1998 in Australian television
Events
- February – Kim Kilbey starts hosting Australia's Funniest Home Video Show, replacing long-time host Jo Beth Taylor.
- 12 February – British Swiss children's animated TV series Pingu (which started off as a segment on Seven Network's The Book Place) makes its air on ABC for the very first time starting off with the first two episodes at 8:25am. It will later broadcast several more episodes on 24 March at 3:55pm and again in several months on weekdays at 10:25am, 9:25am, 7:25am (for Sundays), 8:25am (for a second time) and at 4:55pm (until 1 January 1999 in all states and on 8 January 1999 in Western Australia).
- 16 February – The pink rabbit Mixy from The Ferals/Feral TV presents her very own children's weekday morning block on ABC starting from 7:30am to 10:00am.
- 16 February – British children's TV series Teletubbies debuts on ABC.
- 18 February – Australian talk show The Panel debuts on Network Ten.
- 24 February – Australian hospital drama series All Saints debuts on Seven Network.
- 27 March – Darwin finally gets a second commercial television station when TND-34 opens, taking a Seven Network affiliation.
- WIN Television WA is granted a licence to broadcast to regional & remote Western Australia.
- 10 May – Australian drama series SeaChange debuts on ABC.
- 24 June – In the magic moment is Neighbours 13-year history here was one incident, Karl Kennedy has a massive fight with Susan Kennedy about his feud with serial bombshell Sarah Beaumont, and slaps him in the face very hard.
- 20 July - Hey Hey It's Saturday launches its Red Faces documentary series and spin off Gonged But Not Forgotten, premieres at 8.30pm, on the Nine Network
- 31 July – The Wiggles' first self-titled television series, screens on the Seven Network.
- 5 October – Pokémon makes it debut on Network Ten.
- 27 November – After 25 years, The Midday Show is retired by the Nine Network. A Current Affair draws with a final goodbye with Ray Martin in the hot-seat before retiring for the very last time. Martin was replaced by Mike Munro from December 1998. Martin returns to the program 5 years later. On the same night, Brian Naylor retires from reading Melbourne's National Nine News after 20 years.
- December – The remote Central & Eastern Australia markets are aggregated, with Imparja taking a Nine Network affiliation & Seven Central (formerly QSTV) taking a joint Seven & Network Ten affiliation.
- 20 December – The pay television station, Disney Channel Australia launch the Wiggles in a TV special taking place in Disneyland, California titled The Wiggles Live at Disneyland, this was later screened on the Seven Network. Future Hollywood actor Hugh Jackman hosts the 1998 Carols In The Domain, live on the Seven Network.
- 21 December – Network Ten debuts a brand new children's series aimed at pre-schoolers called In the Box.
Debuts
Domestic
International
International
Telemovies
International
Specials
International
| Program |
Channel |
Debut date |
 Paul Reiser: Three and Half Blocks From Home[1] |
thecomedychannel |
1998-01-18 !18 January |
Changes to network affiliation
This is a list of programs which made their premiere on an Australian television network that had previously premiered on another Australian television network. The networks involved in the switch of allegiances are predominantly both free-to-air networks or both subscription television networks. Programs that have their free-to-air/subscription television premiere, after previously premiering on the opposite platform (free-to air to subscription/subscription to free-to air) are not included. In some cases, programs may still air on the original television network. This occurs predominantly with programs shared between subscription television networks.
Domestic
International
Subscription premieres
This is a list of programs which made their premiere on Australian subscription television that had previously premiered on Australian free-to-air television. Programs may still air on the original free-to-air television network.
Domestic
International
Television shows
ABC
Seven Network
Nine Network
Network Ten
Ending / Resting this year
References
- 1 2 "thecomedychannel Highlights". Foxtel. Archived from the original on 17 January 1998. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
- 1 2 3 "arena Highlights". Foxtel. Archived from the original on 17 January 1998. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
- ↑ "Discovery Channel Highlights". Foxtel. Archived from the original on 17 January 1998. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
- ↑ "FOX Soap Highlights". Foxtel. Archived from the original on 17 January 1998. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
- ↑ Shaw, Meaghan; Harris, Paul; Kalina, Paul; Farrant, Darrin (26 March 1998). "Programs – Wednesday". The Age Green Guide. Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 44. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
- 1 2 Nickelodeon (Australia) (1998). Nick Nooze. 1.
- ↑ Schembri, Jim; Harris, Paul; Kalina, Paul (30 July 1998). "Programs – Monday". The Age Green Guide. Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 32. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
- 1 2 3 4 Nickelodeon (Australia) (1998). Nick Nooze. 2.
- 1 2 "What's New On Nick? – December 1998". Nickelodeon (Australia). 1998. Archived from the original on 6 December 1998. Retrieved 17 December 2009.
- 1 2 "Cartoon Network Highlights". Foxtel. Archived from the original on 17 January 1998. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
- 1 2 3 "UKTV Highlights". Foxtel. Archived from the original on 17 January 1998. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
- ↑ Shaw, Meaghan; Harris, Paul; Kalina, Paul (2 April 1998). "Programs – Thursday". The Age Green Guide. Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 42. Retrieved 10 February 2010.
- ↑ Freeman, Jane (11 May 1998). "A high-flier takes a walk". Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 2. Retrieved 27 December 2009.
And thecomedychannel on Foxtel has already snapped up the show for pay television from June 2.
- ↑ Elder, Bruce (1997-03-30). "The new MUSIC WARS". Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 13. Retrieved 2016-01-16.
- ↑ TIPPET, GARY; PAUL HARRIS; PAUL KALINA; DARRIN FARRANT (2 July 1998). "Programs – Wednesday". The Age. Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 32. Retrieved 27 December 2009.
For those who tuned in to this re-run of the sitcom – which kicked off on Monday with the rarely-seen pilot
- ↑ Joyce, James (11 July 1998). "Prime skips Heartbeat". Newcastle Herald. Newcastle, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 2. Retrieved 27 December 2009.
TV1 has picked up the rerun rights to Shaun Cassidy's short-lived American terror series American Gothic (originally screened on Ten) and will air the twisted drama from December 5.
Paul Merton in Galton & Simpson's[2] 
Franklin
The Adventures of Paddington Bear
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