Timeline of Australian television

This timeline of Australian television lists important station launches, programs, major television events, and technological advancements that have significantly changed the forms of broadcasting available to viewers of television in Australia. The history of television in Australia can be traced back to an announcement from the Menzies' government concerning plans for television services in Sydney and Melbourne.

The new medium was introduced by Bruce Gyngell with the words "Good evening, and welcome to television".cite news|first=Erin|last=McWhirter|title=Australia celebrates 50 years of television|url=http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0,23663,20357015-5007183,00.html|publisher=News Limited|date=2006-09-05|accessdate=2007-08-01] Colour television was introduced in 1975, while subscription television, initially on the Galaxy platform, began in the mid 1990s. Digital terrestrial television was introduced on 1 January 2001 in Australia's five largest capital cities, later to be expanded to smaller cities and regional areas.

1950s

;1950:
*June – Robert Menzies' government announces a gradual introduction of television in Australia, with plans to launch a ABC Television station in Sydney and other areas subject to funding approval. As well as this, commercial television services in Sydney and Melbourne are planned with "any other capital city where it is felt that the applicant's capacity to provide a service justifies the issue of a licence"."Citation
title = Cabinet Minutes, Agendum 51A
journal = Australian Archives
date = 1950-06-29] ;1953:
*January – The Menzies government amends the "1948 Broadcasting Act" to provide legislative framework for commercial television licenses.cite web | title = Broadcasting Act Amendment | publisher = The Sydney Morning Herald | url = http://www.smh.com.au | date = 1952-11-23 | accessdate = 2007-09-22] ;1954:
*The Royal Commission on television affirms the need to introduce television under a dual system of ownership, similarly to the Menzies plan. [citation
title = Report of the Royal Commission of Enquiry into Television
publisher = Commonwealth Printer
year = 1954
location = Canberra
accessdate = 2007-09-22 ] ;1956:
* 13 July – Test transmissions commence in Sydney and Melbourne in monochome.citation
title = Australian Television: the first 24 years
publisher = Nelsen/Cinema Papers
year = 1980
page = 3
location = Melbourne
accessdate = 2007-09-23 ]
* 16 September – TCN-9 Sydney launches at 7.00 pm.cite news|first=Michael|last=Idato|authorlink=Michael Idato|title=Birth of a notion|url = http://www.smh.com.au/news/tv--radio/birth-of-a-notion/2006/09/09/1157222375792.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=2006-09-11|accessdate=2007-10-11]
* 27 October – TCN-9 officially opens.
* 4 November – HSV-7 Melbourne officially launches.cite web | title = The History of Australian Television - The Fifties | publisher = television.au | url = http://www.televisionau.com/fifties.htm | year = 2006 | accessdate = 2007-07-24]
* 5 November – The Australian Broadcasting Commission begins television broadcasting with ABN-2 Sydney.
* 19 November – Melbourne counterpart ABV-2 launches.
* 22 November – 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne commence, televised by ABV-2, HSV-7 and in testing GTV-9.;1958:
* 19 January – Sir Dallas Brookes officially inaugurates GTV-9 Melbourne.;1959:
* 9 January – Melbourne and Sydney are linked by microwave for the first time, allowing programs to be broadcast live to both cities concurrently.cite web | title = Linking a Nation: Australia's Transport and Communications | publisher = Australian Heritage Council | url = http://www.ahc.gov.au/publications/linking-nation/chapter-9.html | year = 2003 | accessdate = 2007-09-23]
* 16 August – QTQ-9 Brisbane begins transmission.cite web |url=http://www.austvhistory.com/nine/qtq9.htm |title= QTQ9 |accessdate= 2007-09-20 |publisher= AusTVHistory ]
* 5 September – NWS-9 officially launches.cite web |url= http://www.austvhistory.com/nine/stw9.htm |title= STW9 |accessdate= 2007-09-20 |publisher= AusTVHistory ]
* 16 October – TVW-7 Perth launches.cite web |url= http://www.austvhistory.com/seven/50s.htm |title= Seven Network 1950s |accessdate= 2007-09-20 |publisher= AusTVHistory ]
* 1 November – BTQ-7 Brisbane launches.
* 2 November – ABQ-2 Brisbane launches.cite web |url= http://www.austvhistory.com/abc/index.htm |title= Australian Broadcasting Corporation |accessdate= 2007-09-20 |publisher= AusTVHistory ]

