	2002
Freakylinks	Nine Network	2002
/ / Dark Realm	Nine Network	2002
Hollywood 7	Seven Network	2002
/ The Amazing Adrenalini Brothers	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	2002
Hype	Nine Network	2002
Big Bag	ABC Kids (digital only)	2002

Subscription television

Domestic

Program	Channel	Debut date
A Day in the Life [8]	Arena	20 February

International

Program	Channel	Debut date
Osbournes, The The Osbournes [9]	MTV	4 April
Shinzo	Fox Kids	8 April
Time Squad Time Squad [10]	Cartoon Network	3 May
Justice League Justice League [10]	Cartoon Network	8 June
/ / The Cramp Twins	Cartoon Network	1 July
The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius [11]	Nickelodeon	26 July
Zoids: Chaotic Century Zoids: Chaotic Century [12]	Cartoon Network	2 September
Beyblade	Fox Kids	4 October
Story of Tracy Beaker, The The Story of Tracy Beaker [13]	Nickelodeon	18 October
Fun at the Funeral Parlor [14]	UKTV	22 October
Anna Nicole Show, The The Anna Nicole Show [15]	Arena	5 November
Lenny Henry in Pieces [16]	UKTV	9 November
Yu-Gi-Oh!	Nickelodeon	2002
The Fairly OddParents!	Nickelodeon	2002
Invader Zim	Nickelodeon	2002
Kim Possible	Disney Channel	2002

Specials

Program	Channel	Debut date
2002 Country Music Association Awards [16]	Main Event	7 November

Free-to-air premieres

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

International

Program	Free-to-air network	Subscription network	Date
The Osbournes [17] [18]	Network Ten	MTV	1 July

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
Li'l Horrors	Fox Kids	Seven Network	2002

International

Program	Subscription network	Free-to-air network	Date
/ The Saddle Club	Fox Kids	ABC TV	2002
Saved by the Bell: The College Years Saved by the Bell: The College Years [13]	Nickelodeon	Seven Network	5 October
Mary-Kate and Ashley in Action! Mary-Kate and Ashley in Action! [13]	Nickelodeon	[ citation needed ]	14 October

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
Elly & Jools	ABC Kids (digital only)	Nine Network	23 February
Lizzie's Library	ABC Kids (digital only)	ABC TV	2002

International

Program	New network(s)	Previous network(s)	Date
The Zack Files	ABC TV	ABC Kids (digital only)	27 February
/ George Shrinks	ABC TV	ABC Kids (digital only)	1 April
Sailor Moon	Network Ten	Seven Network	12 April
Percy the Park Keeper	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	Nine Network	1 August
The Forgotten Toys (TV special)	Seven Network	ABC TV	21 December
The New Adventures of Madeline	Seven Network	ABC TV	22 December
The First Snow of Winter	Seven Network	ABC TV	24 December
Harry and the Hendersons	Network Ten	ABC TV	2002
The Kids of Degrassi Street	ABC Kids (digital only)	ABC TV	2002
Katie and Orbie	ABC Kids (digital only)	ABC TV	2002
/ The Animals of Farthing Wood	ABC Kids (digital only)	ABC TV	2002
/ Babar	ABC Kids (digital only)	ABC TV	2002
Koki	ABC Kids (digital only)	ABC TV	2002
Barney & Friends	ABC Kids (digital only)	Nine Network	2002
Bananaman	ABC Kids (digital only)	ABC TV	2002
Byker Grove	ABC Kids (digital only)	ABC TV	2002
Bump in the Night	ABC Kids (digital only)	ABC TV	2002
The Greedysaurus Gang	ABC Kids (digital only)	ABC TV	2002
Degrassi Junior High	ABC Kids (digital only)	ABC TV	2002
Monty	ABC Kids (digital only)	ABC TV	2002
True Tilda	ABC Kids (digital only)	ABC TV	2002

Ending / resting this year

Date	Show	Channel	Debut
11 January	Cybergirl	Network Ten	21 July 2001
22 April	The Weakest Link	Seven Network	5 February 2001
2 May	Something in the Air	ABC TV	17 January 2000
7 July	Halifax f.p.	Seven Network	9 October 1994
26 July	Mixy	ABC TV	16 February 1998
29 September	All Aussie Adventures	Network Ten	5 August 2001
14 November	BackBerner	ABC TV	19 August 1999
18 December	Young Lions	Nine Network	17 July 2002

See also

• 2002 in Australia
• List of Australian films of 2002

References

1. Coy, Bronte (6 November 2017). "Why Kochie was almost fired from Sunrise". Coffs Coast Advocate. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
2. Peatling, Stephanie (3 December 2002). "The Waley it is ..." The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 28 May 2007.
3. Hassall, Greg (9 September 2002). "Review of Creature Features". The Sydney Morning Herald's the Guide: 14–15.
4. Courtis, Brian (20 February 2002). "Silky briefs and stolen Y-fronts". The Age . Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 12. Retrieved 7 January 2010.
5. Molitorisz, Sacha (28 August 2002). "The best war series ever made". The Sydney Morning Herald . Archived from the original on 14 December 2002. Retrieved 28 December 2002.
6. Schembri, Jim (17 October 2002). "The man behind Seinfeld is back with a new side-splitter". The Age . Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 20. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
7. "ABC TV Online". Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 1 December 2002. Archived from the original on 1 December 2002. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
8. "Day in the life reveals sweet surprises". Herald Sun . Melbourne, Australia: News Limited. 17 February 2002. p. X03.
9. Adams, Cameron (14 March 2002). "Last Word All the News That Fits". Herald Sun . Melbourne, Australia: News Limited. p. 64. The Osbournes starts on MTV Australia from 4 April at 7pm.
10. "Toon Watch". Toon HQ (1). Cartoon Network (Australia): 6. 2002.
11. "What's New On Nick? – July / August 2002". Nickelodeon (Australia). 2002. Archived from the original on 4 August 2002. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
12. "Toon Watch". Toon HQ (2). Cartoon Network (Australia): 5. 2002.
13. "What's New On Nick? – July / August 2002". Nickelodeon (Australia). 2002. Archived from the original on 4 December 2002. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
14. "UKTV Highlights". UKTV (Australia and New Zealand). 2002. Archived from the original on 19 October 2002. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
15. Miller, Kylie (30 October 2003). "NETWORKING". The Age Green Guide . Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 12. Retrieved 14 January 2010.
16. "FOXTEL Highlights (General Entertainment)". Foxtel. Archived from the original on 6 November 2002. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
17. Melloy, Neil (22 June 2002). "Ozzy-speak defies bleeper". Courier Mail . Brisbane, Australia: News Limited. p. 18.
18. Farrer, Gordon (28 June 2002). "Unholy and mundane". The Age . Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 17. Retrieved 17 December 2009.