Classic NZ TV Listings

TV History
744

Today’s TV: Wednesday 19 December 1979
from the NZ Listener

TV One
Noon News
12.05 The Odd Couple
12.35 Beauty and the Beast
1.00 The Yugoslav Way (Part 1)
1.30 Sutherland’s Law (Rpt)
2.25 Crown Court
2.55 Play School
3.20 Sooty
3.50 Froggie and Me (Rpt)
4.05 The Little Engine that Could
4.15 The Owl Service (Part 6)
4.40 The Beachcombers
5.00 Tabitha (Rpt)
5.30 Sha Na Na
6.00 Happy Days
6.30 News
Includes regional news from Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin
7.00 Angels
8.00 Barney Miller
8.30 Armchair Thriller
9.30 News
9.45 World in Action: The Luck of the Irish
10.15 The Prisoner (Rpt)
11.15 Closedown

South Pacific Television (SPTV)
3.00pm Chic Chat, including:
3.00 Romper Room
3.35 The Flumps
3.45 Two by Two Club
4.00 Good Time Show with Tracy, including:
4.00 The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas
4.30 Bugs Bunny in King Arthur’s Court
5.00 A Flintstone Christmas (Rpt)
6.00 News at Six
6.28 Weather
6.30 Six-Thirty Special: Tom Thumb
8.30 Who Pays the Ferryman? (Part 8, final)
9.30 Taxi
10.00 News at Ten
10.30 On the Mat
11.00 Bing Crosby Pro-Celebrity Golf Series (Final)
12.00am Weather Outlook and Goodnight Kiwi/Closedown

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Today’s TV: Thursday 20 December 1984
from the NZ Listener

TV One
11.30am Play School (Rpt)
11.55 You and Your Child
Noon News
12.02 Lunchtime Movie: Ivory Hunters (1951) (Rpt)
1.55 Festival of Mount Hakkai
2.00 Bewitched (Rpt)
2.25 You and Your Child (Rpt)
2.30 Play School (rpt)
2.55 Santa Claus Is Coming to Town (Rpt)
3.45 Nate the Great and the Sticky Case
4.05 The Littlest Hobo (Rpt)
4.35 The Tom Foolery Show (Rpt)
5.00 God’s Wonderful Railway (Part 1) (Rpt)
5.30 Andy Robson (Part 6) (Rpt)
5.55 Te Karere (East Coast only)
6.00 Taxi (Rpt)
6.30 News
Includes Top Half (Auckland), Today Tonight (Wellington), The Mainland Touch (Christchurch) and The South Tonight (Dunedin)
7.30 Coronation Street (Double episode)
8.30 The Oil Kingdoms (Rpt)
9.30 The Black Adder (Part 2)
10.15 Lou Grant
11.10 News
11.15 Closedown

TV2
2.30pm The Waltons (Rpt)
3.30 The World of Survival (Rpt)
4.00 What Is a Computer? (Rpt)
4.20 Thursday Afternoon Movie: Horse Feathers (1932) (B&W) (Rpt)
5.45 News
5.55 Te Karere (Nationwide except East Coast)
6.00 The Young Doctors
6.30 Three’s Company
7.00 George and Mildred
7.30 That’s Incredible!
8.30 Hart to Hart
9.30 Eye Witness News
10.05 Brideshead Revisited (Final) (Rpt)
11.00 Prisoner (Rpt)
11.55 Closedown

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Today’s TV: Wednesday 21 December 1988
from the NZ Listener

TV One
10.35am Teletext in Vision
10.50 Aerobics Oz Style (Rpt)
11.15 Rainbow (Rpt)
11.30 Roobarb (Rpt)
11.35 The Muppet Babies (Rpt)
Noon It’s Only Natural
12.10 Santa Barbara
1.00 WKRP in Cincinnati (Rpt)
1.25 Days of Our Lives
2.20 The Onedin Line (Rpt)
3.15 Dad’s Army (Rpt)
3.45 Albion Market
4.15 Whodunnit? (Rpt)
4.55 Emmerdale Farm
5.30 Sons and Daughters
6.00 Network News at Six
6.30 Design Classics (Part 3)
7.00 To the Manor Born (Starting tonight) (Rpt)
7.30 Leg Work (Sarting tonight)
8.30 Campaign (Part 6, final)
9.35 Network News
9.50 Hi-de-Hi!
10.45 Indelible Evidence (Starting tonight) (Rpt)
11.20 Till Death Us Do Part (Rpt)
11.55 Closedown

Network Two
11.00am Teletext in Vision
11.15 The Young and the Restless
12.05pm The Love Connection
12.30 Crown Court (Rpt)
1.55 On the Buses (Rpt)
2.20 The Animal Families
2.30 Play School (Rpt)
2.55 Cantinflas
3.00 The Electric Company
3.30 Josie and the Pussycats (Rpt)
4.00 The Flaxton Boys (Rpt)
4.30 The Partridge Family (Rpt)
4.55 Under the Mountain (Part 8, final) (Rpt)
5.25 Newsbreak
5.35 The Addams Family (B&W) (Rpt)
6.05 Benson
6.30 You Again?
7.00 Neighbours
7.30 Dolly
8.00 It’s Only Wednesday (Final)
8.30 Mini-Series: Louisiana (Part 2)
10.20 Newsbreak
10.25 Dallas
11.20 Mannix (Final)
12.10am Closedown

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Extra: Friday 21 December 1979
from the NZ Listener

TV One
Noon News
12.05 The Odd Couple
12.35 Beauty and the Beast
1.00 The Gates of Asia (Part 1)
1.30 Sutherland’s Law (Rpt)
2.20 Crown Court
2.55 Play School
3.25 CB Bears (Rpt)
3.50 Muggsy
4.10 Enid Blyton’s Famous Five
4.40 Movie Matinee: Jack and the Beanstalk (1952)
6.00 Dance Fever
6.30 News
Includes regional news from Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin
7.00 Coronation Street
7.30 Weekends with One (Final)
7.45 Return of the Saint
8.40 The Ray Woolf Show - Christmas Special (Final)
Click the NZ On Screen link below

9.30 News
9.45 Friday Movie: The Last Valley (1971)
11.55 Closedown

South Pacific Television (SPTV)
3.00pm Chic Chat, including:
3.00 Romper Room
3.40 The New Adventures of Superman
4.00 Good Time Show with Tracy, including:
4.00 The Little Drummer Boy
4.25 Search and Rescue
4.45 Land of the Lost
5.10 Good Time Sounds
5.30 Chico and the Man
6.00 News at Six
6.23 Weather
6.25 Police Five
6.30 Young Country
6.50 The World Around Us: Here We Come A-Wassailing
7.40 The Liver Birds Christmas Special
8.10 Family
9.00 Softly Softly: Task Force
10.00 News at Ten
10.30 Tucker’s Turf Talk
10.45 Nocturne
12.05am Weather Outlook and Goodnight Kiwi/Closedown

@OnAir Kiwi entertainer Ray Woolf became a regular television presence as a performer and host by the mid-1970s, and went from co-hosting “Two on One” (with Davina Waterhouse) to his own chat show in 1979. He was judged ‘1979 Best Television Light Entertainer’.

Direct from the now-defunct Television Theatre in Auckland (where TV One’s own Auckland based productions such as “Town Cryer” and “Two on One” were produced), “The Ray Woolf Show” was shown on TV One (now TVNZ 1) at 9pm on Friday evenings and ran for half an hour.

