I recall going with Mum to get our first colour TV that was a Kreisler. I think the uptake in sales happened after a year or so because that was when it was possible to buy a colour set on sale and to even haggle a bit on the price. Prior to that they were sold at premium prices, with a much smaller range to select from. When we purchased the whole wall of the shop was colour TVs (but there were still only 3 (?) screen sizes available). You really had to spend in 1975 to get one of the best models. Only the top of the line models had a remote control and that was corded! Subsequent models had ultrasonic remotes and only later did infra red remotes become available.
2 Likes
The Addams Family enjoyed something of a late 80s revival (after having not been shown for years) with 5.00 and/or 5.30 screenings. It was popular enough that it prompted Ten to dig out The Munsters at the same timeslot. Nine must have just used the Addams Family hype to give it a 7.00 slot over summer.
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Our first colour set was a Pye with push button tuner. First time Iâd ever known push button tuners to exist. Nobody else I knew had that.
Was a good set but I guess being a European brand it didnât cope with extreme temperatures which of course we get a lot of during summer. So it was subjected to numerous repair jobs so we were on first name basis with the local TV repairman 
2 Likes
I still recall seeing black and white portable sets in department stores well into the 1980s. People would buy them as a cheap second set for the kids or to take away on holidays. Itâs odd to think most viewing was done as a family back then.
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We had a black and white portable in the kitchen until the early 80s⊠it then became a bedroom portable after a colour portable was bought for the kitchen.
Given how expensive colour TVs were initially, people obviously stuck with the very cheap B&Ws for secondary sets for other parts of the house.
Family viewing was definitely a thing particularly for special events or âmust see TVâ ⊠Will Molly live or die on A Country Practice? ⊠or Who shot JR?
1 Like
The portable we bought in the 80s had an adapter for the cigarette lighter in the car.
1 Like
Melbourne TV listings: Saturday, April 10, 1999
from The Age
ABV2 (ABC)
6.00 Rage (contâd)
9.00 Recovery
12.00 Stateline
12.30 The Flying Vet: The New Vet
1.00 Commonwealty Bank Trophy
2.00 Saturday Afternoon Sport (includes VFL match of the day: Coburg v. Williamston)
5.00 Basketball: NBL Summer
6.00 Nature World âThe Forbidden Fruitâ
6.50 The Dreaming âThe Frog and the Two Pelicansâ
7.00 ABC News
7.30 SeaChange âFull Fathom Fiveâ (ABC News at 8.25)
8.30 The Bill âThe Same Partsâ (parts 1 and 2; ABC News at 9.20)
9.25 The Nazi Who Loved England
10.25 Face to Face (interview with Roddy Doyle)
11.05 Birds of a Feather âOutâ
11.35 Rage (simulcast on Triple J from 1am)
HSV7 (Seven)
6.00 Cross Country
6.30 Star Trek (animated)
7.00 Saturday Disney
9.00 New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
9.30 The Crash Zone
10.00 Hang Time
10.30 Power Rangers Turbo
11.00 Clueless
11.30 USA High
12.00 Rugby Union
1.00 World Sports (highlights)
1.30 Movie âCaptain Lightfootâ
3.30 The Games: Sydney 2000
4.00 Just Footy
4.30 Rex Huntâs Fishing Adventures
5.00 Around the Grounds
6.00 Seven Nightly News
6.30 World Around Us âTiger Shark: The Legendary Thug of the Seaâ
8.28 Tattlsloto
8.30 AFL: Fremantle v. Hawthorn, followed by Brisbane Lions v. Port Adelaide at 11.15
1.00 Sightings
2.00 Telemall Shopping
3.00 Movie âStepfather IIâ
4.35 Movie âThe Magic Swordâ
GTV9 (Nine)
6.00 Golf: US Masters
8.30 Today on Saturday
9.30 Crocadoo
10.00 Goodsports
10.30 Gym Jam Club
11.00 Now You See It
11.30 Emirates World of Cricket (preview)
12.00 Second Noah âPilotâ
1.00 Early Edition âPsychicâ
2.00 Sports Saturday
4.00 Growing Pains âRoommatesâ
4.30 Hooked on Water
5.00 Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
6.00 National Nine News
6.30 Hey Hey Itâs Saturday
8.30 The Pretender âMurder 101â
9.30/10.30 Walker, Texas Ranger
11.25 National Nine Newsbreak
11.30 Movie âAttack of the 5 Ft. 2 In. Womenâ
1.00 Late Show with David Letterman
2.00 Movie âSorry, Wrong Numberâ
3.40 Movie âThe Slender Threadâ
5.30 Golf: US Masters
ATV10 (Ten)
6.00 Dennis the Menace
6.30 Sports Tonight
7.00 Magic School Bus
7.30 Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego?
