# 1979 in Australian television

This article is a summary of 1979 in Australian television.

## Events

* February - The Government approves the application for ATV0 to convert its transmission to the Channel 10 frequency.
* 11 February - A brand new Australian weekly current affairs program 60 Minutes premieres on Nine Network. Based on the American newsmagazine television program of the same name, it has a lack lustre beginning, but will soon rise to become one of the highest-rating programs in Australia.
* 27 February - Australian prime time black comedy/soap opera from Reg Grundy Productions Prisoner premieres on the 0-10 Network. It enjoys a large following both in Australia and around the world, particularly in the UK and parts of the US.
* April - The Special Broadcasting Service screens the first of a series of multi-language programs on ABC on Sunday mornings.
* 2 April - Australian actor Ron Blanchard and Alexander Bunyip the delightful character from the popular children's book The Monster That Ate Canberra by Michael Salmon present a brand new afternoon block for children called ARVO which also features programs such as Play School, Mr. Squiggle and Friends, Sesame Street, Basil Brush and The Famous Five.
* 24 April - American prime time soap opera Dallas premieres on The 0-10 Network.
* 28 June - Australian drama series Patrol Boat debuts on ABC.
* 1 July - Commercial television stations now required to screen ‘C’ classified programming, aimed solely at children aged 6 to 13, every weekday between 4:00pm and 5:00pm. Early ‘C’ classified programs include Simon Townsend's Wonder World (0-10), Stax (Seven) and Shirl's Neighbourhood (Seven). Commercial stations are also required to screen a minimum of 30 minutes each weekday, prior to 4:00pm, of programming aimed at pre-school viewers.
* 9 July - Crawford Productions's brand new soap opera Skyways begins it premiere on the Seven Network.
* 13 August - A brand new Australian environmental education series for children called Earthwatch debuts on ABC at 5:00pm as part of the ARVO lineup.
* 2 October - American sitcom Diff'rent Strokes debuts on Nine Network.
* November - Media mogul Rupert Murdoch is taking control of TEN-10 Sydney and his bid to take over the Australian airline company which owns ATV0 Melbourne Ansett Australia, sparks a review into media ownership by the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal.
* 5 December - American sitcom Taxi premieres on Nine Network.

## Debuts

| Program | Network | Debut date |
| 60 Minutes | Nine Network | 11 February |
| Doctor Down Under | Seven Network | 12 February |
| Prisoner | The 0-10 Network | 27 February |
| The Oracle | ABC | 12 March |
| Golden Soak | ABC | 13 March |
| Bailey's Bird | Seven Network | 25 March |
| ARVO | ABC | 2 April |
| Love Thy Neighbour in Australia | Seven Network | 9 April |
| Patrol Boat | ABC | 28 June |
| Carrots | Seven Network | 2 July |
| Skyways | Seven Network | 9 July |
| Ride on Stranger | ABC | 15 July |
| Top Mates | ABC | 16 July |
| Earthwatch | ABC | 13 August |
| Simon Townsend's Wonder World | The 0-10 Network | 3 September |
| Shirl's Neighbourhood | Seven Network | 1979 |
| Wombat | BTQ-7 | 1979 |
| The World Around Us | Seven Network | 1979 |

### New international programming

* 7 January – The Kenny Everett Video Show (ABC)
* 7 January – All Creatures Great and Small (ABC)
* 8 January/7 May – Michael Bentine's Potty Time (8 January: Seven Network - Melbourne, 7 May: Seven Network - Sydney)
* 11 January/4 September – CHiPS (11 January: Seven Network - Melbourne, 4 September: Seven Network - Sydney)
* 13 January – Baggy Pants and the Nitwits (The 0-10 Network)
* 21 January – The Governor (ABC)
* 24 January – Bagpuss (ABC)
* 1 February – Rumpole of the Bailey (ABC)
* 10 February/19 February – Mickey's 50 (10 February: Seven Network - Melbourne, 19 February: Nine Network - Sydney)
* 11 February – Vega$ (Nine Network)
* 15 February – The Incredible Hulk (1978) (Seven Network)
* 19 February – Mork and Mindy (Nine Network)
* 5 March – Battle of the Planets (The 0-10 Network)
* 10 March – The Mumbly Cartoon Show (Nine Network)
* 21 March – Peark (The 0-10 Network)
* 24 March – The Secret Lives of Waldo Kitty (The 0-10 Network)
* 24 March – I Am the Greatest: The Adventures of Muhammad Ali (The 0-10 Network)
* 2 April – The Eagle of the Ninth (ABC)
* 19 April – Sword of Justice (The 0-10 Network)
* 24 April – Dallas (The 0-10 Network)
* 27 April – Blake's 7 (ABC)
* 8 May – Noah and Nelly in... SkylArk (ABC)
* 22 May – The Famous Five (1978) (ABC)
* 28 May – Roots: The Next Generations (The 0-10 Network)
* 31 May – Project U.F.O. (The 0-10 Network)
* 4 June – Danger UXB (ABC)
* 12 June – Lillie (Seven Network)
* 23 July – Dynomutt, Dog Wonder (Nine Network)
* 8 August – Gather Your Dreams (ABC)
* 10 August/24 November – Salvage 1 (10 August: Nine Network - Melbourne, 24 November: Nine Network - Sydney)
* 3 September – 1990 (ABC)
* 21 September – Supertrain (Nine Network)
* 2 October – Hazell (ABC)
* 2 October – Diff'rent Strokes (Nine Network)
* 3 October – Angie (Nine Network)
* 11 October – Circus (ABC)
* 15 October – Yogi's Space Race (Nine Network)
* 19 October – Out of Bounds (ABC)
* 7 November – A Special Sesame Street Christmas (Seven Network)
* 18 November – Bless Me, Father (Seven Network)
* 19 November – WKRP in Cincinnati (Nine Network)
* 19 November – SCTV (The 0-10 Network)
* 19 November – The Big Blue Marble (Nine Network)
* 21 November – Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales (Seven Network)
* 21 November – Brothers and Sisters (Seven Network)
* 21 November – Joe & Valerie (Seven Network)
* 22 November – Return of the Saint (Seven Network)
* 24 November – David Cassidy: Man Undercover (Seven Network)
* 25 November – Mixed Blessings (Seven Network)
* 27 November – The Aphrodite Inheritance (ABC)
* 27 November – Disraeli (Seven Network)
* 5 December – Taxi (Nine Network)
* 11 December – Born and Bred (ABC)
* 13 December – Pennies from Heaven (ABC)
* 20 December – The Roller Girls (The 0-10 Network)
* 24 December – Christmas Eve on Sesame Street (ABC)

## Television shows
### 1950s

* Mr. Squiggle and Friends (1959–1999)

### 1960s

* Four Corners (1961–present)

### 1970s

* Hey Hey It's Saturday (1971–1999, 2009–2010)
* Young Talent Time (1971–1988)
* Countdown (1974–1987)
* The Don Lane Show (1975–1983)
* This is Your Life (1975–1980)
* Chopper Squad (1976–1979)
* In the Wild (1976–1981)
* Glenview High (1977–1979)
* 60 Minutes (1979–present)
* Prisoner (1979–1986)
* Doctor Down Under (1979–1980)

## Ending this year

| Date | Show | Channel | Debut |
| 12 January | Cuckoo in the Nest | Seven Network | 22 December 1978 |
| 18 February | Chopper Squad | The 0-10 Network | 5 November 1976 |
| 24 February | Glenview High | Seven Network | 27 September 1977 |
| 1979 | ARVO | ABC | 2 April 1979 |
| 1979 | Super Flying Fun Show | Nine Network | 1970 |