Guests appearing on the show included notable New Zealanders Ricky May, Ian Fraser (on piano), Tina Cross, Selwyn Toogood and Precious McKenzie, as well as overseas celebrities like Jon Pertwee (“Doctor Who”), Jim Nabors (“Gomer Pyle, USMC”), Norman Gunston (played by Garry McDonald), Alan Whicker, Frankie Howerd, Derek Nimmo, Diana Dors, Austin Mitchell, poet Pam Ayres, humorist Erma Bombeck and singer Billy Daniels.

“The Ray Woolf Show” concluded with a Christmas special at 8.40pm on the evening of Friday 21 December 1979, featuring an array of bloopers, highlights and guests who had appeared on the show during the year.

You can watch the whole show via NZ On Screen by clicking its link above.

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Today’s TV: Tuesday 23 December 1980
from the NZ Listener

TV One
11.35am Play School
Noon News
12.02 The McLean Stevenson Show (Rpt)
12.30 Beauty and the Beast
12.55 Family (Rpt)
1.55 Summertime Matinee: Destination Inner Space (1966) (Rpt)
3.20 Join In
3.35 Chic Chat
Includes The Lone Ranger and Mighty Mouse
4.10 The New Mickey Mouse Club (Rpt)
4.30 Gemini Man (Rpt)
5.30 Sam
6.00 Dave Allen in America
6.30 News
7.00 Close to Home
7.30 Regional Programmes
Top Half (Auckland)
Today Tonight (Wellington)
The Mainland Touch (Christchurch)
7.30 South (Dunedin)
8.00 Telford’s Change (Rpt)
9.00 Fox (Final)
10.00 Summertime Movie: Five Branded Women (1960) (B&W)
11.45 News
11.50 Closedown

TV2
2.30pm Crown Court
2.55 Ice Palace
3.45 Tuesday Matinee: That Midnight Kiss (1949) (Rpt)
5.25 The Goodies (Rpt)
5.55 News
Includes further headline bulletins at 8pm and 9pm
6.00 Oh Boy!
6.30 The Bionic Woman
7.30 Mind Your Language
8.00 Charlie’s Angels
9.00 Barney Miller (Final)
9.30 Eye Witness (Final)
10.00 News
10.10 Dave Allen at Large (Rpt)
11.00 Lou Grant
11.45 Closedown

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Today’s TV: Sunday 24 December 1978 (Christmas Eve)
from the NZ Listener

TV One
Noon News
12.05 Sunday Matinee: Enter Laughing (1961)
1.50 Christmas Nice One
Click the NZ On Screen link below

2.20 World About Us: The Day of the Zebra
3.10 The Waltons
4.00 Nadia: From Romania with Love
4.50 Year Without a Santa Claus
5.40 The Wonderful World of Disney
Smoke (Part 2)
6.30 News
6.45 Sunday’s World
7.00 The Morecambe and Wise Christmas Show
8.05 The Good Life Christmas Special
8.35 Christmas Eve Movie: Sounder (1972)
10.15 News
10.25 Carter Country
10.50 Offerings
10.55 The Hallow’d Season
Carols and readings - direct from Holy Trinity Cathedral, Auckland
11.40 News and Weather
11.45 Closedown

South Pacific Television (SPTV)
Noon Kaleidoscope
1.00 Sunday Matinee: The Black Swan (1942) (Rpt)
2.20 Sportsworld
Includes rugby (All Blacks’ UK tour review), yachting (Sydney-Hobart yacht race) and football (New York Cosmics v Atletico Madrid)
4.45 Dean Martin Christmas Special
5.35 Yes Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus
6.00 Weekend Edition News
6.10 World Watch
6.30 Stars on Sunday
7.00 Pinnochio
8.20 The Fred Dagg Lectures on Leisure
8.25 Happy Ever After - Christmas Special
8.55 Perry Como’s Christmas in Austria
9.45 News
9.55 Visitors (Rpt)
10.55 Christmas Thoughts
11.15 Goodnight Kiwi/Closedown

@OnAir @TelevisionAU Stu Dennison hosted TV One’s (now TVNZ 1) children’s show “Nice One” for three years, making the catchphrase ‘Nice one, Stu’ a part of Kiwi TV legend.

The 1978 Christmas show, and final ever “Nice One” programme, was broadcast at 1.50pm on the afternoon of Christmas Eve. It branched out from the show’s usual after-school interstitials length to a half-hour special featuring series regulars such as singer/songwriter Steve Allen, and chef Alison Holst (along with her son and now business partner Simon as a young boy, in their Christmas cooking segment). Stu’s corduroy flares and waistcoat ensemble was a 70s delight to behold.

You can watch the “Christmas Nice One” show through NZ On Screen by clicking its link above. Merry Christmas from me and nice one, Stu.

All programmes in colour unless otherwise specified

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Today’s TV: Sunday 25 December 1977 (Christmas Day)
from the NZ Listener

TV One
Noon News
12.05 Open Mind - Celebration (Final)
1.00 Will the Real Mr Claus Please Stand Up
Click the NZ On Screen link below to watch

1.30 Sunday Matinee: Lassie Come Home (1943)
2.55 Sunday Matinee: The Spanish Gardener (1957)
4.30 The Christmas Messenger
4.55 Paddington Bear
5.00 Christmas Lights (Rpt)
5.10 The Wonderful World of Disney
The Magic of Walt Disney World
6.00 HM the Queen’s Christmas Message
6.05 Suite 16
6.30 News
6.45 Sunday’s World
7.00 The John Curry Ice Special
7.55 Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em - Christmas Special
8.40 News
8.45 Movie: I Heard the Owl Call My Name (1973)
10.00 Bing Crosby’s Merrie Olde Christmas
10.50 Speaking of Murder
11.40 News and Weather
11.45 Closedown

South Pacific Television (SPTV)
10.00am Star Over Bethlehem
11.00 A Child Is Born
11.45 Sing a Song for Christmas
12.35pm Cyrano de Bergerac
1.20 Tommy Cooper Christmas Special (Rpt)
2.05 The Snow Queen
2.35 The House Without a Christmas Tree (Rpt)
3.50 The Black and White Minstrel Christmas Show
4.35 Movie: Genevieve (1954)
6.00 News: Weekend Edition
6.15 The Queen’s Christmas Message
6.20 Stars on Sunday Christmas Special
7.10 Family
8.00 Sunday Feature: White Christmas (1954)
9.55 The Last Turkey in the Shop Show
10.30 News: Weekend Edition
10.40 Star Over Bethlehem (Rpt)
11.40 Closedown

@OnAir @Leotv @TelevisionAU Merry Christmas, folks! I have five classic New Zealand television listings to celebrate Christmas Day (1977, 1982, 1988, 1991 and 1992).

First up, it’s 1977 and TV One (now TVNZ 1) celebrated Christmas by throwing most of its big names (Brian Edwards, Selwyn Toogood, Dougal Stevenson, Glyn Tucker etc) and special guests (Mother Goose, Anna Leah, Coast to Coast, Hollis and a combined children’s choir) into a comedy/variety show called “Will the Real Mr Claus Please Stand Up”, hosted by ringmasters Stu Dennison (from “Nice One”) and Roger Gascoigne. It was shown at 1pm.

You can watch the show through NZ On Screen by clicking its link above.

