YouTube: The party of the millennium

A few new additions to our YouTube channel, this time from two significant days - 31 December 1999 and 1 January 2000 - that threatened to end all civilisation as we knew it with the possibility of the Y2K bug coming to bite computer systems all around the world.

First, from the Nine Network, a promo for the program Millennium Live which aired for over 24 hours with live coverage of New Year's Eve celebrations around the world as the calendar changed from 1999 to 2000. The promo is followed by Nine's station identification with the tagline "new millennium television" that was used through both 1999 and 2000.

Then from the Ten Network was a station identification - one of a series of promos that was used over Summer 1999/2000 - followed by the opener of the New Year's Eve edition of Melbourne's Ten News with Darren Lunny and Mary Gearin sitting in for regular newsreaders Mal Walden and Jennifer Hansen.

Finally, from the Seven Network on the evening of 1 January 2000, a promo and station identification showing the network's new logo which had launched that day - catching many by surprise including, seemingly, the news department who still had their opening titles and studio set for Seven Nightly News decorated with the now-former 7 logo.

YouTube: TelevisionAU

1978: June 17-23

Cover: Cop Shop's real-life rebel
In playing troubled teenager Gayle Taylor in the Seven Network series Cop Shop, actress Jo-Anne Moore (pictured, with co-stars Rowena Wallace and George Mallaby) can see similarities between that of her character and her own teen years. "I had a period when I was very rebellious. If I saw something I wanted to do, I did it. Not getting into trouble really, just wanting to get out to see what life was about. I used to get into a lot of arguments with my parents then, but we are good friends now," she told TV Times. The Cop Shop role is the 19-year-old's first major TV role following guest appearances in Bluey, The Sullivans, Homicide and Bellbird, and the movie The Getting Of Wisdom.

The Years fly south
In an attempt to boost The Restless Years' profile in Melbourne, the normally Sydney-based soap spent two days' location filming in Melbourne. Filming had taken place mostly at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl and the Shrine Of Remembrance. June Salter, who plays schoolmistress Miss MacKenzie, enjoyed the trip to the southern capital: "It's a lovely city, perfect for outside shots. The weather was quite amazing for the two days we spent here." Joining Salter for the Melbourne-based plot were co-stars Zoe Bertram and Sonny Blake (pictured).

To Sidney with love!
Ann Sidney (pictured) had plenty of admirers when she was Miss World. Now the co-host of Perth STW9's The Better Sex is once again being inundated with letters. More than 15,000 entries have been received at STW9 for a competition being run by the game show, offering daily prizes such as a hairdryer or a radio, and the major prize of a trip to Singapore or Hong Kong. The Grundy-produced game show, hosted by Mike Preston, has also just received news that it has been sold for screening interstate.

Discomania is coming!
The growing disco phenomenon, inspired by the movie Saturday Night Fever, has seen plans for a weekly series Disco Connexion, promising as many as 200 enthusiastic amateurs in choreographed disco routines. A pilot episode for the program, featuring Sydney disco personality Angelo "Angie" Naxam, has already been taped and subsequent episodes are planned to have live via-satellite crosses to major overseas venues such as Studio 54 in the US. The program is being developed by McCabe Paradine Productions for the 0-10 Network.

Viewpoint: Letters to the Editor:
"I have endured the ever-declining standard of Countdown until I have come to the stage I can take no more. Ian Meldrum is so juvenile I am embarrassed to have him remain as compere of Countdown. The only reason I still watch the program is because it is the only pop program on at a decent time." A. Rankins, TAS.

"All the yakking about which country produces the best comedy shows is quite unnecessary. Everyone knows that no other country in the world can outclass the British for comedy." E. Williams, QLD.

"The 0-10 Network must be proud of Young Talent Time and The Restless Years - I don't like to be out in case I miss any part of them. Same goes for Nine's The Sullivans, The Young Doctors and Little House On The Prairie." R. White, NSW.

What's On (June 17-23):
On Monday, Exploring The Psychic Mind, a 90-minute special, airs on ATV0, hosted by John Laws with Carol Raye and Patrick Tennyson.

The following night, HSV7 presents Everything You Always Wanted To Know About The Law... But Couldn't Afford To Ask, hosted by David Johnston and news reporter Pamela Graham. The 90-minute special covers the type of legal matters that affect everyday Australians - neighbourhood disputes, trespassing and road accidents are among the subjects re-enacted and discussed.

Comedienne and actress Gloria Dawn is the subject of the second episode of ABC's Woman In Question, in a program taped just before her death.