8.00 Totally Wild
8.30 Jack Hannaâs Animal Adventures
9.00 Video Hits
11.30 Ocean Girl
12.00 Bright Ideas
1.00 V8 Supercars: Sensational Adelaide 500
5.00 Ten News
5.30 Moesha âSheâs Backâ
6.00 Addams Family
6.30 Love Boat: The Next Wave
7.30 Xena: Warrior Princess
8.30 Movie âThe Odessa Fileâ
11.20 Ten News
11.50 Sports Tonight
12.20 Ground Zero
2.00 Telemall Shopping
3.00 Danoz Home Shopping
4.00 Life is for Living
5.00 Hour of Power
SBS
6.00 Cantonese News
6.20 Mandarin News
6.55 Telegiornale
7.30 Das Journal
8.00 Ta Nea Ton Ennea
9.00 Le Journal
9.30 Sevodnia
10.15 Telediario
11.00 Indonesian News
11.30 The Journal
12.00 Nightly Business Report (the paper wrongly listed The Journal twice at 11.30 and noon, so I assume that NBR aired here!)
12.30 Vanessa Mae: Storm On World Tour
1.50 A Bridge Between Two Islands (the arts and crafts of Malta)
2.45 Australian Chamber Orchestra: The Love Thingâs Good
3.00 Faces in Contemporary Greek Song
3.30 Champions League highlights
4.30 World Soccer
5.30 English Premier League highlights
6.30 SBS World News
7.00 World Sport
7.30 Dateline
8.30 Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist (US)
9.00 Drop the Dead Donkey (UK)
9.30 Dr. Hemp and Mr. H (France)
10.30 Movie âGod in Heaven⊠Arizona on Earthâ (Italy)
12.00 The Joy Boys Story (Finland)
12.30 World Youth Soccer: Australia v. Ireland
3.00 temporary close
5.00 Weatherwatch & Music
5.30 Japanese News
Melbourne TV listings: Thursday, December 18, 1997
from The Age
ABV2 (ABC)
6.00 Discovering Psychology
6.30 Landscape and You
7.00 English Have a Go
7.30 Rupert
7.55 Adventures of Spot
8.00 Magic Mountain
8.10 Budgie the Little Helicopter
8.20 Noddy
8.30 Sesame Street
9.25 Bananas in Pyjamas
9.30 Play School
10.00 Babar
10.25 Kitu and Woofl
10.30 Rugrats
10.55 Small Stories
11.00 Art Attack
11.15 Watt on Earth
11.30 Babysitterâs Club
12.00 World at Noon
12.30 Songlines
1.00 Queen of the Elephants
2.00 The Bill
3.00 Sesame Street
3.55 Bananas in Pyjamas
4.00 Play School
4.30 Blinky Bill
4.55 Williamâs Wish Wellingtons
5.00 Captain Planet
5.25 Plasmo
5.30 Aaahh! Real Monsters
6.00 Heartbreak High
6.30 Keeping Up Appearances
7.00 ABC News
7.30 The 7.30 Report
8.00 Antonio Carluccioâs Italian Feast
8.30 The Vicar of Dibley Christmas Special
9.15 Mumâs Xmas
9.30 Oscar (profile of Oscar Wilde)
10.25 ABC News Late Edition
10.45 Seaforth
11.35 Ruling Passions: Sex, Race & Empire
12.05 Australia Television News
12.40 Movie âI See a Dark Strangerâ
2.30 The Twelve Days of Christmas
3.00 French in Action
3.30 The Global Economy
4.00 Time to Grow
4.30 Against All Odds
5.00 Dragonâs Tongue
5.30 Marketing
HSV7 (Seven)
6.00 Sunrise
7.00 Cartoon Connection
8.30 The Book Place
9.00 Golden Girls
9.30 A Merry Mirthwormsâ Christmas
10.00 The Home Court
10.30 Seven Morning News
11.00 Pacific Blue âPoint Blankâ
12.00 Mini-Series: All the Rivers Run (final)