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Friday 25 December 1982 (Christmas Day)
from the NZ Listener

TV One
11.00am Church Service
Christmas Day thanksgiving service - from Murray’s Bay Baptist Church, Auckland
Noon Beauty and the Beast Christmas Special
Click the NZ On Screen link below to watch

1.00 Classic Christmas Movie: A Christmas Carol (1938) (B&W)
2.05 Holiday Movie: Hawaii (1966) (Rpt)
4.45 Gnomes
5.35 Worzel Gummidge Christmas Special
6.30 News
6.50 HM the Queen’s Christmas Message
7.00 To the Manor Born Christmas Special (Rpt)
7.30 Kiri Te Kanawa
8.25 Special Christmas Movie: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
10.15 American Film Institute Salute to Fred Astaire
11.55 News
12.00am Closedown

TV2
Noon Secombe with Music
12.50 Family (Rpt)
1.35 Quincy’s Quest (Rpt)
2.55 Botanic Man (Final) (Rpt)
3.20 Five Billion Years
3.25 Holiday Religious Drama: Mary and Joseph - A Story of Faith
5.45 News
5.50 Family Movie for Christmas Day: Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates
7.30 BC
7.55 Andy Williams Early New England Christmas
8.45 Movie for the Festive Season: Love Among the Ruins (1974) (Rpt)
10.25 News
10.35 HM the Queen’s Christmas Message (Rpt)
10.40 A Christmas Fantasy
11.30 Sing to the Lord (Rpt)
12.00am Closedown

Next up, it’s 1982 and a special edition of the advice panel show “Beauty and the Beast” was shown on TV One (now TVNZ 1) at noon.

The hour-long Christmas special dropped the advice to concentrate on entertainment from a super team of 12 panellists; Heather Eggleton (now Heather Crofskey), Johnny Frisbie, Liz Grant, Shona McFarlane, Ann Pacey and Catherine Saunders were amongst them. Host Selwyn Toogood was taught to do a hula and sang “No Bananas”.

You can watch the “Beauty and the Beast Christmas Special” through NZ On Screen by clicking its link above.

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Sunday 25 December 1988 (Christmas Day)
from the NZ Listener

TV One
6.45am Teletext in Vision
7.00 It’s Christmas Morning! - What Now Special, including:
7.00 The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas (Rpt)
7.30 Briar Rose: The Sleeping Beauty
7.45 Top Cat (Starting today) (Rpt)
8.10 Jack Frost
9.00 The Jetsons
9.20 Gentle Ben (Starting today) (Rpt)
9.50 A Muppet Family Christmas
10.35 Praise Be
11.05 Silent Mouse
Noon English Soccer
12.50 Edinburgh Military Tattoo 1988
1.45 The Story of English (Final)
2.40 The Other Wise Man
3.10 Silas Marner (Rpt)
4.40 Cinderella: The Shoe Must Go On
6.00 Vanity Fair
6.30 Network News and Sport
6.50 HM the Queen’s Christmas Message
7.00 The Paul Daniels Magic Christmas Show
7.50 Dear John Christmas Special
8.40 Bergerac - Treasure Hunt
10.10 Network News
10.15 The Best of Steptoe and Son - Christmas Special 1973 (Rpt)
11.05 A Salute to Jack Lemmon
12.25am Closedown

Network Two
11.45am Teletext in Vision
Noon Christmas Day Matinee: Mame (1974) (Rpt)
2.05 The Sound of Christmas
3.00 Sunday Magazine (Final)
3.30 Afternoon Movie: The Last Giraffe (1979) (Rpt)
5.10 Spot On Farewell Christmas Special (Final)
Click the NZ On Screen link below to watch

6.00 10th Annual Circus of the Stars
6.50 ALF Christmas Special
7.40 All Time Greatest TV Censored Bloopers
8.30 Christmas Day Movie: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) (Rpt)
10.20 HM the Queen’s Christmas Message (Rpt)
10.30 Late Movie: Tootsie (1982) (Rpt)
12.20am Closedown

We’re halfway and it’s 1988. We had to bid farewell to “Spot On” - a show beloved by Kiwi kids during the 70s and 80s, mixing educational items and entertainment into a magazine-style, “Blue Peter” type format. It was described as ‘an institution in New Zealand television’

“Spot On” bowed out on Christmas Day 1988 with a “This Is Your Life” style special hosted by Bob Parker. It celebrated the show’s 15 years by tracking down almost every “Spot On” presenter, and featured clips of fondly remembered sketches and adventures, set to pop hits of the day. The roll call of presenters includes Phil Keoghan, Ian Taylor, Danny Watson, Erin Dunleavy, Ole Maiava, Helen McGowan and the late Marcus Turner.

The final of “Spot On” aired on Network Two (now TVNZ 2) at 5.10pm. It won Best Children’s Programme at the 1988 Listener Film and Television Awards.

You can watch the final of “Spot On” through NZ On Screen by clicking its link above.

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Wednesday 25 December 1991 (Christmas Day)
from the NZ Listener

TV One
10.45am Teletext in Vision
11.00 Praise Be for Christmas
Noon Forsyth’s Show (G)
12.50 Movie: Around the World in Eighty Days (1956) (G)
3.10 The Royal Variety Performance 1991
5.30 Last of the Summer Wine Christmas Special (G)
6.00 One Network News
6.20 HM the Queen’s Christmas Message
6.30 All Creatures Great and Small Christmas Special (G)
8.00 The Bill (PGR)
8.55 May to December Christmas Special
9.50 Movie: From Russia with Love (1963) (Rpt, AO)
11.40 In Sickness and in Health Christmas Special (PGR)
12.15am Closedown

Channel 2
6.15am Teletext in Vision
6.30 Blue Toes the Christmas Elf (G)
6.55 Casper’s First Chrstmas Special (Rpt, G)
7.20 The Christmas Tree (Rpt, G)
8.00 ITN World News
8.25 Jason and Thingee: A Merry Little Christmas (G)
8.30 What Now Christmas Special
Click the NZ On Screen link below to watch

10.30 Yogi’s First Christmas
Noon Christmas Day Matinee: Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965) (Rpt, G)
2.10 Christmas Comes to Pacland (Rpt, G)
2.35 Jason and Thingee Unwrap Christmas
2.40 Fireman Sam Christmas Special (Rpt, G)
3.05 The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship (G)
4.05 The Smurfs Christmas Special (Rpt, G)
4.35 Yogi’s All-Star Comedy Christmas Caper
5.00 The Bugs Bunny Christmas Day Special
6.00 The Boy Who Dreamed Christmas (G)
6.30 Christmas Day Family Movie: Annie (1982) (Rpt, G)
8.30 HM the Queen’s Christmas Message (Rpt)
8.40 Christmas Day Movie: The Return of the Pink Panther (1975) (Rpt, PGR)
10.25 Motown 30: What’s Goin’ On!
12.05am Closedown

TV3
6.30am The Adventures of Candy Claus (Rpt, G)
7.00 The EBS Christmas Show, including:
7.05 Pinocchio (Rpt, G)
7.45 Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (Rpt, G)
8.30 Police Academy (Rpt, G)
9.00 Kids’ Christmas Movie: The Little Match Girl (1987) (Rpt)
10.35 Mr Krueger’s Christmas (Rpt, G)
11.00 3 Special: Roy Orbison and Friends - A Black and White Night (Rpt)
Noon Christmas Day Movie: Samson and Delilah (1949)
2.00 Nora’s Christmas Gift (Rpt, G)
2.50 The Oprah Winfrey Show
3.30 Carols of Christmas
4.00 The Disney Christmas Gift (G)
4.45 Celebrity Knockout from Walt Disney World (G)
5.35 3 Special: The Making of “The Rocketeer” (G)
6.00 3 National News
6.30 Kids’ Christmas Special: Runaway Ralph (G)
7.10 Disney Special: Disney’s Christmas on Ice
8.00 Christmas Special: Bruce Forsyth Live at the London Palladium
9.00 Christmas Day Movie: The Main Event (1979) (Rpt, PGR)
10.45 Late Movie: The Man Who Loved Women (1983) (AO)
12.35am Closedown

