16 February 1988: The Comedy Company debuts on Ten, initially screening Tuesday nights at 9.30. After a few weeks it was moved to Sunday 7.30pm to fill a gap in the schedule and it was not long until it was beating 60 Minutes in the ratings.
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The Comedy Company was one of very few programs that managed to beat 60 Minutes in the timeslot (the other ones I can remember are Kath & Kim, and Ugly Betty).
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There was a bit of an arm wrestle between Alf and 60 Minutes in early 1987 where ratings wins went back and forth over several months.
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16 February 2020 Fire Fight Australia concert at Stadium Australia aired on 7 and Foxtel raising $11.1m lasting for 10 hours.
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17 February 1961: HSV7 debuts the courtroom drama Consider Your Verdict, the first television drama series from Crawford Productions and billed at the time as Australia’s first one-hour television drama. It continued for over 160 episodes, ending in 1964.
Source: TV Times
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17 February 1975: ATN7 announces a four year deal with NSW Rugby League to televise a delayed one hour highlights package of the TV match of the day at 6.30pm on Sundays and the finals series. Rex Mossop is announced as chief commentator. This is the first long term agreement the League has made with a commercial channel. Delayed telecasts of a Saturday match will continue on ABN2. NSW Rugby League is expected to earn $200,000 for television rights to the games.
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I’m guessing its still recorded in Black and White?
probably recorded in colour by that stage but broadcast in B&W prior to 1 March
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A big selling point of the new deal is that the matches will screen in colour (for the early adopters who have colour TV) with Seven making use of “the video-disc replay unit” to highlight tries and controversial incidents.
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never heard of this piece of equipment??
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The previous year 1974 the ABC had delayed one hour coverage of a Saturday game and live coverage of the second half of a Sunday game. All four Sydney channels showed the Grand Final live.
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Reports at the time mention stakeholders and the fans being happy with the deal but it’s worth noting Seven was televising the VFL match of the day in full LIVE on Saturday afternoons. Strange to see NSW’s marquee winter sport being relegated to one hour highlights on a Sunday night when VFL was getting 2.5 hours on Saturdays.
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Sounds like an early version of EVS
Thanks for clearing that up.
… no probs … played with one for the first time in 1971 at VTC in Sydney … I think the only one in captivity in Oz at the time …
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The original Judge Judy… kind of. 
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18 February 1985: Network 0-28 is re-branded SBS TV, in preparation for further expansion into other capital cities and regional areas, and commences daytime transmission on weekdays (11.00am-2.00pm)
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From the night SBS expanded into Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Adelaide, Newcastle, and Woolongong.
YouTube: Australian TV Fan.
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I’m also reminded that on the same day, SBS shifted its World News from 7.30pm to 7.00pm, possibly in hope of picking up any disgruntled ABC viewers as it plans to move its news from 7.00pm to the new ABC National at 6.30pm in a couple of weeks.
And, on Nine, The Mike Walsh Show makes its debut as a prime time show. That was to be short-lived and was axed after about 6 months.
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