1960s

;1960:
* 11 March – ABS-2 Adelaide launches.
* 7 May – ABW-2 Perth begins transmission.
* 23 May – TVT-6 Hobart opens.
* 4 June – ABT-2 Hobart commences broadcasting.;1961:
* 9 December – GLV-10 Traralgon is the first regional station to open.cite web |url= http://www.austvhistory.com/scten/sctenvic.htm |title= Southern Cross Ten: Victoria |accessdate= 2007-09-20 |publisher= AusTVHistory ]
* 23 December – BCV-8 launches in Bendigo while GMV-6 began in Shepparton.cite web |url= http://www.austvhistory.com/scten/sctenvic.htm |title= WIN Television: Victoria |accessdate= 2007-09-20 |publisher= AusTVHistory ] ;1962:
* 27 April – BTV-6 Ballarat begins transmission.
* 4 March – NBN-3 Newcastle begins broadcasting. [cite news|title = NBN 21st Anniversary lift-out|work=Newcastle Star|date=1983]
* 17 March – CBN-8 Orange launches.cite web |url= http://www.austvhistory.com/prime/preaggregation.htm |title= Prime Television: 1960s-1980s |accessdate= 2007-09-20 |publisher= AusTVHistory ]
* 18 March – WIN-4 Wollongong begins.cite web |url= http://www.austvhistory.com/win/winnsw.htm |title= WIN Television: Southern New South Wales |accessdate= 2007-09-20 |publisher= AusTVHistory ]
* 26 May – TNT-9 begins transmission to Launceston and northern Tasmania.cite web |url= http://www.austvhistory.com/win/wintas.htm |title= WIN Television: Tasmania |accessdate= 2007-09-20 |publisher= AusTVHistory ]
* 2 June – CTC-7 Canberra officially commences transmissions.cite web |url= http://www.austvhistory.com/scten/sctensnsw.htm |title= Southern Cross Ten: Southern New South Wales |accessdate= 2007-09-20 |publisher= AusTVHistory ]
* 1 July – Frank Packer (owner of TCN-9 Sydney) buys GTV-9 Melbourne, forming the National Television Network, the first in the country.cite web | title = The History of Australian Television - The Sixties | publisher = television.au | url = http://www.televisionau.com/sixties.htm | year = 2006 | accessdate = 2007-09-20]
* 13 July – DDQ-10 Toowoomba begins transmission.cite web |url= http://www.austvhistory.com/win/winqld.htm |title= WIN Television: Queensland |accessdate= 2007-09-20 |publisher= AusTVHistory ]
* 1 November – TNQ-7 launches in Townsville.cite web |url= http://www.austvhistory.com/7qld/index.htm |title= Seven Queensland |accessdate= 2007-09-20 |publisher= AusTVHistory ]
* 18 December – ABC-3 Canberra launches.;1964:
* 19 June – RVN-2 Wagga launches.
* 1 August – ATV-0, Melbourne's third commercial station, launches.
* 7 September – AMV-4 Albury commences broadcasting.;1965:
* 5 April – TEN-10 Sydney begins transmission.cite web |url= http://www.austvhistory.com/ten/ten10.htm |title= TEN-10 |accessdate= 2007-09-20 |publisher= AusTVHistory ]
* 10 April – WBQ-8 Wide Bay/Maryborough launches.
* 12 May NRN-11 Coffs Harbour begins broadcasting.cite web |url= http://www.austvhistory.com/scten/sctennnsw.htm |title= Southern Cross Ten: Northern New South Wales |accessdate= 2007-09-20 |publisher= AusTVHistory ]
* 12 June – STW-9 Perth opens.cite web |url= http://www.austvhistory.com/nine/stw9.htm |title= STW-9 |accessdate= 2007-09-20 |publisher= AusTVHistory ]
* 1 July – TVQ-0 Brisbane launches.cite web |url= http://www.austvhistory.com/ten/ten10.htm |title= TVQ-10 |accessdate= 2007-09-20 |publisher= AusTVHistory ]
* 26 July – SAS-10 Adelaide launches.cite web |url= http://www.austvhistory.com/seven/60s.htm |title= Seven 1960s |accessdate= 2007-09-20 |publisher= AusTVHistory ]
* 27 September – NEN-9 Tamworth begins transmission.
* 25 November – STV-8 Mildura launches.
* 1 December – Australia's first regional television network is formed when CWN-6 Dubbo opens as a direct relay of CBN-8 Orange.
* 15 December MTN-9 Griffith commences transmission.;1966:
* 25 March – SES/RTS officially launches.
* 27 May – ECN-8 Taree launches.
* 7 September – FNQ-10 begins transmission in and around Cairns.cite web |url= http://www.austvhistory.com/scten/sctenqld.htm |title= Southern Cross Ten: Queensland |accessdate= 2007-09-20 |publisher= AusTVHistory ] ;1967:
* 10 March – BTW-3 Bunbury becomes the first regional television station in Western Australia.cite web |url= http://www.austvhistory.com/gwn/index.htm |title= Golden West Network |accessdate= 2007-09-20 |publisher= AusTVHistory ]
* 10 April – ABC TV current affairs program "This Day Tonight" premieres.
* 15 June – Test colour television transmissions are made for the first time in Australia by ATV-0.;1968:
* TVW-7 conducts its first Telethon.
* 1 March – BKN-7 Broken Hill opens.cite web |url= http://www.austvhistory.com/scgtsbkn/index.htm |title= Southern Cross GTS/BKN |accessdate= 2007-09-20 |publisher= AusTVHistory ]
* 9 August – MVQ-6 launches in Mackay.;1969:
* 20 July – The Apollo 11 moon landing is televised live by television stations in Australia.