Sky Sport
6.00am ESPN Direct - Bodies in Motion
6.30 Bodyshaping
7.00 Scholastic Sports America
Kinney Cross Country
7.30 High School Football
Texas 5A Championship
10.00 Global Supercard Wrestling
11.00 English Football
1.00pm Sky Sport - Golf
Long Drive Contest
1.30 Ford Ski Report
2.00 Bodies in Motion
2.30 Bodyshaping
3.00 Tennis 1991
5.00 Diving
Acapulco Cliff Championships
6.00 Golf
Sun City Classic - round three
7.00 World’s Strongest Man 1991
8.00 Rugby 1991
10.00 Spanish Football
11.00 Snowboarding
11.30 ESPN Direct - Motorsport
La Carerra Pan Am
1.30am 1991 National Finals Rodeo
2.30 Glory Days
3.00 1991 Hawaiian International Ocean Challenge
4.00 1991 Corporate Sports Battle
5.00 1991 Masters International Shooting Championship
5.30 Bodyshaping (Continues to 6am)

Sky News (CNN)
CNN News 24 hours a day, including the following features:
7.00am BBC News
8.00 World Business Today
9.00 International Hour
11.00 World Business Today Update
11.30 Showbiz Today
1.00pm Moneyline
1.30 Crossfire
3.00 Larry King
5.00 Showbiz Today
7.00 BBC News
7.30 Moneyline
9.45 CNN Newsroom
10.30 Larry King
11.30 Crossfire
12.30am Business Today
1.30 Business Day
3.00 Larry King
5.30 Crier & Company

Sky Movies
Noon Nostalgia at Noon: The Snowball Express (1972) (G)
1.45 A Christmas Carol (1982) (G)
3.00 Primo Music Box (G)
4.00 Alice in Wonderfland (1951) (G)
5.30 Box Office America (G)
6.00 White Christmas (1954) (GA)
8.00 Ghostbusters 2 (1989) (GY)
10.00 Tequila Sunrise (1988) (GA)
11.55 Mad Max 2 (1981) (RP16)
1.27am Closedown

Canterbury Television (CTV)
5.00pm Susan Sells
5.30 First Report (News
6.00 Christmas Day Music Special
7.00 Oderings’ Homes and Gardens Christmas Special
8.30 Movie: The Music Man (1962) (G)
11.10 Closedown

Next up, it’s 1991 and remember Simon Barnett’s frosted tips? Together with co-host Cath McPherson, “What Now” celebrated in Christmas in style with a two-hour special on Channel 2 (now TVNZ 2) at 8.30am.

Keep an eye out for Jason Gunn (from “After 2” and “The Breakfast Club”), Cath’s Scottish Uncle Bob (played by Alasdair Kincaid, better known in the 80s as Frank Flash), Constable Keith and Sniff the Dog, The Wizard of Christchurch and the NZ ‘Young Guns’ cricket team, but there’s more! Eddie and Fifi did decorative DIY.

You can watch the show through NZ On Screen by clicking its link above.

Meanwhile, Jason and Thingee (also from “After 2” and “The Breakfast Club”) hosted two short-form Christmas specials on Channel 2 at 8.25am and 2.35pm, and the winner of the Eta Munchos Music Machine competition was announced in the Christmas Day edition of “The Bugs Bunny Show” at 5pm, hosted by Fenella Bathfield.

Remember Brucie? There were two Bruce Forsyth specials on TV One (now TVNZ 1) at noon and on TV3 (now Three) at 8pm.

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Friday 25 December 1992 (Christmas Day)
from the NZ Listener

TV One
10.30am Songs of the Season (G)
11.00 Praise Be Christmas Special
Noon Film on One: White Christmas (1954) (Rpt, G)
1.55 Fred Astaire Songbook
3.00 The South Bank Show - Kiri Te Kanawa
4.45 The Upper Hand
5.10 Country and Eastern
6.00 One Network News
6.20 HM the Queen’s Christmas Message
6.30 Last of the Summer Wine Christmas Special
7.20 Only Fools and Horses
8.10 Miss Marple: They Do It with Mirrors
10.05 HM the Queen’s Christmas Message (Rpt)
10.15 The Fabulous Singlettes (G)
10.50 Dame Edna Christmas Special (Rpt, PGR)
11.45 Film on One: Sweet Liberty (1986) (AO)
1.30am Closedown

Channel 2
6.30am Casper’s First Christmas (Rpt, G)
7.00 A Merry Mirthworm Christmas (Rpt, G)
7.30 Santa’s First Christmas (G)
8.00 ITN World News
8.30 What Now Christmas Special
Click the NZ On Screen link below to watch

10.35 The Snowman (Rpt, G)
11.05 Mother Goose Rock & Rhyme
12.25pm Circus of the Stars
2.00 Christmas Day Afternoon Movie: Sarah, Plain and Tall (1991) (G)
3.35 Santa '85 (G)
4.00 Son of a Gunn Christmas Special
Click the NZ On Screen link below to watch

5.05 The Bugs Bunny Christmas Day Special
5.35 Father Christmas
6.10 Neighbours (G)
6.35 Best of Wheel of Fortune
7.00 Shortland Street (PGR)
7.30 Christmas Day Family Movie: The Three Musketeers (1974) (Rpt, G)
9.10 Christmas Night Double Feature: The Money Pit (1986) (Rpt, PGR)
10.40 Christmas Night Double Feature: Against All Odds (1984) (Rpt, AO)
12.45am Closedown

TV3
5.30am 3 National News (Rpt)
A repeat of last night’s news
6.30 Kissyfur (Rpt, G)
7.00 Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (Rpt, G)
7.20 Garfield: A Christmas Special (G)
7.45 Kids’ Christmas Movie: Alakazam the Great (1960) (G)
9.05 Disney Special: Celebrity Knockout from Walt Disney World
10.00 The Price Is Right (Rpt, G)
10.25 So Who Needs the Rain Forest Anyway? (G)
10.40 Christmas Movie: Bush Christmas (1947) (B&W) (G)
Noon Donahue (Rpt, G)
12.45 The Oprah Winfrey Show (Rpt, G)
1.30 Disney Christmas Movie: The Christmas Star (1986) (Rpt, G)
3.00 3PM, including:
3.10 Widget (Rpt, G)
3.45 Speedracer (Rpt, G)
4.25 Transformers (G)
5.00 Classic Generation Game (G)
6.00 3 National News
6.30 3 Special: Christmas in Vienna (G)
7.30 Christmas Night Double Feature: Starflight One (1983) (PGR)
9.45 Christmas Night Double Feature: How to Murder a Millionaire (1990) (PGR)
11.15 Roc (G)
11.35 Late Movie: Christmas Present (1986) (AO)
12.50am Closedown