This week's guests on The Peter Couchman Show include Maria Venuti, Julie McKenna and Wendy Stapleton.

Sunday night movies are Killer Force (HSV7), Nobody Is Back ... Prepare Your Grave (GTV9) and Billy Two Hats (ATV0).

Source: TV Times (Melbourne edition), 17 June 1978. ABC/ACP

TV's newest endangered species

The dire predicament that Perth community TV station Access 31 (pictured) has found itself in should serve as a warning to other community TV stations and the government whose inaction in protecting the sector in the wake of digital conversion continues to make it even more vulnerable.

Access 31, which began transmission in 1999, is facing a $5 million funding shortfall and has called on the Federal Government for assistance.  If it fails to gain extra funding, the station will be forced to close at the end of this month.

Access 31 chief Andrew Brine said the lack of funding support is linked to declining audiences due to the community TV stations not being allowed to broadcast in digital: "digital take up in Australia is now at 42 per cent and we've been basically shut out of the digital spectrum."

Andrew Carroll, manager of the Brisbane-based 31, said that the situation for other community stations is not going to improve unless the Government steps in, "we are operating comfortably at the present time, but if we continue to lose audience share because of government decision making, well then it's going to be very difficult for us to survive."

Community TV stations are willing - and in most cases, already technically able - to move to digital transmission.  However, the previous and current governments have made little effort to assist the community TV stations in migrating to digital, most notably the resistance to offer digital spectrum, while commercial operators are given concessions such as rebates and free digital spectrum to allow long-term simulcast on both analogue and digital platforms. 

The Government's continuing denial to allow community TV access to digital transmission and leaving them to find their own path to digital via other media only continues to threaten the stations' relevance in the communities which they are licenced to serve.

More @ ABC News, ABC News, PerthNow, Televised Revolution, TV Tonight,

Reg Grundy in Queen's Birthday honours

He might not have been crowned the King of Australian Television, but Reg Grundy (pictured) has today received Queen's Birthday honours for his contribution to the entertainment industry.

Grundy, now 84, started in television hosting the original Wheel Of Fortune for Sydney's TCN9 in the 1950s, though the program originally began on radio.  He then went on to create his own television production empire, and went on to produce TV icons such as Neighbours, Sale Of The Century, Blankety Blanks, Prisoner (pictured), The Young Doctors and a remake of Wheel Of Fortune which ran for 25 years.  Other titles from the Grundy stable included Class Of '74/'75, The Restless Years, Moneymakers, Perfect Match, Sons And Daughters, The Price Is Right, Secret Valley and Chopper Squad.

Grundy also successfully grew the business by franchising program formats overseas - including selling US versions of Sale Of The Century and Prisoner to American television in the '80s, and re-making some of its Australian soap dramas for European markets.

The company that Grundy started in the late '50s was sold to the English-based Pearson Television in 1995, and is now part of the global Fremantle Media group.  In more recent years, Grundy has embarked on photography, with a book The Wildlife Of Reg Grundy published in 2005.  He is married to former Queensland TV personality Joy Chambers who was a regular on game shows including I've Got A Secret and The Celebrity Game, as well as guest appearances in Neighbours.

Also receiving Queen's Birthday honours today was TV mogul Kerry Stokes, currently chairman of the Seven Network, and former TV presenter Paul Clitheroe (pictured) who presented the popular Money program for the Nine Network and received honours for his services to the finance industry.

Sources: Museum of Broadcast Communications, The Age, Business Spectator

YouTube: We've been YouTube'd!

Not content with just sharing YouTube clips from other members, we've now taken the next step ourselves and launched our own YouTube channel.

Thanks to the wonders of cheap DVD recorders, we can now bring you some select moments of TV's past - hopefully some of which are new to YouTube.

The first YouTube video comes from the 20th anniversary program of multicultural broadcaster SBS. 20/20 Vision aired on Sunday 10 December 2000, curiously about six weeks after the station actually had its 20th birthday. The program goes for around 90 minutes but to start us off here is a very brief glimpse at SBS' first test transmission which went to air in April 1979, and also some background from the station's first Chief Executive Bruce Gyngell, as well as Peter Barnett, who was involved in the initial stages of SBS, and former 60 Minutes producer Gerald Stone who later served on the board at SBS.

Also, this being our first video posted to YouTube, any comments or feedback are welcome. The quality of the video is fairly basic but hopefully subsequent additions will be improved.