1970s

;1971:
* 18 June – VEW-8 Kalgoorlie launches. [cite news|first=Greg|last=Earl|title=Golden West wins licence for remote TV by satellite|work=The Australian Financial Review|date=1985-06-13|page=5]
* 13 August – ABD-6 is Darwin's first television station.
* 11 September – ITQ-8 Mount Isa begins broadcasting.cite web |url= http://www.austvhistory.com/sccentral/index.htm |title= Southern Cross Central |accessdate= 2007-09-20 |publisher= AusTVHistory ]
* 22 November – "A Current Affair", hosted by Mike Willesee, makes its first appearance on the Nine Network.cite web |url= http://www.televisionau.com/seventies.htm |title= television.au: The Seventies |accessdate= 2007-09-20 |publisher= television.au ]
* 11 November – NTD-8 is officially launched by Administrator of the Northern Territory, Fred Chaney. [cite news|title=Tonight's The Night|work=Northern Territory News|date=1971-11-11] ;1972:
* 4 April – NBN is the first television station in Australia to move to a one-hour news format.;1974:
* 19 October – Color test transmissions begin on Australian television.;1975:
* 1 March – at 12am, Colour television is introduced across the country. The main networks celebrate with their own unique slogan - Come to Colour on ABC National Television (ABC TV), Seven Colors Your World (Seven Network), Living Color (Nine Network) and 0 - First in Color (0-10 Network).;1977:
* 24 September – The "Victorian Football League Grand Final" is broadcast live to viewers in Melbourne for the first time.;1979:
* 7 April – The Special Broadcasting Service begins test transmissions on ABV-2 Melbourne and ABN-2 Sydney, with foreign-language programming shown on Sunday mornings.