Sky Sport
6.00am ESPN Direct - Bodies in Motion
6.30 Bodyshapping
7.00 Pavarotti: International Horse Jumping
8.00 Scholastic Sports America
9.00 World Championship of Tunnel Boat Racing
10.00 1992 Hawaiian International OCean Challenge
11.00 Men’s Four-Man Beach Volleyball
Noon Thoroughbred Digest
12.30 Sky Sport - Tennis 1992
2.00 Bodies in Motion
2.30 Bodyshaping
3.00 Snooker
1992 UK Open Championship
5.00 Thoroughbred Digest
5.30 Gillette World Sport Special
6.00 Golf
Million Dollar Classic - final round
7.00 Football
English Premier League 1992/93
8.00 Rugby
Welsh Cup - round four
9.30 Sportraits
10.00 Rodeo
US National Finals
11.30 ESPN Direct - Foot Locker Road Race of the Month
12.00am Figure Skating
1992 International Figure Skating Championships
1.30 1992 Acapulco Cliff Diving Championships
2.30 Up Close
3.00 NFL’s Greatest Moments
4.00 Sportscenter (Continues to 6am)

Sky News (CNN)
CNN News 24 hours a day, including the following features:
7.00am BBC News
8.00 World Business Today
9.00 International Hour
11.00 World Business Today Update
11.30 Showbiz Today
Noon The World Today
1.00 Moneyline
1.30 Crossfire
3.00 Larry King
5.30 Showbiz Today
6.30 Crier & Company
7.00 BBC News
7.30 Moneyline
8.00 Worldwide Update
8.30 TVNZ News
9.00 Larry King
9.45 CNN Newsroom
10.00 Moneyline
10.30 Crossfire
12.30am Business Morning
1.30 Business Day
2.30 Business Asia
3.00 Larry King
4.00 World Day
5.30 Crier & Company

Sky Movies (HBO)
7.30am The Christmas Martian (1971) (G)
8.35 My Mom’s a Werewolf (1989) (GY)
10.00 Brer Rabbit’s Christmas Carol (1992) (G)
11.00 HBO Video Jukebox
Noon Nostalgia at Noon: Cat Baillou (1965) (GY)
1.45 Drop Dead Fred (1991) (GA)
3.30 The Great Snowball War (1984) (G)
5.00 Ernest Saves Christmas (1988) (G)
6.35 Box Office America (G)
7.00 Home Alone (1990) (GY)
8.40 The Making of “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” (G)
9.05 National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
10.40 Red Delicious (GA)
11.00 Friday Spine Chiller: Jacob’s Ladder (1990) (RP16)
12.55am Flatliners (1990) (RP16)
2.50 Fellini’s Casanova (1976) (R18)
5.20 Let’s Make It Legal (1951) (G) (Continues to 6.40am)

Finally, it’s 1992 and Channel 2 (now TVNZ 2) had two separate Christmas specials.

What Now celebrated its 10th anniversary with a two-hour Christmas special at 8.30am, while Jason Gunn and his puppet friend Thingee celebrated their own Christmas in a special edition of “The Son of a Gunn Show” at 4pm.

You can watch any of those shows through NZ On Screen by clicking its link above.

Meanwhile, Fiona Anderson was joined by her special guest Father Christmas as they enjoyed festive cartoons and drew the winner of the special Christmas competition in “The Bugs Bunny Christmas Day Special” at 5.05pm.

2 Likes
755

Today’s TV: Wednesday 27 December 1989
from the NZ Listener

TV One
10.00am Teletext in Vision
10.15 Teletext in Vision (Rpt)
10.40 The Enchanted Pencil (Rpt)
10.50 Shoe People
10.55 The Wombles (Rpt)
11.00 Crossroads
Noon Film on One (James Stewart Week): Carbine Williams (1952)
1.35 The Infiltrator
2.20 Aristocrats (Part 1, starting today) (Rpt)
3.15 Hotel
4.10 Have Faith
4.35 Coming of Age
5.00 Emmerdale Farm
5.30 M-A-S-H
6.00 One Network News
6.30 Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em (Starting tonight) (Rpt)
7.00 Who Ate the Last Moa?
7.30 Rediscovery of the World (Final)
8.30 Taggart: Root of Evil (Part 1)
9.30 One Network News
9.45 Whitbread Report
9.55 Monty Python’s Flying Circus (Starting tonight) (Rpt)
10.30 The Equalizer
11.25 A Very Peculiar Practice (Rpt)
12.30am Closedown

Channel 2
6.15am Teletext in Vision
6.30 The Telebugs
6.35 Space Ghost/Herculoids
7.00 The Flintstone Kids
7.25 The Snorks
7.55 The Secret Garden (Starting today) (Rpt)
8.25 Two by Two
8.45 Sesame Street
9.45 Sooty
10.10 Three Up, Two Down (Rpt)
10.40 Aerobics Oz Style
11.05 Santa Barbara
Noon The Young and the Restless
12.55 Days of Our Lives
1.50 First Impressions
2.20 Play School
2.45 Misterjaw
2.50 Care Bears
3.15 The Electric Company
3.45 Space 1999 (Starting today) (Rpt)
4.30 Doctor Who (Starting today) (Rpt)
5.00 Batman
5.30 A Different World (Starting today)
6.00 Happy Days
6.30 Neighbours (Double episode)
7.30 Gloss
8.30 The Star Movie: A Little Romance (1979)
10.35 The Two Ronnies (Rpt)
11.25 British Comedy Classics: The Supergrass (1985)
1.10am Closedown

TV3
7.00am Early Bird Show
Includes Garfield, DuckTales, The Wuzzles, Dennis the Menace and news every half hour
9.00 Dinosaucers
9.30 Welcome Back Kotter
10.00 Chico and the Man
10.30 Check It Out!
11.00 9 to 5
11.30 Holiday World
Noon Summer Holiday Movie Double Feature: 2 ½ Dads
1.00 Summer Holiday Movie Double Feature: Meet the Munceys
2.00 Fame, Fortune and Romance
2.30 Kung Fu
3.30 Mickey Mouse Club
4.00 The Real Ghostbusters
4.30 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
5.00 Get Smart
5.30 Perfect Match
6.00 3 National News
6.30 A Current Affair
7.00 The Golden Girls
7.30 Home and Away (Double episode)
8.30 Wednesday Night at the Movies: Take My Daughters Please (1988)
10.30 The Benny Hill Show
11.00 Flamingo Road
12.00am TJ Hooker
1.00 Closedown

3 Likes
756

Today’s TV: Saturday 29 December 1990
from the NZ Listener

TV One
9.35am Teletext in Vision
9.50 One World of Sport: Cricket
Shell Cup Cricket - Canterbury v Central Districts, live from Lancaster Park, Christchurch
6.00pm One Network News
6.30 All Creatures Great and Small (G)
7.30 48 Hours
8.30 One World of Sport: Harness Racing
1990 Auckland Trotting Cup - live from Alexandra Park, Auckland
8.35 Saturday Night at the Movies: The Dirty Dozen III - The Deadly Mission (1987)
10.25 The Film Club: The Cotton Club (1984) (AO)
12.50am Closedown

Channel 2
6.15am Teletext in Vision
6.30 The Adventures of a Blue Knight
6.35 Popples (Rpt)
7.00 Dink the Little Dinosaur
7.30 Alvin and the Chipmnuks (Rpt, G)
8.00 ALF: The Animated Series
8.30 Yogi’s Galaxy Goof-Ups (Rpt, G)
9.00 Batman (Double episode) (Rpt, G)
10.00 Pepsi RTR Sounz!
11.00 Out of This World
11.30 Learning the Ropes (G)
Noon The New Leave It to Beaver (G)
12.30 The Love Connection (G)
1.00 Top of the Hill (G)
1.50 Saturday Cinema: They All Laughed (1981)
4.00 Lassie (Final) (G)
4.30 The Hogan Family (G)
5.00 A Country Practice (G)
6.00 Pepsi RTR Countdown
6.30 Prime Time Pets
7.00 Fulll House (Rpt, G)
7.30 Doogie Howser, MD (G)
8.00 Lotto (Live draw)
8.05 New Zealand’s Funniest Home Videos
8.30 The Young Riders (PGR)
9.30 Cops (Rpt, AO)
10.00 Wolf (Final) (AO)
11.00 WWF Superstars of Wrestling (AO)
12.00am The Hitchhiker (AO)
12.30 Closedown

