TV History - Questions

I’m in Melbourne, and in 1987, Myer Melbourne had a promotion of cutting-edge technology. They had a lot of things on display, and one of them was a 3x3 TV display showing Club Superstation. Note that the three screns acted as one screen, something that must have ben pretty new back then.

4 Likes

So it didn’t just broadcast in NSW?

2 Likes

It may well have been NSW only with this being a once-off or rare exception.

UPDATE: Just read in Wikipedia that Alan Bond bought Club Superstation in June 1987 and absorbed it into Sky Channel. This demo was in mid autumn-early spring of 1987, possibly during a school term holiday period, so it may not have mattered that much by then.

4 Likes

That same year, Sportsplay was also bought out by Bond Media and absorbed into Sky Channel.

2 Likes

Always wanted to find out what happened to Sportsplay, their signage was everywhere during the 1987 VFL/AFL season and they telecast these matches to pubs and clubs.

3 Likes

What was Sportsplay’s logo?

2 Likes

From a 1987 VFL Record available online at the SLV.

Screenshot_20240717-160951~2

4 Likes

Thanks Frankie.

3 Likes

I need to turn this question over to the knowledgeable Media Spy bods because it’s driving me nuts.

ABC News had a promo which aired either in the late 2010s or early 20s. The soundtrack was an instrumental only, drum & bass heavy song. For the life of me, I can’t remember what the song is called. Does anyone know which promo I’m talking about, or has a copy of the promo so I can Shazam what the song is called? Thanks in advance!

e: It took five days of Googling, but I tracked it down.

The song I was thinking of is Dean Town by Vulfpeck.

2 Likes

What About Farrah Fawcett?

Hi All,

I was listening to 3AW this morning and they were talking about Phil Donahue’s Passing and the Phil Donahue Show. They said it was on Channel 7 but I remember the show being on Channel 10 in Melbourne. Was Phil Donahue Show ever shown on Channel 7 in Melbourne or was it shown on Channel 7 elsewhere in the Country?

2 Likes

Maybe in Perth before they got Channel 10. But this is a total guess on my part

2 Likes

It was definitely on Channel 10 in Sydney, 1.30 in the afternoons on weekdays. I don’t ever remember it being on Channel 7 anywhere.

2 Likes

Perhaps this can shed some light. Looks like Donahue was aired on HSV-7 (at least in the early 80s) but probably more memorable for most of us here on Ten a bit later on.

4 Likes

Also later on 7 Melbourne in 1985.

Pretty sure it was on 0 in Brisbane.

Internet Archive.mp4_001209481

6 Likes

The Seven Network had it first circa 1982-ish although I think WIN4 (years before aggregation) actually had it before then as one of the first stations outside the US to take the show and WIN4 sold it to the Seven Network for screening in metro markets. It then disappeared and resurfaced on Ten a few years later (possibly in the relaunch as 10 TV Australia)

EDIT: After being on Seven, it resurfaced on Ten on 26 June 1989 – a month before 10 TV Australia

5 Likes

I remember it on Seven. They probably dropped it after ratings dropped and the price went up for later seasons. Ten probably then picked it up at a bargain price a few years later.

2 Likes

BTQ7 had it in 1984 https://televisionau.com/classic-tv-guides/tv130884-2, 1986 https://televisionau.com/classic-tv-guides/tv031186 and 1987 https://televisionau.com/classic-tv-guides/tv210987

2 Likes

Saw a reader comment on TV Tonight website which confirmed it.

I imported his show for Bruce Gordon in the early eighties and was given special permission by the Commonwealth Film Censor to make the censorship classification decisions, but my favorite moment was when I had to arrange a press interview with Phil to launch the series … due to the time difference I had to call him at home and the phone was answered by Marlo Thomas, having been a fan of That Girl, it was far more exciting talking to her than Phil!!!

3 Likes

Donahue debuted on WIN4 on 22 February 1982, looks like Seven picked it up a few months later

Source: SMH

5 Likes