And former prime time drama Quantum Leap shunted to midnight with former daytime soap General Hospital at 5am.
Todayâs TV: 20.8.1962, Melbourne
Source: TV Week
- BP Pick A Box is still showing on GTV9 despite station affiliations swapped between the 7 and 9 channels. It would only be a matter of time before it moved over to HSV7 to align with ATN7 in Sydney where the show was made.
- Midday movies on both Channels 7 and 9, and the battle for the housewife audience with Video Village, Say When and Make Mine Music on Seven, up against Concentration, It Could Be You and Take The Hint on Nine. ABV2 mostly focused on childrenâs and educational programming during the daytime.
- Then it was the battle for the kids audience, with The Happy Show on Seven, The Tarax Show on Nine and Monday Showcase on ABC.
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What was the Preston Television Service? Just servicing TVâs?
Yep. There was a big industry in TV repair companies. TVs often went on the blink or something horrendous might happen like the picture tube dying. I donât think it was anything unusual for any household to have had several TV repair calls in the space of a year. Some companies would try and rope people in with annual contracts. It was also good for business when older sets had to be converted to receive Channel 0.
Even in the 1980s we had a TV repair man who came to fix our set on a number of occasions.
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back before everything became disposable 
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It was always good if you had a repairman in the family. We used to take our dead TVâs and VCRâs to our Uncle whoâd fix them or swap them for another one heâd repaired. Used to love going out to his shed, so many TVâs and VCRâs and other equipment there.
Itâs not so much the disposability thatâs killed that industry now, itâs the miniaturisation. Back then the entire TV cabinet would be filled with components down all the walls and even layers of boards in some and nearly every component could be replaced. I fixed a couple of TVâs during my apprenticeship from the late 90âs era and there was not much in them at all, the picture tube and one small circuit board with half the components missing for the more premium models/technically different specs. DVD players were even worse, a massive box with a small circuit board.
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How did your family deal with the TV going on the blink, TVAU?
I remember it happening quite frequently in the black and white and early colour days and it always felt like a major challenge to fill the void when the TV was off being repaired. Eventually my grandparents inherited a portable b&w that we would borrow. The front of it had a dark perspex cover that made for an odd viewing experience.
I purchased a portable colour TV in 1983 with money earned doing odd jobs over a year. A relative said heâd chip in half if I could save $200. That seemed like a small fortune back then. The family would always commandeer mine when the one in the lounge was being fixed. I got over 25 years use out of that little TV. Never had a problem with it.
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What brand was your little portable?
I used to have a great little 34cm Sharp colour TV with 8 preset buttons, somewhere along the line, part of one rabbit ear snapped off, and the volume knob came off, but I managed to put that back on with some Blu Tack 
. Never had any trouble with that either.
I think Iâve blurred out the trauma of that from my memory. There were times the repair man would take the TV away for days (or longer) to fix and monitor whatever had happened. I can only assume that we dragged out the old Philips B&W TV from the spare room (which was previously the old lounge room set) or⌠horror of horrors⌠no TV at all!!!
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It was a National brand Quintrix model. I had a soft spot for that brand (also had a National cassette player) because of those ads ABBA did for them back in the '70s.
A relative had a portable colour TV with a chord remote control- I think it had a channel up and down button and an on/off switch. I really wanted a similar model but there werenât any available when we went to buy it at David Jones Warrawong. Iâd been saving for a year and just couldnât wait any longer and took the display model off the shelf. Iâd never do that these days. It was a valuable early lesson in the value of a cent and saving for what you want. I washed cars, cleaned bird cages and raided my parents wallets for one and two cent coins to save for that thing.
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The âNewcastle Heraldâ 7 day TV Guide, which is published on Fridays, is on the ballâŚ
In this weekâs guide, they have correctly listed WIN with their variations to TENâs schedule and no 6pm news.
They have also listed 7flix from this Sunday.
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The Coffs Coast Advocateâs weekly TV liftout still had it listed as Ten Nthn from today and the wrong channel numbers for One and Eleven. Program listings appear to be correct.
The Gold Coast Bulletin was the same. Still listed as Ten GC
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Todayâs TV: 1.9.1977, Melbourne.
Source: Scene
- I think it might be school holidays as In those days of three terms a year there was usually a two-week school holiday in late August/early September. Channel 7 is starting earlier than its usual 10am, but ABC is running school programs in the morning but not in the afternoon. A bit conflicting.
- Channel 7 has its traditional Thursday night League Teams and Channel 0 has its VFA equivalent.
- Former Number 96 actor Chard Hayward hosts the game show $30,000 Treasure Hunt which was co-hosted by Marie van Maaren (The Early Bird Show). Although Blankety Blanks was doing well it was not helped by poor lead ins at 6.30. Treasure Hunt did nothing to help the situation and in 1978 Blankety Blanks host Graham Kennedy had a falling out with the channel over the situation, which then saw Blankety Blanks shifted in Melbourne to a midday timeslot. (I expect that Ten in Sydney kept Blankety Blanks at 7.00 to the end of the year)
- ABC is running The Goodies in the adult timeslot of 9.15pm. Strange to imagine now that The Goodies was originally conceived as an âadultâ comedy but for a lot of its time in Australia it was shown in the early evening (on ABC and later on Channel Ten) and was a hit with kids.
