Just on this topic of power restrictions and media outlets, there was one in Victoria in June 1961 that went for 28 hours (6pm to 10pm the following day). TV was not allowed at all (TV was only still in Melbourne) and radio stations were only allowed to broadcast hourly news updates. The other domestic use restrictions were pretty heavy too.
Meanwhile in NSW, there were quite a few power rationing events in the mid 1970s and early 1980s but TV and radio stations were exempt from the restrictions and TVs and radios could be used as per usual. (Just so long as you only had one light on in the entire house at any one time). Not sure why NSW was different to Victoria with that.
there was a television technicians strike that happened in February 1973, which led to all commercial channels in Melbourne (not sure about regional Victoria) to not commence transmission until 4.00pm (ABC was not affected). That might have been an opportune time for some DX activity if the commercial stations were off-air.
Rob Sitch was on Jam Nation today talking about the show that only ran for 2 seasons or 40 hours (“there’d still sbe 15 cooks left on MasterChef after 40 hours”).
I can see why you’d make the stations go off air though if you were the Government - if the idea is to reduce power consumption, it potentially makes people think about what they are switching on (especially if nothing is on)
Agree it probably achieves the square root of jack shit in terms of lowering the total consumption - not sure what it’s like in Vic, but here in NSW a single manufacturer is responsible for at least 10% of the state’s total electrical consumption at any one time (and it’s like 25 businesses responsible for nearly 25%)
26 July 1965: SAS10 Adelaide is officially opened as the city’s third commercial station. Although part of the Independent Television System (now the Ten Network), the station was in dispute with its eastern states partners over program supply deals and costs – seeing some network programs and movie purchases instead picked up by other Adelaide channels, in particular NWS9 – and the channel itself launching two weeks later than originally planned.
The channel switched frequency and affiliation to Seven in 1987.
28 July 1984: Network Ten begins its coverage of the Los Angeles Olympics. The Opening Ceremony, broadcast here on a Sunday morning, rated a 56 in Sydney and 59 in Melbourne. Daily coverage then consisted of live coverage from 12 midnight-4pm with highlights from 9.30pm to midnight (AEST) although these hours varied slightly on weekends.
In Perth, where there was no Channel Ten, Ten’s coverage was split between TVW7 and STW9. The Opening Ceremony and first week of the Games was broadcast on Seven, with the second week and Closing Ceremony on Nine.