2.05 Ricki Lake
3.00 The Pursuit of Happiness
3.30 Power Rangers Zeo
4.00 Total Recall
4.30 Brotherly Love âOutbreak!â
5.00 The Great Outdoors
5:30 Wheel of Fortune
6.00 Seven Nightly News
6.30 Today Tonight
7.00 Who Dares Wins
7.30 Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Powerball airs at 8.28)
8.30 Stargate SG-1
9.30 The Sentinel
10.30/11.00 Duckman
11.20 Seven Nightly News
11.50 Alpine Skiing: Menâs Downhill
12.50 NBC Today
2.50 Telemall Shopping
3.50 Bluey
4.45 Funniest People
5.10 Beyond 2000
GTV9 (Nine)
6.00 CNN World News
6.30 National Nine Early News
7.00 Today
9.00 Hereâs Humphrey
9.30 Diffârent Strokes
10.00 High Society
10.30 National Nine Morning News
11.00 Entertainment Tonight
11.30 Mini-Series: The Thornbirds (final)
2.30 Young and the Restless
3.30 Daveâs World âLoves Me Like a Rockâ
4.00 The Gift
4.30 Perfect Strangers âFalling in Love isâ
5.00 Growing Pains âCoughing Boyâ
5.30 Catch Phrase
6.00 National Nine News
6.30 A Current Affair
7.00 Our House (Keno airs at 7.29)
7.30 Wild Life with Olivia Newton-John
8.30 Early Edition âThe Wrong Manâ
9.30 ER âThe Secret Sharerâ
10.30 Nightline
11.00 Pacific Drive
12.00 Dangerfield
1.00 Late Show with David Letterman
2.00 Celebrity Home Shopping
3.00 Entertainment Tonight
3.30 Hunter âCrime of Passionâ
4.30 Barney Miller âThe Indianâ
5.00 Brooklyn Bridge âWhere Have You Goneâ
5.30 Circus Boy âCounterfeit Clownâ
ATV10 (Ten)
6.00 Aerobics Oz Style
6.30 Barney & Friends
7.00 Transformers: Generation II
7.30 Spider-Man
8.00 Inspector Gadget
8.30 The Music Shop
9.00 Good Morning Australia
11.30 Ten News
12.00 The Love Boat
1.00 Judge Judy
1.30 Oprah Winfrey
2.30 Monday to Friday
3.30 C.O.P.S.
4.00 Ocean Girl
4.30 Bold and the Beautiful
5.00 Ten News
6.00 Hoganâs Heroes
6.30 Roseanne
7.00/7.30 Seinfeld
8.00 Newsradio
8.30 NYPD Blue
9.30 Law & Order
10.30 Ten News
11.00 Sports Tonight
11.30 Cops
12.00 Movie âPinâ
2.00 Telemall Shopping
4.00 Life in the Word
4.30 Kenneth Copeland
5.00 Marilyn Hickey
5.30 Benny Hinn
SBS
6.00 Japanese News
6.30 Weatherwatch & Music
7.00 Telegiornale
7.35 Cantonese News
7.55 Mandarin News
8.30 Das Journal
9.00 Le Journal
9.40 Weatherwatch & Music
10.15 Telediario
11.00 Indonesian News
11.30 The Journal
12.00 Nightly Business Report
12.30 Movie âKing of Chessâ (Hong Kong)
2.20 Weatherwatch & Music
3.00 Divine Magic: World of the Supernatural
4.00 Front Up
4.30 School Torque (final)
5.00 Happiness (Brazil)
5.30 Newshour with Jim Lehrer
6.30 SBS World News
7.00 World Sport
7.30 Second Opinion (series return)
8.00 Too Close to Heaven (UK)
9.00 SBS World News at Nine
9.30 Dead West: War on the American Desert
10.00 Movie âQueen Margotâ (France)
12.40 Movie âMy Sweet Gertrudeâ (Italy)
2.15 temporary close
5.00 Weatherwatch & Music
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Todayâs TV: 15.12.1987, Brisbane (possibly have posted this one before?)