TV3
7.00am EBS, including:
7.00 DuckTales
7.30 Garfield
7.40 Annabel’s Kitchen
8.00 Infocus / The Real Ghostbusters
8.30 Dinosaucers
9.00 Infocus / Top 9 at 9
10.00 Infocus / Vid-Phone Music Requests / Write-In Music Requests / Top 5 Shakedowns
11.00 Welcome Back Kotter (Rpt, G)
11.30 Chico and the Man (Rpt, G)
Noon High Mountain Rangers (rpt, G)
1.00 The Kit Curran Show (G)
1.30 Movie Matinee: None but the Lonely Heart (1944) (B&W)
3.30 Movie Matinee: Belle Star’s Daughter (1948)
5.00 Coca-Cola Shakedown (G)
5.45 3 National News
6.00 Get Smart (Rpt, G)
6.30 Give Us a Clue
7.00 Bruce Forsyth and the Generation Game (G)
8.00 The Golden Girls (Rpt, G)
8.30 Saturday Night Adventure Movie: The 49th Parallel (1941) (B&W)
10.30 Late Movie: Shakedown on the Sunset Strip (1988)
12.30am Closedown

Sky Sport
Noon Matchroom Boxing
Tony Ekubia v Ike Quarty
1.00 Cricket
Australia v England - second test, day four, live
3.00 Motorsport
Toyota Atlantic
3.40 Cricket
Australia v England - second test, day four, live (continued)
8.00 Triathlon
Escape from Alcatraz
9.00 Football 1990
11.30 Closedown

Sky Movies
Noon Hiawatha (1990)
1.00 Prisoner of Zenda (1990)
2.00 Time Bandits (1981) (GY)
4.00 Circus Vegas (G)
6.00 Cathy’s Child (1979) (GY)
8.00 Scandal (1989) (RP16)
10.00 Blue Jean Cop (1989) (RP16)
11.35 Lured (1947) (GA)
1.17am Closedown

Sky News (CNN)
6.00am Newshour
7.00 Sonya Live
8.00 Newsday
9.00 International Hour
10.00 Newsday
11.00 Early Prime
11.30 Showbiz Today
Noon The World Today
1.00 Moneyline
1.30 Crossfire
2.00 Prime News
3.00 Larry King Live
4.00 CNN Evening News
5.00 Moneyline
5.30 CNN Sports
6.00 Newsnight
7.00 BBC News
7.30 Newsnight Update
8.30 CNN Sports
9.00 Newsnight Update
10.00 Larry King Overnight
11.00 Crossfire
11.30 Showbiz Today
12.00am Daybreak
12.30 International Correspondents
1.00 Daybreak
1.30 CNN Sports Close-Up
2.00 Daybreak
2.30 The Big Story
3.00 News Update / Health Week
3.30 Moneyweek
4.00 News Update / Showbiz This Week
4.30 Style with Elsa Klensch
5.00 News Update / Science & Technology
5.30 College Football Preview (Continues to 6am)

2 Likes
757

Today’s TV: Tuesday 31 December 1985 (New Year’s Eve)
from the NZ Listener

TV One
10.30am The Richard Simmons Show (Rpt)
10.50 Tai Chi (Rpt)
10.55 Crossroads
11.20 Sooty
11.40 Beany and Cecil (Rpt)
Noon Father Murphy (Rpt)
12.50 That Girl
1.15 Lottery! (Rpt)
2.00 Dad’s Army (Rpt)
2.30 Sesame Street (Rpt)
3.30 Mickey and Donald (Rpt)
3.55 Danger Mouse (Rpt)
4.05 Carnival of the Animals (Rpt)
4.30 The Phoenix and the Carpet (Part 3) (Rpt)
5.00 Little Nezha Fights Great Dragon Kings (Rpt)
6.00 Happy Days (Rpt)
6.30 News
7.00 EastEnders
7.30 The Legend of Robin Hood (Starting tonight)
9.25 Duty Free
9.50 Berrenger’s
10.40 News
10.45 Happy New Year!
Live from Avalon TV Studios, Wellington - featuring performances by the Dave Fraser Band, Sharon Cunningham, Tartan Clansmen and the City of Wellington Pipe Band, plus music videos from post-midnight
2.00am Closedown

TV2
Noon New Year’s Eve Matinee: My Fair Lady (1964) (Rpt)
2.55 Petticoat Junction (B&W) (Rpt)
3.20 General Hospital
4.30 Eight Is Enough (Final) (Rpt)
5.25 Love, Sidney (Rpt)
5.55 News
6.00 The Young Doctors
6.30 One by One (Final)
7.30 Andrew: Second Son
8.25 News 85
9.25 News
9.35 New Year’s Eve Special Movie: The China Syndrome (1979)
11.45 Closedown

At 10.45pm on New Year’s Eve 1985, Catherine Saunders hosted “Happy New Year!” - a live-to-air music and talk show on TV One (now TVNZ 1), direct from the Avalon Television Studios in Wellington.

It featured the hosts and personalities who had helped in presenting New Zealand television through 1985, plus live performances by the Dave Fraser Band, Sharon Cunningham, Tartan Clansmen and the City of Wellington Pipe Band. After midnight, Karyn Hay took over with Pip Dann and Gary McCormick to present the best of music videos to keep the party going.

The later part of the “Happy New Year!” show in 1985/86 signalled the end of Karyn Hay as host of TVNZ’s weekly alternative music show “Radio with Pictures”, according to Catherine Saunders. She had hosted the show for five years (1981-86) and was replaced in 1986 by Richard Driver.

As Dick Driver (back then), his career in showbiz began as a singer in the band Hip Singles (1982). He later became a successful independent producer of factual programmes, including “Give it a Whirl”, a six-part documentary series documenting the history of New Zealand popular music as well as “Music Nation” and “Coca-Cola Chart” for TV2 (now TVNZ 2) in 1995. In 2006 he launched the Documentary Channel, a subscription channel on Sky. In December 2010 he sold the channel to BBC Worldwide.

@OnAir @LiamP @TelevisionAU @foxyrover @Leotv @Michael_Eccles @nztv @TV4 @medianz I want to wish you a Happy New Year and all the best for 2022.