1978: June 10-16

Cover Story: Norman's Conquests
Prior to the new series of The Norman Gunston Show on the Seven Network, actor Garry McDonald tells TV Times about the perils of the celebrity interviews of his alter ego - but the actor says that only one interviewee became really annoyed: film director Ken Russell. As McDonald recalls, "I asked him why he produced, directed and wrote the films. 'Can't you afford staff?' I asked. He unhooked the mike, went over the other side of the studio and shouted 'bleep' off. So I 'bleeped' off." Other interviewees were more wised up on the Gunston gag, including Phil Silvers and Dean Jones, but while Terry Savalas' publicist had figured out the gag, the actor himself didn't catch on.

The end of the Affair
The cancellation of the long-running A Current Affair doesn't appear to have slowed down the show's former host Mike Schildberger who is still working 12-hour days with his own company Schil Productions. The TV veteran also recalled to TV Times his childhood, including his family fleeing Hitler's Germany to Australia when he was 16 months old, and his musical achievements - or confessed, his lack thereof - while a student at Melbourne Grammar School.

SWAT swatted!
A Melbourne-based lobby group has launched a campaign against violence on TV following the American police series SWAT screening on the Nine Network. The Australian Children's Television Action Committee had written to companies whose products were advertised during the program to point out their responsibility to viewers and suggesting a possible boycott of such programs. But advertising and television executives felt that the industry was acting responsibly and that parents should be more active in controlling what their children see on television rather than dictating to networks and advertisers.

Blankety Blanks under fire
The Australian Broadcasting Tribunal has written to TV stations after receiving complaints about the popular 0-10 Network game show Blankety Blanks (pictured). The Tribunal had expressed concern about the often-risque program screening on some stations in afternoon timeslots usually reserved for children's programming. Complaints about the program have seen it taken off the air by various regional stations including BTV6 Ballarat, CTC7 Canberra and CBN8 Orange, and the program being moved to late-night timeslots on Victorian stations BCV8 Bendigo, GLV10 Gippsland, STV8 Mildura and GMV6 Shepparton. A representative from producers Grundy Productions said that problems had only arisen where stations had slotted the program in before 6.00pm.

Viewpoint: Letters to the Editor:
"I don't expect my letter will do much good, but I must say how disappointed I was that A Current Affair had been scrapped." E. Cole, QLD.

"What is ABC doing to Dr Who and his followers? In recent months we have picked up where Tom Baker left off, only to have "the robot" story thrown in, to have Jon Pertwee change to Tom Baker after we had seen Baker for some weeks. Why?" L. Jack, NSW.

"When a channel (ATN7 Sydney) promotes a special such as the 2 1/2 hour Nutcracker Suite, by the Bolshoi Ballet, surely it's reasonable to expect that commercials should be cut in with some thought? I have up watching Nutcracker after 30 minutes after several beautiful movements had been butchered to accommodate commercials." M. Bennett, NSW.

What's On (June 10-16):
ABC presents the first in the interview series Woman In Question which aims to examine the philosophies, beliefs and ethics of influential women. This week's episode features magazine editor Ita Buttrose.

ATV0 presents a one-hour special Roots: One Year Later, a tribute to the US mini-series that received record viewing figures - including interviews with cast members and producers of the mini-series.

Enzo Pantano and Trevor White are among the guests on ATV0's Peter Couchman Tonight this week, while Bartholomew John and Cop Shop's Joanna Lockwood are two of this week's guests on HSV7's Penthouse '78.

Sunday night movies are I Will, I Will For Now (HSV7), On A Clear Day You Can See Forever (GTV9) and The Mackintosh Man (ATV0). ABC presents an Australian-US co-produced telemovie Because He's My Friend, filmed in Sydney and featuring Jack Thompson, Tom Oliver (Number 96, Bellbird), June Salter (The Restless Years) and American actress Karen Black.

Source: TV Times (Melbourne edition), 10 June 1978 ABC/ACP

YouTube: ABC News, October 1970

Some rare news footage of Melbourne's ABC News on a day where tragedy struck in Melbourne.

On the morning of 15 October 1970, a span of the West Gate Bridge collapsed while still under construction.  The tragedy claimed the lives of 35 workers and was Victoria's worst ever industrial accident.  A royal commission that followed the collapse found that aspects of both the bridge's design and construction method were to be blamed for the accident. 

Construction of the bridge resumed in 1972 and was completed in 1978 - providing a link from Melbourne's western suburbs to the central business district.