- The weekâs final episode of Bellbird. By this stage Bellbird was screening three nights a week at 6.30pm. By chance you can view the first of this weekâs episodes (the weekâs episodes were titled Come Live With Me) on YouTube:
YouTube: Classic Australian TV
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Watching The Goodies after school was always a highlight. Seeing them years and years later in a live show was almost as good.
Got all excited seeing that then and then saw which thread this is. Wish theyâd bring good quality entertainment back!
Canberra/New South Wales, Monday 26 September 1977
from TV Week-Coastal edition
ABC
8.00 Sesame Street
9.00 For Schools
9.30 Play School
10.00/10.20/10.40/11.15/11.35/12.05 For Schools
12.35 Weekend Magazine
1.00 News
1.10 Horizon-5
1.29 Weather
1.30/1.50/2.30 For Schools
4.00 Play School
4.30 Sesame Street
5.30 Flashez
6.00 Soccer-The Big Match: QPR-Manchester City
6.55 Regional News
7.00 News
7.25 Weather
7.30 This Day Tonight
8.00 A Big Country âThe Racerâ (premiere)
8.30 Kirbyâs Company "Itâs a Politicianâs World"
9.20 Monday Conference
10.10 News/Weather
10.20 The Australian Hymn Book
ATN7 Sydney
10.00 Romper Room
11.00 Eleven AM
noon Movie âThe Sunshine Patriotâ (AO)
2.00 Julie Andrews
3.00 Department S
4.00 I Dream of Jeannie (bw)
4.30 Gidget
5.00 Partridge Family
5.30 Jetsons
6.00 Bewitched
6.30 News
7.00 Willesee at Seven
7.30 Good Times âThelmaâs African Romanceâ (pt 2/A)
8.00 Barney Miller âThe Electionâ (G)
8.30 Once an Eagle (pt 4)
9.30 1977 Emmy Awards
11.30 Untouchables (bw)
TCN9 Sydney
6.00 Thunderbirds (bw)
7.00 Super Flying Fun Show
9.00 Hereâs Humphrey
10.00 Dinah!
11.00 Another World
11.55 News
noon Mike Walsh
1.30 Days of Our Lives
2.30 Young & the Restless
2.55 News
3.00 General Hospital
3.30 Search for Tomorrow
4.00 Daryl & Ossie Cartoon Show
5.00 New Mickey Mouse Club
5.30 McHaleâs Navy (bw)
6.00 Young Doctors
6.30 News
7.00 A Current Affair
7.30 Sullivans
8.30 Starsky & Hutch âMurder at Seaâ (pt 1/AO)
9.30 Don Lane (guests Barry Crocker, Buddy Loren, Bev Harrel, and Lady Cilento)
11.00 Silent Number "A Day Heâll Remember"
mid. Movie âI Love My Wifeâ (AO)
1.40 Movie âThe Girl He Left Behindâ (bw/G)
3.25 Movie âDeadline Midnightâ (bw/G)
5.00 Gideonâs Way (bw)
TEN10 Sydney
7.00 Make a Wish
7.30 Beatles
8.00 Fat Cat & Friends
8.30 Little People
9.00 Rooms
9.30 Harrietâs Back in Town
9.55 Prof. James Hitchcock
10.00 Switched-On Living
10.15 Swami Sarasvati
10.30 Green Acres
11.00 Maggie Eckhart Hour
noon Mod Squad
1.00 Celebrity Gam
1.30 Pot of Gold
2.30 $30,000 Treasure Hunt
3.00 Keep Pace with Harriet
3.30 Petticoat Junction
3.59 News
4.00 Right On
4.30 New Adventures of Gilligan
5.00 Hoganâs Heroes
5.30 Brady Bunch
6.00 News
7.00 Blankety Blanks
7.30 Rockford Files âRattlers Class of '63â (A)
8.30 Benny Hill (AO)
9.30 Mission: Impossible âThe Merchantâ (A)
10.30 Philips Soccer
11.30 Rookies âDirge for Sundayâ (AO)
NBN3 Newcastle
7.00 Breakfast Club
9.00 Romper Room
9.45 Search for Tomorrow
10.05 A Current Affair
10.30 $30,000 Treasure Hunt
10.55 Cooking with Josephine
11.10 Mike Walsh
12.35 Movie âOne Foot in Hellâ (A)
2.10 Community Billboard
2.15 Days of Our Lives
3.10 Young & the Restless
3.40 New Mickey Mouse Club
5.00 Happy Days
5.30 Bewitched
6.00 News/Weather/Sport
7.00 A Current Affair
7.30 Hawaii Five-O âFools Die Twiceâ (A)
8.30 Rich Man, Poor Man-Book II (pt 10/A)
9.30 Sullivans
10.30 Medical Centre âNo Margin for Errorâ (G)
11.30 Movie âThe Naked and the Deadâ (A)
WIN4 Wollongong
10.50 You Say the Word
11.10 Magicat
11.45 Switched-On Living
noon Mike Walsh
1.30 News/Weather
1.35 Days of Our Lives
2.23 Roving Eye
2.25 Young & the Restless
2.50 General Hospital
3.15 Wotsa-Name Show
3.20 Maude
3.45 Cartoons
3.55 Green Acres
4.25 Right On
4.50 Brady Bunch
5.15 Celebrity Game