From Patrick Te Pou (Paddy)

7 Likes
758

Today’s TV: Friday 1 January 1988 (New Year’s Day)
from the NZ Listener

TV One
10.45am Aerobics Oz Style
11.10 Play School (Rpt)
11.35 The Magic Roundabout (Rpt)
11.40 Rainbow (Rpt)
Noon Holiday Western: High Noon Part II - The Return of Will Kane (1980)
1.35 Sports Special: Racing
Live from Ellerslie, featuring the 1988 Auckland Cup
6.00 M-A-S-H (Rpt)
6.30 Network News
7.00 Coronation Street
7.30 Images ‘87
8.30 Cause Célèbre
10.35 News
10.45 Page Three Girls
11.25 Summer Movie: The Longest Yard (1974) (Rpt)
1.30am Closedown

Network Two
Noon The Love Connection
12.25 The Grand Knockout Tournament (Rpt)
1.50 New Year’s Day Movie: Barefoot in the Park (1967) (Rpt)
3.35 Barbara Streisand: Putting It Together
4.10 The Electric Company (Rpt)
4.40 Code Red (Starting today) (Rpt)
6.00 Sons and Daughters
6.30 A Country Practice (Starting tonight)
8.10 Night Court
8.35 Carol Burnett Variety Special
9.30 Australia Live: A Celebration of a Nation
Live via satellite - featuring Jana Wendt, Ray Martin, Clive James, Paul Hogan, Tony Barber, George Negus, Derryn Hinch, Greg Evans, Daryl Somers, Graham Kennedy etc
1.30am Closedown

@OnAir @TelevisionAU “Australia Live”, a four-hour telecast which signalled the launch of Australia’s bicentennial celebrations, was beamed in via satellite and broadcast on Network Two (now TVNZ 2) at 9.30pm NZDT on New Year’s Day 1988.

The telecast crossed live to over 70 locations right across the country to represent a ‘typical’ day in the life of the Australian people. At each of the locations, Australian television celebrities talked with everyday Australians about their experiences, with the whole event anchored by Clive James, Ray Martin and Jana Wendt from the studios of TCN-9 Sydney. Other presenters included Paul Hogan, Tony Barber, George Negus, Derryn Hinch, Greg Evans, Daryl Somers and Graham Kennedy who billed the programme as a ‘unique electronic carpet ride’.

To learn more about this programme, please click the Wikipedia link below.

2 Likes
759

Today’s TV: Tuesday 3 January 1984
from the NZ Listener

TV One
Noon Father Murphy (Rpt)
12.50 I Dream of Jeannie (Rpt)
1.20 The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries (Rpt)
2.10 Playaway
2.40 Sesame Street (Rpt)
3.40 Sport Billy
4.00 Sea Dreams
4.10 Movie for Holiday Time: Little Jungle Boy (1971)
5.25 Shazam! Summer Rock Special
6.00 M-A-S-H (Rpt)
6.30 News
7.00 Wild South (Rpt)
7.25 Hallelujah (Part 5)
7.55 This Week
8.25 Strangers
9.20 The Other ‘Arf (Rpt)
9.50 Roots (Part 4)
11.30 News
11.35 Closedown

TV2
2.30pm Nurse (Rpt)
3.20 Images (Rpt)
3.35 Summer Cinema: Dead Reckoning (1947) (B&W) (Rpt)
5.20 Two’s Company (Rpt)
5.50 News
6.00 The Young Doctors
6.30 The Sullivans
7.25 Hart to Hart
8.20 The Tuesday Documentary: The Deafened (Rpt)
9.20 News
9.35 The Gentle Touch (Rpt)
10.30 Soap (Rpt)
11.00 Closedown

1 Like
760

Today’s TV: Wednesday 4 January 1978
from the NZ Listener

TV One
Noon News
12.05 The Young and the Restless
12.30 Beauty and the Beast
1.00 Good Heavens (Final) (Rpt)
1.25 Days of Our Lives
2.10 Peyton Place (Rpt)
2.35 Sesame Street
3.40 Pardon My Genie
4.05 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kids (Rpt)
4.30 Gomer Pyle, USMC
4.55 Summertime Matinee: The Lone Ranger - Justice of the West
6.00 Pot Black (Rpt)
6.30 News
Includes regional news from Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin
7.00 Good Times
7.25 Edward the Seventh (Rpt)
8.20 Maude
8.50 News
9.00 Beryl’s Lot (Rpt)
9.55 Summertime Movie: Madron (1971)
11.15 News and Weather
11.20 Closedown

South Pacific Television (SPTV)
3.00pm Romper Room
3.45 Rainbow
4.00 Search for Tomorrow
4.20 Please Don’t Eat the Daisies (Rpt)
4.45 Medical Centre
5.35 The Beverly Hillbillies (Rpt)
6.00 News: First Edition
6.15 Starparade: James Dean
6.30 Six-Thirty Special: Cinderella Rockerfella (Rpt)
7.20 Doctor in Charge (Final) (Rpt)
7.50 Bound for Freedom
8.50 Dan August
9.50 News: Late Edition
10.00 The Family of Man
Closedown at the end of the above programme

All programmes in colour unless otherwise specified

1 Like
761

Today’s TV: Tuesday 5 January 1982
from the NZ Listener

TV One
Noon One Day at a Time (Rpt)
12.25 Tomorrow’s World
12.35 Beauty and the Beast (Rpt)
1.00 Crown Court (Rpt)
1.25 Fantasy Island (Rpt)
2.25 Sooty
2.45 Little Blue (Rpt)
2.55 Sesame Street (Rpt)
3.55 Take Hart (Rpt)
4.15 The Fox and the Hare
4.25 The Tom Foolery Show
4.45 Dog
4.50 Ritter’s Cove
5.15 The Legend of King Arthur (Rpt)
5.45 Dick Barton: Special Agent
6.00 Robin’s Nest (Rpt)
6.30 News
7.00 Coronation Street
7.30 Best of the Regional Programmes (Top Half)
8.00 Holiday Playhouse: Flat Bust
9.00 Power Struggle
10.20 Summertime Movie: The Spiral Staircase (1946) (Rpt)
11.45 News
11.50 Closedown

TV2
2.30pm Funny Man (Rpt)
3.25 Summer Cinema: You Can’t Take It with You (Movie for TV)
5.00 Solid Gold Classics
6.00 News
6.10 The Waltons
7.05 The Muppet Show (Rpt)
7.35 The Making of “Superman: The Movie”
8.30 Movie: Puppet on a Chain (1972) (Rpt)
10.15 News
10.25 Pop Concert: Chicago Special
11.50 Closedown

1 Like
762

Today’s TV: Monday 6 January 1992
from the NZ Listener

TV One
11.45am Teletext in Vision
Noon Newhart (Rpt, G)
12.30 ABC World News
1.00 Film on One: Open Admissions (1988) (PGR)
2.45 Only When I Laugh (Rpt, G)
3.20 Top of the Hill (G)
4.20 Kate & Allie (Rpt, G)
4.50 Take the High Road (G)
5.25 The Upper Hand
6.00 One Network News
6.30 Wildlife on One: Eat a Beaver, Save a Tree (G)
7.00 Sale of the Century (Series return)
7.30 Beyond 2000 (Rpt, G)
8.30 Clive James: Postcards from Miami (Rpt, G)
9.35 The Piglet Files (Final) (PGR)
10.10 Castrol Motorsport
11.10 One Network News
11.20 The Monday Documentary: The Vet (AO)
12.00am Quincy
1.10 Closedown

Channel 2
6.00am Arthur! and the Square Knights of the Round Table
6.30 My Little Pony ‘n Friends (Rpt, G)
7.00 The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin (Rpt, G)
7.25 Jem (Rpt, G)
8.00 ITN World News
8.30 Breezily and Sneezily (Rpt, G)
8.40 Sesame Street (G)
9.35 The Kidsongs TV Show (Rpt, G)
10.05 Aerobics Oz Style
10.30 Neighbours (Rpt, G)
11.00 Santa Barbara
Noon The Young and the Restless (G)
1.00 Days of Our Lives
2.00 Who’s the Boss? (Rpt, G)
2.30 ALF (Rpt, G)
2.55 Charlie Chalk (Rpt, G)
3.10 Kitty Cats
3.25 Magilla Gorilla (Rpt, G)
3.35 Babar
4.00 The Jetsons (Rpt, G)
4.30 Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors (G)
5.00 The Bugs Bunny Show
6.00 Studs
6.30 Wheel of Fortune (Series return)
7.00 Neighbours (G)
7.30 The Flying Doctors (G)
8.30 Monday Night Movie: Goodnight Sweet Wife (1990) (AO)
10.25 Jake and the Fatman (PGR)
11.25 thirtysomething (G)
12.25am Movie: Trouble in Paradise (1988) (AO)
2.00 Movie: Bridesmaids (1989) (AO)
3.40 Mini-Series: Secrets of the Sahara (Part 1) (PGR)
4.40 Working It Out (G)
5.05 A-Z Video Gold (Continues to 6am)