This clip provides a rare glimpse at television news coverage of that era - including ABC's iconic Magestic Fanfare which would symbolise ABC News on television for decades, and continues to do so on ABC's radio outlets.

Newsreader for the bulletin was Bob Willcox and at the scene of the collapse is reporter Martin Goddard.

The clip is posted to YouTube by member telerecordings who has also provided many rare moments from television's past including footage from regional television stations MTN9 Griffith and GMV6 Shepparton.

Source: Disaster at West Gate
YouTube: telerecordings

1978: June 3-9

Sonny's rocky road to stardom
Sonny Blake (pictured, with Zoe Bertram) was on the verge of becoming a professional boxer until a change in direction saw the 19-year-old cast in the 0-10 Network series The Restless Years. A self-confessed film buff, Blake boasts a collection of classic films on videotape and a large part of his record collection is made up of movie soundtracks. He is saving up to go to the US for acting lessons: "What I see myself doing in 10 years time is coming home to my room at the YMCA in New York and pulling out a script and sitting down to spend the evening how I'm going to handle the role."

Catspaw set to pounce
In air force jargon a catspaw is a "bunny" - someone left holding the bag. In ABC's new adventure series The Catspaw, it's up to viewers to work out who should be carrying the blame. The seven-part series, featuring familiar names such as Ken James (pictured), Rowena Wallace, Peter Sumner, John Diedrich and John Stanton, revolves around the disappearance of an RAF officer Tim Keppel (Warwick Sims).

Naked Vicar seeks new pastures
The team behind the popular sketch comedy series The Naked Vicar Show is expanding into other areas of showbusiness. RS Productions' Gary Reilly told TV Times, "We're starting to find it hard to write just sketches. We want to start doing something a little more expanded, still comedy but with a bit more length and involvement." The company is producing a new series of radio plays for ABC called RS Playhouse. Meanwhile, The Naked Vicar Show is enjoying massive popularity - particularly in Melbourne and Brisbane and to a lesser extent in Sydney - and has been sold to regional markets.

Gwen Plumb's in a new kind of cast
Hosting a party at her beachside home had dangerous consequences for actress Gwen Plumb. Taking guests to a rock pool near her house at Sydney's Whale Beach saw Plumb knocked over by a big wave but it was when she saw her dog Selina potentially stranded, she was carried out by the undertow when trying to retrieve the pet. Plumb ended up with a leg in a plaster cast, and scriptwriters for The Young Doctors have had to re-write episodes. As for the dog? "The little b---- didn't even get wet!"

Viewpoint: Letters to the Editor
"During a recent Blankety Blanks, Ugly Dave Gray popped up with another one of his 'gems', on the subject of rape. Considering the thousands of children that watch this show, rape is a very unsuitable and tasteless topic to joke about." J. Johnson, NSW.

"I thought the Marcia Hines series on ABC was magnificent. Not only was her singing great, but her clothes and settings were fantastic." Name and address supplied, NSW.

"I am writing in support of Glenview High. I love the show, especially Grigor Taylor, who is a tribute to Australian talent." J. Janson, SA.

What's On (June 3-9):
GTV9 crossed live on Sunday to Oran Park raceway in NSW for six-hour telecast of The Rothmans 500.

ABC's coverage of the soccer World Cup continues with highlights packages at 6.00pm and full match replays at 10.00pm.

Crawford Productions' cop shows get a re-run with GTV9 screening late-night repeats of Division 4, and ATV0 showing Matlock Police on weekday afternoons. HSV7 screens new episodes of Cop Shop on Monday and Thursday nights.

Sunday night movies are Escape Of The Birdmen (HSV7), Time For Loving (GTV9) and Night Moves (ATV0). The final episode of The Duchess Of Duke Street screens on ABC.

Source: TV Times (Melbourne edition), 3 June 1978. ABC/ACP

TelevisionAU Update 31-May-08

http://www.televisionau.com

FLASHBACK #45: Monday 18 July 1966 marked the debut of an Australian children's TV icon when ABC launched the Australian version of Play School.  Based on an English program of the same name, which ABC had been screening prior to launching its own version, Play School became a firm favourite with pre-schoolers - and a lot of their parents!  Gathered in 1991 to celebrate the show's 25th anniversary were former presenters including (back row) Janet Kingsbury, Donald McDonald, Benita Collings, John Waters, (front row) Trisha Goddard and Noni Hazelhurst.  In its 40+ years, Play School has boasted a range of some of Australia's best known actors including Patsy King, Anne Haddy, John Hamblin, Lorraine Bayly, Deborah Mailman and Jay Laga'aia.  Picture: TV Week, 13 July 1991