1980s

;1980:
* 24 October – Channel 0/28 is launched by Bruce Gyngell in Sydney and Melbourne.;1982:
* 28 June – The Nine Network Australia premiers "The National Today Show" which has now been shortened to "Today". In 2007, the program is celebrating 25 years of continuous broadcasting. ;1983:
* 1 July – The Australian Broadcasting Commission becomes the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.cite book |last=Inglis |first=Kenneth Stanley |title=Whose ABC? The Australian Broadcasting Corporation 1983-2006 |year=2006 |publisher=Black Inc. |location=Melbourne, Victoria |isbn=1-86395-189-X ]
* 16 October – Channel 0/28 expands into Canberra, Cooma and Goulburn, and changes its name to Network 0-28.cite web |url= http://www.televisionau.com/eighties.htm |title= television.au: The Eighties |accessdate= 2007-09-20 |publisher= television.au ] ;1985:
* 18 February – Network 0-28 once again changes its name to SBS, and begins daytime transmissions.
* 4 March – "The National", a one-hour national news and current affairs program shown from 6.30 pm, replaces ABC TV's half-hour 7.00 pm news bulletin.
* 30 June – SBS Television expands into Brisbane, Adelaide, Newcastle, Wollongong, and the Gold Coast.
* 24 October – The ABC Board elects to abandon "The National".;1986:
* 5 January – SBS Television phases out its second VHF0 channel.
* 16 March – SBS launches in Perth and Hobart.
* 19 August – Treasurer Paul Keating, in his budget speech, announces the amalgamation of the ABC and SBS.;1987:
* 26 March – Bob Hawke calls off the proposed amalgamation of the ABC and SBS.
* 27 December – Adelaide stations SAS-10 and ADS-7 swap frequencies to become SAS-7 and ADS-10.;1988:
* 20 May – NEW-10 launches.
* 10 September – TVQ-0 becomes TVQ-10.;1989:
* 31 March – Aggregation begins to take place in southern New South Wales.cite web |url= http://www.televisionau.com/aggregation.htm |title= television.au: AGGREGATION |accessdate= 2007-09-20 |publisher= television.au ]

1990s

;1990:
* Imparja Television begins producing 15-minute local news bulletins inserted into its broadcast of "National Nine News", named "Imparja Local News". cite web
url = http://www.imparja.com.au/company.htm
title = About Imparja Television
accessdate = 2007-09-22
date = 2001
work = Imparja Television
publisher = imparja.com ]
* 24 December – WIN Television purchases Network Ten affiliate-to-be Star Television and switches its affiliation to the Nine Network for Queensland.
* 31 December – Regional Queensland is aggregated.;1991:
* 14 June – SBS TV is permitted by the government to broadcast five minutes of advertising per hour, as a form of additional funding.cite news|last=Simper|first=Errol|title=Pressure from SBS led to ads decision|work=The West Australian|date=1991-06-15]
* 31 December – Northern New South Wales is aggregated.;1992:
* 1 January – Aggregation begins to take place in Victoria.
* 3 February – Midday news program "The World at Noon" is launched on ABC TV.
* 27 November – Parliament passes a bill permitting the ABC to provide subscription television services.;1993:
* 26 January – Early morning news program "First Edition" begins on the ABC.
* 7 February – Australia Television International is launched by Prime Minister Paul Keating.
* September – The Victorian arm of the Southern Cross Network changes its name to "SCN".;1994:
* Southern Cross Broadcasting purchases Canberra-based station Capital Television.
* 20 May – Darwin is the last capital city to begin receiving SBS.cite web |url= http://televisionau.siv.net.au/nineties.htm |title= television.au: The 1990s |accessdate= 2007-09-20 |publisher= television.au ]
* 30 April – Tasmania is aggregated, as a two-station market.
* 31 July – Briz 31 commences transmission. cite web
title = Briz 31 Brisbane
publisher = CBOnline
url = http://www.cbonline.org.au/index.cfm?pageId=47,142,3,921
date = 2006-05-25
accessdate = 2007-09-23 ]
* October – WIN Television expands into Victoria and Tasmania, purchasing ENT Limited.
* 6 October – C31 Melbourne launches. cite web
title = ABA licences community TV in Sydney and Melbourne
publisher = Australian Communications and Media Authority
url = http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD//pc=PC_90283
year = 1993
accessdate = 2007-07-14 ] ;1995:
* 4 December – State editions of "The 7.30 Report" are combined into a single national program presented from Sydney by Kerry O'Brien.;1996:
* Prime Television expands into Mildura as PTV-31, after being granted the area's second commercial license.cite web |url= http://www.austvhistory.com/prime/90s.htm |title= Prime Television 1990s |accessdate= 2007-09-20 |publisher= AusTVHistory ]
* December – Prime Television purchases the Golden West Network for $71 million.;1997:
* 1 July – Ownership of Australia Television International moves from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation to the Seven Network.
* December – Prime Television Limited purchases Canal 9 in Argentina.;1998:
* 27 March – TND-34 Darwin is officially inaugurated by Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, Shane Stone. cite web
title = ABA allcoates new commercial TV licence for Darwin
publisher = Australian Communications and Media Authority
url = http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_90756
date = 1997-02-03
accessdate = 2007-09-22 ]
* 1 July – The WIN Corporation acquires MTN-9 Griffith and supplementary license AMN-31.cite web |url= http://www.crawfords.com.au/winprofile.shtml |title= WIN Corporation Profile |accessdate= 2007-09-23 |publisher= Crawford Productions ]
* 30 August – Prime Television New Zealand is launched, owned by Prime Television's parent company Prime Television Limited.cite web |url= http://www.austvhistory.com/prime/90s.htm |title= Prime Television 1990s |accessdate= 2007-09-20 |publisher= AusTVHistory ] ;1999:
* 26 March – WOW, regional Western Australia's second commercial television network owned by WIN Television, launches.cite web |url= http://www.austvhistory.com/win/winwa.htm |title= WIN Television: Western Australia |accessdate= 2007-09-20 |publisher= AusTVHistory ]
* 18 June – Access 31 officially commences transmission. cite web
url = http://www.accesstvwa.com/about/history.html
title = History of Access 31
accessdate = 2007-09-23
date = 2005
publisher = Access 31 ]
* 15 August – WIN South Australia is established when SES-8 and RTS-5A were bought out by WIN Corporation.