TV3
6.25am EBS, including:
6.25 Aunties’ Alphabet (Rpt, G)
6.30 Pinocchio (G)
7.00 Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (G)
7.30 Police Academy (Rpt, G)
8.00 The Mickey Mouse Club (Rpt, G)
8.30 Closedown
Noon The Bold and the Beautiful (PGR)
12.30 Generations (PGR)
1.00 NBC Nightly News
1.30 Another World (PGR)
2.30 The Oprah Winfrey Show (Rpt, G)
3.30 Super Mario Bros (Rpt, G)
4.00 Dennis the Menace (Rpt, G)
4.30 Double Dare
5.00 Voltron (G)
5.30 Home and Away (G)
6.00 3 National News
6.30 Discovery (G)
7.00 Give Us a Clue
7.30 The Best of Candid Camera (G)
8.00 The Golden Girls (G)
8.30 3 Mini-Series: Crossings (Part 2) (Rpt, PGR)
10.30 Nightline
10.45 Babes (PGR)
11.15 MacGrouder & Loud (AO)
12.15am Closedown

Sky Sport
6.00am ESPN Direct - 1991 IHRA Highlights
7.30 Women’s Pro Bowlers Tour
9.00 Great American Events
US Open Frisbee Championships
10.00 Boxing
1992 Superbouts - Leonard v Hagler
11.00 Golf
PGA Golf - Ben Hogan Pebble Beach Invitational, final round, live
1.00pm Sky Sport - UK Rugby Special
2.00 Bodies in Motion
2.30 Bodyshaping
3.00 Tennis
Hopman Cup Tennis - final
5.00 Dubai Air Show
6.00 Snowmobile Racing
6.30 Football: The Big Match
8.10 UK Rugby League
9.10 Golf
PGA Golf - Ben Hogan Pebble Beach Invitational, final round
11.30 ESPN Direct - Bodybuilding
Men’s US Championships
12.30am Top Rank Boxing
2.30 The Sunkist Kids
3.00 Basic Training Workout
3.30 Bodyshaping
4.00 Women’s Pro Beach Volleyball
5.00 Getting Fit with Denise Austin
5.30 Body by Jake (Continues to 6am)

Sky News
CNN News 24 hours a day, plus:
BBC News at 8.30am and 7pm
TVNZ News at 8.30pm

Sky Movies
Noon Nostalgia at Noon: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1967) (GA)
2.40 Care Bears’ Adventures in Wonderland (1987) (G)
4.00 Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985) (GY)
5.30 Porky Pig Show (G)
6.00 Wilt (1989) (RP16)
7.32 Box Office America (G)
8.00 The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) (GA)
10.10 The Return of Swamp Thing (1989) (R13)
11.40 Missing Link (1988) (R13)
1.09am Closedown

Canterbury Television (CTV)
5.00pm Susan Sells (G)
5.30 First Report (News) (G)
6.00 What Would You Do? (G)
6.30 George Balani (Rpt, G)
7.00 Rockquest 1991 (G)
7.30 Hopkins’ Half Hour (G)
8.00 First Report (News) (Rpt, G)
8.30 Movie: The Beastmaster (1982) (AO)
10.40 Closedown

@OnAir @foxyrover @theGradyConnell @nztv @Leotv @TV4 @Sheldon_Betteridge Channel 2 (now TVNZ 2) began 24-hour transmission shortly before some publications, like the NZ Listener, went to print but reverted back to a nightly closedown in the first week of April 1992.

Aline Sandilands, TVNZ’s head of public relations at the time, replied to one reader through the Listener:

“TVNZ announced it would run 24-hour television during the summer months only. Viewing patterns at this time - with many New Zealanders on holiday - lent themselves to a far greater flexibility. We were delighted with the results, and hope to repeat the extended telecasts later. It was, however, noticeable that towards the middle of February people reverted to their ‘working’ habits and switched off earlier. There’s usually a late movie on during the weekends for insomniacs!”

Two of New Zealand’s game shows, “Sale of the Century” and “Wheel of Fortune”, returned to our screens in the first week of January 1992, although “Wheel of Fortune” had moved to Channel 2 in the new timeslot of 6.30pm.

3 Likes
763

Today’s TV: Friday 8 January 1988
from the NZ Listener

TV One
10.45am Aerobics Oz Style
11.10 Play School (Rpt)
11.35 The Magic Roundabout (Rpt)
11.40 Rainbow (Rpt)
Noon Whodunnit? (Rpt)
12.45 The Odd Couple (Rpt)
1.10 Alias Smith and Jones (Rpt)
2.00 Trapper John, MD (Rpt)
2.50 Bewitched (Rpt)
3.15 In the Wild with Harry Butler (Rpt)
3.40 Last of the Summer Wine (Rpt)
4.15 A Tale of Two Cities (Starting today) (Rpt)
5.10 Crossroads
5.30 Emmerdale Farm
6.00 M-A-S-H (Rpt)
6.30 Network News
7.00 Coronation Street
7.30 Clive James: Paris Fashion Show (Starting tonight)
8.20 In Sickness and in Health
8.50 The Sweeney (Rpt)
9.50 News
10.05 The South Bank Show (Starting tonight)
11.00 Summer Movie: The Big Black Pill (1981)
12.50am Closedown

Network Two
Noon The Love Connection
12.25 That’s Incredible! (Rpt)
1.15 The Brothers (Rpt)
2.05 The Friday Matinee: Viva Las Vegas (1964) (Rpt)
3.30 Today in France (Rpt)
3.45 The Electric Company (Rpt)
4.15 The Baker Street Boys (Starting today) (Rpt)
4.40 Code Red (Rpt)
5.30 Get Smart (Rpt)
6.00 Sons and Daughters
6.30 A Country Practice
7.30 The Tracey Ullman Show (Series premiere)
8.00 Night Court
8.30 Mini-Series: A Town Like Alice (Part 2) (Rpt)
10.20 Soap (Rpt)
10.50 Special Squad (Starting tonight)
11.40 Closedown

The Australian drama series “Special Squad” premiered on Network Two (now TVNZ 2) at 10.50pm on the evening of Friday 8 January 1988.

Produced by Crawfords for Australia’s Network Ten and filmed in Melbourne, the series focused on an elite division of the Victoria Police, which handled crimes either too sensitive or specialist for regular squads. The Special Squad was headed by Detective Inspector Don Anderson (played by Alan Cassell), with his main operatives being Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Smith (Anthony Hawkins), and Detective Sergeant Joel Davis (John Diedrich).

“Special Squad” was seen by many as an Australian answer to the British series “The Professionals” both for its focus on action and violence, and the fact that both series were produced by Raymond Menmuir. However, in reality the characters and plotlines were less developed than the British series.

The series ran for two years (1984-85) and lasted for 43 episodes in total.

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