NEW CLASSIC TV GUIDES:
Melbourne 1959, 1991
Melbourne & Regional Victoria 1964, 1970
Sydney 1976
Brisbane 1970, 1985
Adelaide 1961, 1963
Tasmania 1993

TELEVISIONAU - THE HISTORY OF AUSTRALIAN TELEVISION
http://www.televisionau.com/

1978: May 27-June 2

What makes Bert run?
Bert Newton (pictured, with wife Patti) has taken on a lot in the last three years - marriage, fatherhood, five mornings a week on radio 3UZ, two nights a week on The Don Lane Show, his own weekly show New Faces, TV commercials and was King of Melbourne's annual Moomba festival - but sees no danger of repeating the famous breakdown he suffered in the early 1960s. Now approaching 40, Newton reflects on that earlier period: "A breakdown was inevitable and I even had the warnings. But who takes heed of such things at that age?"

Gwen Plumb, TV's genial menial
Ada Simmons, the gossipy kiosk lady of Nine's The Young Doctors, would think Gwen Plumb (pictured) is a bit posh. After all, Plumb is everything Ada Simmons isn't - sophisticated, self-assured and independent. Plumb looks back on over 30 years in show business - from early days as a copywriter with Sydney radio station 2GB, to working on stage in London's West End and hosting her own popular radio and television shows in Sydney in the 1960s.

Greatest show on Earth kicks off!
ABC's coverage of the soccer World Cup begins this week - with live coverage of the opening match between West Germany and Poland, highlights and delayed coverage of other matches, and live coverage of the final for third place to be played on 25 June, and the final on 26 June.

Chopper Squad's Hollywood connection
Chopper Squad actor Robert Coleby has confessed to TV Times that his real name is actually Robert Taylor. When he graduated from acting school in London, he was encouraged to assume a new name rather than keep his real name to avoid any comparison at that time to the Hollywood actor of the same name. He chose the name Coleby when browsing the London telephone directory for inspiration and found only two Colebys listed for the whole of London.

By Georgiou, it's Detective Orcsik!
Cop Shop's newest recruit John Orcsik (pictured) might have been born in Hungary, but has lived in Australia most of his life and considers himself only as "Australian" - yet the 32-year-old actor has played everything from a Irish priest in The Sullivans, an Arab guerilla in the telemovie Harvest Of Hate, and is now playing a Greek-born detective in Cop Shop: "Crawford Productions have been good to me, but some other production companies have ruled me out because I look 'too European'." The first time he played a run-of-the-mill Australian was in the soap Number 96. When he's not in Melbourne filming for Cop Shop, Orcsik spends his time in Sydney with girlfriend Margaret and two-year-old son Simon.

Viewpoint: Letters to the Editor
"How refreshing it was to see such a superb production as ABC's Loss Of Innocence. It was well acted and set perfectly to present the top-class product we should always be able to enjoy." J. Browing, QLD.

"Why is it what when we have many of own fine young actors and actresses in Australia - like Nick Hedstrom in The Restless Years - people have to make ridiculous statements like "they say he's another Brando"? He doesn't look like Marlon Brando, and surely he would much rather be popular as himself and not because "they" say he's another Brando. I wonder who "they" are?" S. Gerry, NSW.

"On Sydney ATN7 news I had the displeasure to see an item about the murder of a security guard where the camera followed a trail of blood out of the building, along the footpath to a pool of blood next to the body under a sheet. I would rather watch supposedly violent TV shows which I do not believe influence children than to see real death and violence which could give anyone nightmares." J. Wright, NSW.

What's On (May 27-June 2):
ABC presents Rocturnal, a late-night music series based on the ABCFM program of the same name, hosted by David Woodhall.

Thursday night (actually, 2.00am Friday morning) sees ABC's live telecast of the World Cup soccer from Argentina - the opening ceremony and the first match between West Germany and Poland. The telecast is repeated Friday evening.

ATV0 presents the Grand Final of the talent quest Pot Of Gold, with host Tommy Hanlon Jnr and resident judge Bernard King. Although the series normally screened on weekday afternoons, the final was shown on Sunday at 5.00pm, marking the end of over three years of the program.

Sunday night movies are Guess Who's Coming To Dinner (HSV7), Lady Caroline Lamb (GTV9) and A Fistful Of Dollars (ATV0).

Source: TV Times (Melbourne edition), 27 May 1978, ABC/ACP.