2000s

;2000:
* 15 September – The 2000 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony, broadcast by the Seven Network, is one of the highest-rating programs ever shown on Australian television.cite web |url= http://www.austvhistory.com/prime/00s.htm |title= Prime Television 2000s |accessdate= 2007-09-20 |publisher= AusTVHistory ] ;2001:
* 1 January – Digital terrestrial television is introduced to audiences in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/stories/s229316.htm |title=The 7.30 Report: Does anyone care about digital television? |accessdate=2007-08-19 |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |year=2001]
* 8 June – Prime Television axes local news services in Canberra, Wollongong and Newcastle.
* 4 September – Southern Cross Broadcasting acquires Telecasters Australia, gaining control of Ten Queensland, Ten Northern NSW, Seven Darwin and Seven Central. [cite press release
title = Southern Cross Broadcasting 2001 Annual Report
publisher = Southern Cross Broadcasting
year = 2001
url = http://www.southerncrossbroadcasting.com.au/files/2001%20Annual%20Report.pdf
format = PDF
accessdate = 2007-09-22 ]
* 1 August – ABC Television launches its first digital-only mulitchannel, the ABC Kids Channel.
* 1 November – Fly TV, sister channel to ABC Kids, launches.;2002:
* 18 February – Prime Television New Zealand and Publishing and Broadcasting Limited form a partnership for the supply of Nine Network programming to the New Zealand network. [cite press release
title = Nine Network Commences New Zealand Partnership with Prime Television
publisher = Publishing and Broadcasting Limited
date = 2002-02-18
url = http://www.pbl.com.au/nine_network_australia_formally_commences_new_zealand_partnership_with_prime_television_australia.htm
accessdate = 2007-09-23 ]
* 1 April – Southern Cross Broadcasting acquires Spencer Gulf Telecasters, gaining control of Central GTS/BKN in parts of regional South Australia and Broken Hill. [cite press release
title = Southern Cross Broadcasting 2003 Annual Chairman's Address
publisher = Southern Cross Broadcasting
date = 2003-11-13
url = http://www.southerncrossbroadcasting.com.au/files/announcements/2003.11.13%20-%2094466%20-%20Chairman's%20Address.pdf
format = PDF
accessdate = 2007-09-22 ]
* 22 June – The SBS World News Channel is officially launched by the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Richard Alston.cite web |url=http://www.dba.org.au/newsletter/IBaugsep02-full.asp#PROGRAMMING2 |title=SBS launches World News Channel |accessdate=2007-09-22 |publisher=Digital Broadcasting Australia |year=2002 |month=August]
* 22 November – Ten Capital's local news bulletin, "Ten Capital News", is axed. cite web
title = Closure of Capital News another blow to Canberra
publisher = katelundy.com.au
url = http://www.katelundy.com.au/nov01.htm#21November2001
date = 2001-11-21
accessdate = 2007-07-22 ] ;2003:
* 22 May – The Australian Broadcasting Corporation chooses to close the ABC Kids Channel and Fly TV.
* 22 December – Tasmanian Digital Television launches.cite web |url=http://www.dba.org.au/newsletter/IB-DecJan04-full.asp#PROGRAMMING2 |title=Hobart to turn on its third commercial TV station in digital |accessdate=2007-09-22 |publisher=Digital Broadcasting Australia |year=2003 |month=December] ;2004:
* 17 March – Trial datacast service Digital Forty Four begins. cite web
title = Sydney Datacast Trial
publisher = Digital Forty Four
url = http://www.digital44.com.au/Trial.html
date = 2004
accessdate = 2007-09-23 ]
* 23 April – C31 Adelaide launches. cite web