5.40 Happy Days
6.10 News/Weather
7.00 Willesee at Seven
7.29 Weather
7.30 Hawaii Five-O âOdd Man Inâ (A)
8.27 Roving Eye
8.30 Starsky & Hutch âIron Mikeâ (A)
9.30 1977 Emmy Awards
11.30 Arnie
mid. Epilogue
CTC7 Canberra
11.00 Hereâs Humphrey
11.55 News
noon Mike Walsh
1.30 Blankety Blanks
1.59 News
2.00 Days of Our Lives
2.54 News
2.55 Young & the Restless
3.20 Womanâs World
3.25 Switched-On Living
3.40 Doris Day
4.10 This Week Has Seven Days
4.40 Brady Bunch
5.05 Community Billboard
5.10 Green Acres
5.40 Hoganâs Heroes
6.10 Local News/Sport
6.30 News
7.00 Willesee at Seven
7.30 Switch âFleece of Snowâ (AO)
8.30 Charlieâs Angels âBlue Angelsâ (finale/AO)
9.30 Sullivans
10.30 Local News
10.35 Local Member
10.40 Movie âThe Trial of Chaplain Jensenâ (A)
CBN8 Orange/CWN6 Dubbo/MTN9 Griffith
noon Mike Walsh
1.30 Blankety Blanks
2.00 Days of Our Lives
2.50 General Hospital
3.20 Young & the Restless
3.50 (CBN-CWN) Wotsa-Name Show
(MTN) Birthday Book
3.55 Gomer Pyle, USMC
4.20 What in the World
4.50 Beverly Hillbillies
5.10 Fat Albert & the Cosby Kids
5.35 Hoganâs Heroes
6.00 My Three Sons
6.30 News/Weather
7.00 A Current Affair
7.30 Cannon âKellyâs Songâ (A)
8.30 News/Weather
8.40 Rhoda âThe Separationâ (A)
9.10 Benny Hill
10.10 News/Weather
10.15 Family âJury Dutyâ (pt 1/A)
11.05 Epilogue
NEN9 Tamworth/ECN8 Taree
1.00 Switched-On Living
1.15 Young & the Restless
1.40 Days of Our Lives
2.40 Mike Walsh
3.50 Flintstones
4.15 Look, Listen, Laugh & Learn
4.40 Marvel Superheroes
4.45 Bugs Bunny
4.50 Marvel Superheroes
4.55 Top Cat
5.20 Marvel Superheroes
5.25 New Mickey Mouse Club
5.50 Variety Roundabout
5.55 Celebrity Game
6.20 Local News/Weather
6.30 News
7.00 A Current Affair
7.30 Waltons âThe Testâ (G)
8.25 Rural Billboard/Weather
8.30 The Practice âMulliganâ (A)
9.00 Gibbsville âManhoodâ (AO)
10.00 Quiller âTango Briefingâ (A)
10.55 Local News/Weather
11.05 Epilogue
NRN11 Coffs Harbour/RTN8 Lismore
1.00 Switched-On Living
1.15 Young & the Restless
1.40 Social Calendar
1.45 Days of Our Lives
2.40 Mike Walsh
4.00 Junior Show
4.15 Encyclopaedia Britannica
4.40 Quick Draw McGraw
5.05 Far Out Space Nuts
5.30 New Mickey Mouse Club
5.55 Celebrity Game
6.20 Newshow
7.00 A Current Affair
7.30 Rockford Files âIn Hazardâ (A)
8.30 Gibbsville âSaturday Nightâ (AO)
9.25 Movie âShell Gameâ (A)
10.40 Paul Lynde
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Todayâs TV: 3.9.1975, Sydney
Source: TV Week
- Barry Otto stars in the Seven Network daytime serial Until Tomorrow, a series produced in Brisbane.
- Steve Raymond hosts the game show Casino 10
- At a time when Division 4 and Matlock Police have both been axed, both shows are screening in re-runs at 3.00pm.
- ABC has 30 minutes of highlights of the Fourth Test cricket from London
- Several months after the switchover to colour there is still a considerable amount of content still in Black and White. Some of these shows may have been imports that were produced in colour but local channels may still have been working off black-and-white prints, which would have been cheaper than buying colour ones prior to the transition. I believe it would still be another year before Play School would start production in colour. But keep in mind that at this stage the number of households actually with colour TV sets was still very much in the minority.
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The short-lived News Centre Nine at 6:30pm. While the first part was a two-header with Henderson and Hitchener, iirc the sport and weather were local not networked.
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Wow. How did that work? Were Henderson and Hitchener presenting from the same studio, or in their respective cities?
Hendo was in Sydney and Hitch was in Melbourne.
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