And also part of Northern NSW (NEN/ECN, NRN/RTN, ABC NSW) and Regional Queensland:
(NQTV North Queensland, MVQ6 Mackay and ITQ8 Mt Isa were listed in a separate North Qld edition)
Source: The Sunday Mail / Scene On TV
4 Likes
Todayâs TV: 16.12.1975, Melbourne.
ATV0 has an evening telethon for the Nerve Deafness Foundation, including a repeat of the 1974 documentary Sunday, Monday In Silence and the film The Miracle Worker
The telethon continues until close of transmission at 1.15am
Source: Listener In-TV
3 Likes
Seems that Queensland regional stations at that time had a very similar line-up and were able to pick the best programs from Seven (Fat Cat and Friends, Beyond 2000, A Country Practice, Raffertyâs Rules), Nine (US soaps) and Ten (Good Morning Australia, Neighbours).
Prior to aggregation and more recently the introduction of supplementary services for smaller solus/dual station markets, there was only one commercial station in each regional market so that explains why they cherry picked the best (or cheapest) content from all three networks.
3 Likes
and it even seemed to ignore any ownership ties to any network. e.g. MVQ6 and SEQ8 were owned by Qintex (Christopher Skase) who had bought the Seven Network. DDQ Toowoomba owned TVQ0 in Brisbane, giving it a link to the Ten Network.
And NQTV (not listed here) was in part owned by the Nine Network.
Setting them up for post-aggregation although as we know that all came undone at the last minute
1 Like
I seem to recall hearing that there was only 1 video link (bearer) up the Queensland coast so the first station up the road (WBQ/SEQ 8 Wide Bay) would pretty much determine what everyone had to take live.
For example they all took GMA and Iâm pretty certain they all took the same evening news from Brisbane (BTQ 7).
If WBQ 8 changed to another program the rest had to follow. I think that happened when WBQ/SEQ changed to Nine News. There was no obligstiin for the other stations to follow it was a question of cost and intrastructure.
Taped programming wasnât affected because this would have been delivered by courier etc.
This scenario may well have played out before the listing above which was from 1987 which if memory serves was after the launch of the Aussat satellite which completely changed live and taped program delivery.
2 Likes
Thatâs my understanding, although they originally picked up National Nine News on the microwave link but then did a swap over to all run with Seven National News and State Affair. Sometime around 1983?
The swap also affected NTD8 Darwin which accessed the same link and had been sourcing ânationalâ news stories from Nine but then had to follow suit to use Sevenâs news stories.