title = C31 Adelaide licence application
publisher = Australian Communications and Media Authority
url = http://www.acma.gov.au/webwr/_assets/main/lib100036/c31application.pdf
year = 2003
month = January
accessdate = 2007-09-22 ]
* 18 July – Senator Helen Coonan becomes the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. cite web
title = Senator the Hon Helen Coonan Biography
publisher = Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts
url = http://www.minister.dcita.gov.au/bio
date = 2004
accessdate = 2007-07-22 ] ;2005:
* 7 March – ABC2 launches with an episode of "Landline" at 6.35 am. cite web
url = http://www.dba.org.au/index.asp?sectionID=74&newsID=641&display=news
title = ABC2 launched at Parliament House
accessdate = 2007-03-31
date = 2005-03-11
work = ABC New Media & Digital Services
publisher = dba.org.au ]
* 10 March – ABC2 is officially inaugurated by Senator Helen Coonan, at the Australian Parliament House in Canberra.
* 1 July – The Australian Broadcasting Authority and Australian Communications Authority are replaced by the Australian Communications and Media Authority. cite web
title = Last words from the ABA and the ACA
publisher = iTWire
url = http://www.itwire.com/content/view/2402/127/
date = 2005-10-25
accessdate = 2007-09-22 ]
* 21 November – Television Sydney commences broadcasting. cite web
title = Television Sydney History
publisher = University of Western Sydney
url = http://www.uws.edu.au/download.php?file_id=14340&filename=1.5mins_30nov05.pdf&mimetype=application/pdf
date = 2005-11-30
accessdate = 2007-07-23 ]
* 12 December – The Australian Government renews ABC Television's contract to manage the Asia Pacific television service for five years, providing AU$100 million in funding. cite web
title = ABC Asia Pacific Television Service Contract
publisher = Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
url = http://www.foreignminister.gov.au/transcripts/2005/051213_ds.html
date = 2005-12-13
accessdate = 2007-07-22 ] ;2006:
* 1 January – Mildura Digital Television launches. cite web
title = New digital commercial television service for Mildura/Sunraysia
publisher = Australian Communications and Media Authority
url = http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_91658
date = 2004-01-28
accessdate = 2007-07-22 ]
* 8 February – Prime Television Limited sells Prime Television New Zealand to Sky Television for NZ$30 million.;2007:
* 13 March – Channels are reserved for the introduction of digital television to remote areas such as Alice Springs, Mount Isa, and regional Western Australia. cite web
title = ACMA assigns channels for digital television in regional Australia
publisher = Australian Communications and Media Authority
url = http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_310080
date = 2007-03-13
accessdate = 2007-09-23 ]
* 28 March – The Australian Communications and Media Authority extends Digital Forty Four's trial datacast license.
* 18 May – ACMA grants a license to Darwin Digital Television, owned by PBL Media and Southern Cross Broadcasting.cite press release
title = New digital commercial television service for Darwin
url = http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_310217
publisher = ACMA
date = 2007-05-18
accessdate = 2007-06-29 ]
* 30 May – Southern Cross Broadcasting announces the sale of Adelaide station NWS-9 to WIN Television for $105 million. [cite news|title=WIN buys Channel 9 Adelaide|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/Business/Southern-Cross-sells-Ch9-Adelaide-to-WIN/2007/05/30/1180205288805.html|work=The Age|date=2007-05-30|accessdate=2007-10-11]
* 8 June – WIN Television completes its takeover of STW-9 Perth for $163.1 million. [cite news|title=Sunraysia favours Ch 9 Perth sale to WIN|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/Business/Sunraysia-favours-Ch-9-Perth-sale-to-WIN/2007/06/08/1181089303443.html|work=The Age|date=2007-06-08|accessdate=2007-10-11]
* 13 June – C31 Adelaide's trial license is extended for a further twelve months. cite web
title = ACMA extends community television trial in Adelaide
publisher = Australian Communications and Media Authority
url = http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_310370
date = 2007-06-13
accessdate = 2007-09-22 ]
* 13 July – National Indigenous Television launches as Australia's 'third public broadcaster'. [cite news|title=New Indigenous TV station turns on|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/07/13/1977687.htm|work=ABC News|date=2007-07-13|accessdate=2007-10-11]
* 14 September – Network Ten announces Ten HD. [cite news
title = New channel, new era: Introducing TEN HD
publisher = Ten Network Holdings Limited
date = 2007-09-14
url = http://www.tencorporate.com.au/library/documents/Introducing%20TEN-HD%2014%20Sept%2007.pdf
accessdate = 2007-09-14]
* 15 September – The Seven Media Group announces a high definition multichannel, to be launched in December 2007.cite news|first=Jane|last=Schulze|coauthors=Tabakofftitle, Nick|title=Seven, Ten to offer HD-TV|url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22420209-30540,00.html|work=The Australian|date=2007-09-15|accessdate=2007-10-11]
* 23 September – The Australian Government proposes a relaunch of the ABC Kids Channel, to be called "ABC3".cite news|first=Jason|last=Koutsoukis|title=Free kids' TV channel is as easy as ABC3|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/free-kids-tv-channel-is-as-easy-as-abc3/2007/09/22/1189881837000.html|work=The Age|date=2007-09-23|accessdate=2007-10-11]
* 15 October – The Seven Media Group launch Seven HD, a high definition multichannel. [cite news
title = Seven's new multi-channellling is on-air
publisher = Seven Media Group
date = 2007-10-16
url = http://www.sevencorporate.com.au/_uploads/Files/7-hd-16-october.pdf
accessdate = 2007-10-16]
* 16 December – Network Ten launch Ten HD, a high definition multichannel.
* 18 December – Minister for Communications, Stephen Conroy announces switch-off of analogue Television will be from 2010 completed by 2013 at 12.00pm [cite web
title = Digital switchover date confirmed
publisher = Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
url = http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2007/003
date = 2007-12-18
accessdate = 2008-01-13]

;2008:
* 8 February – ABC TV becomes ABC1 and changes its logo along with ABC2. [cite news | title = ABC gets squiggle on for new channels | publisher = The Australian | date = 2008-02-07 | url = http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23171486-30540,00.html | accessdate = 2008-02-07 ]
* 11 February– ABC Digital Changed Channels ABC1, ABC2 and Added ABC3
* 7 March – The Nine Network launches its new high definition multichannel, Nine HD.
* 28 April–Darwin Digital Television, opens in Darwin, Digital only TV
* 7 May – SBS TV changes its logo and its on-air look and along with it comes a new slogan - "Six Billion Stories and Counting" and SBS HD become 720p.

References

8th August Beijing 2008 Olympic Games start

External links

* [http://www.freetvaust.com.au Free TV Australia]
* [http://www.nfsa.afc.gov.au/Screensound/Screenso.nsf National Film and Sound Archive homepage]