5 Likes
Melbourne TV listings: Friday, December 21, 1979
from The Age
ATV0
7.00 Early Bird Show
8.55 Launching Pad
9.00 Fat Cat and Friends
9.30 The Electric Company
10.00 African Album
10.30 Bernard King
11.00 Family at War
12.00 Movie âApril Showersâ
2.00 Impossible Railroad: The National Dream
3.00 Allâs Fair
3.30 The Cisco Kid
4.00 Simon Townsendâs Wonder World!
4.30 The Lost Islands
5.00 Tarzan
6.00 Eyewitness News
6.30 Gomer Pyle âFlower Powerâ
7.00 Yes Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus
7.29 News
7.30 Bob Hope All-Star Christmas Show
8.30 Festival of Carols
10.00 Rowan and Martinâs Laugh-In Christmas Show
11.00 Grandpa Goes to Washington
12.00 Movie âOnionheadâ
2.45 close
ABV2
8.00 Sesame Street
9.00 test pattern/music
9.30 Play School
10.00 test pattern/music
1.00 ABC News/Weather
1.11 Trails to Adventure
1.30 Adventures of the Sea Gray
1.55 Movie âLassieâs Great Adventureâ
3.55 The White Seal
4.00 Play School
4.30 Sesame Street
5.30 The Beachcombers
5.54 News
5.55 Leningrad Ice Show
6.55 Tomorrowâs Sport
7.00 ABC News/Weather
7.30 Kenny Everett Video Show
8.30 New Avengers
8.55 Soccer: Match of the Day
9.05 Sailing: Southern Cross Series
9.55 ABC News/Weather
10.00 Snooker: World Mastersâ Championship
11.05 Close
HSV7
10.00 Romper Room
11.00 Tennis: Nabisco NSW Open
6.30 Seven National News
7.00 Willesee at Seven
7.30 Christmas in the Neighborhood
8.30 Movie âA Man for All Seasonsâ
10.50 Nightmoves
11.50 Pink Medicine Show
12.20 close
GTV9
6.00 Hoppity Hooper
6.20 King Leonardo
6.40 Rocky and His Friends
7.00 Cartoons
9.00 Hereâs Humphrey
10.00 Room 222
10.30 Untamed World
11.00 Big Valley
11.55 News
12.00 Movie âGuns of a Strangerâ
2.00 Challenge of the Sexes
2.20 Cricket: Australia v. West Indies (from Sydney)
6.00 Whatâs Happening!!
6.30 National Nine News
7.00 Cricket (contâd)
10.30 News
11.00 Movie âDeath Cruiseâ
12.30 Movie âA Flea in Her Earâ
2.00 Movie âA Jolly Bad Fellowâ
3.45 Movie âMagnetic Monstersâ
5.15 Dangerman
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The reference to âGTV hosts - Bert Newton and Joy Fountainâ is interesting⊠was this some form of in-vision continuity that was a cornerstone of British TV presentation until the 80/90s?
1 Like
I assume so.
2 Likes
Sydney TV listings: Monday, December 24, 2001
from Sydney Morning Herald
ABC
6.00 English Have a Go
6.30 Aboriginal Studies
7.00 Teletubbies
7.25 Maisy
7.30 Bear in the Big Blue House
7.55 Thomas the Tank Engine
8.00 Williamâs Wish Wellingtons
8.05 Titch
8.15 Bob the Builder
8.25 Plonsters
8.30 Sesame Street
9.25 Bananas in Pyjamas
9.30 Play School
10.00 Eckhart
10.25 Oscar & Friends
10.30 My Best Friend is An Alien
10.55 Zoo Olympics
11.00 Shadow Raiders
11.25 Feral TV
11.30 Destination Space
12.00 Great Mysteries and Myths of the 20th Century
12.30 Buddha Realms: Permanent Change
1.30 Deliaâs How to Cook
2.00 GP
3.00 Tweenies
3.20 Pablo the Little Red Fox
3.25 Adventures of Spot
3.30 Play School
4.00 Bananas in Pyjamas
4.05 Arthur
4.30 Albie
4.40 Oscar & Friends
4.50 Sitting Ducks
5.00 Horrible Stories
5.25 The Saddle Club
5.30 Gogs
6.00 Two Fat Ladies
6.30 The Games
7.00 ABC News
7.30 The 7.30 Report
8.00 Beast
8.30 In a Land of Plenty
9.20 Marion and Geoff
9.30 People Like Us
10.00 Da Ali G Show
10.35 ABC News Late Edition
10.45 Phoenix
11.45 Movie âCarry On Emmannuelleâ
1.05 Movie âLostâ
2.35 Movie âThe Man from Torontoâ
3.55 Songs of Praise
4.30 Reading Writing Roadshow
5.00 Growing Awareness
5.30 Global Economy
Seven
6.00 Sunrise News
7.30 Life with Louie (return)
8.00 Dumb & Dumber (return)
8.30 The Book Place
9.00 Dumb Bunnies
9.30 A*mazing
10.00 Wipeout
10.30 Seven Morning News
11.00 Ricki Lake
12.00 Movie âSanta with Musclesâ
2.00 Keeping Up Appearances
3.00 A Hollywood Hounds Christmas
3.30 Dot & Spotâs Magical Christmas Adventure
4.00 The Big Arvo
4.30 Home and Away (early episodes)
5.00 Home Improvement
5.30 Wheel of Fortune
6.00 Seven News
6.30 Today Tonight
7.00 Hot Property
7.30 Movie âDear Godâ
10.00 The Practice
11.00 Buffy the Vampire Slayer
12.00 Christmases from Hell
1.05 NBC Today
3.05 Archieâs Weird Mysteries
3.30 Around the World in 80 Dreams
3.55 The Mask
4.20 Hang Time
4.55 Punky Brewster
5.20 Tom & Jerry
5.35 Saved by the Bell: The New Class
Nine
6.00 National Nine Early News
7.00 Today
9.00 Hereâs Humphrey
9.30 Goodsports
10.00 Kirk
10.30 Norm
11.00 National Nine Morning News
11.30 Entertainment Tonight
12.00 Movie âA Christmas Memoryâ
2.00 Movie âEbbieâ
4.00 Y?
4.30 Johnny Bravo
5.00 Farscape
6.00 National Nine News
6.30 A Current Affair
7.00 Frasier
7.30 Friends
8.00 Malcolm in the Middle (Lotto airs at 8.28)
8.30 Childrenâs Christmas Concert
9.00 Carols by Candlelight
11.30 Star Trek: The Next Generation
12.30 Nightman
1.25 Ananda Lewis
2.20 Entertainment Tonight
2.50 Wonder Woman
3.45 Victor Paul Shopping
4.45 Nine Lives
5.00 20/20
Ten
6.00 Aerobics Oz Style
6.30 Big Bad Beetleborgs
7.00 Digimon: Digital Monsters
7.30 Pokémon
8.00 Dragon Ball Z
8.30 In the Box
9.00 Good Morning Australia
11.30 Ten News
12.00 Time of Your Life
1.00 Judge Judy
1.30 Best of Beauty and the Beast
2.30 Oprah Winfrey
3.30 Neighbours (early episodes)
4.00 Totally Wild
4.30 Bold and the Beautiful
5.00 Ten News
6.00 The Simpsons
6.30 Bette
7.00 The Nanny
7.30 Sandra Sully Presents âThe Ultimate Guide to Dolphinsâ
8.30/9:30 The Secret Life of Us
10.30 Ten News
11.00 The Lost World
12.00 Midnight Mass
12.30 Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
1.30 Grown Ups
2.00 Danoz Direct
3.00 Suzanne Paul
4.00 Life in the Word
4.30 Kenneth Copeland
5.00 James Robison
5.30 Benny Hinn
SBS
6.00 Cantonese News
6.25 Mandarin News
6.55 Telegiornale
7.30 Das Journal
8.00 Ta Nea Ton Ennea
9.00 Le Journal
9.30 Itogi
10.10 Telediario
11.00 Siaran Berita
11.30 The Journal
12.00 Kalejdoskop
12.30 Movie âSilent Night, Holy Nightâ (Austria)
2.35 Rock Family Trees (UK)
3.30 Shakespeare: The Animated Tales (Wales)
4.00 The Three Musketeers (France)
4.30 Animated Tales of the World
5.00 Newshour with Jim Lehrer
6.00 Global Village
6.30 SBS World News
7.00 Games of the World âPolo in Pakistanâ
7.30 Premier League highlights
8.30 South Park
9.00 Quads!
9.30 SBS World News Tonight
10.00 Movie âMountain Christmasâ (Italy)
11.45 Movie âKolyaâ (Czech Republic)
1.30 Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040 (Japan)
4.50 Weatherwatch & Music
5.15 Japanese News
5.50 Cantonese News
3 Likes