2003 in Australian television
Events
- 10 February – 5 years since the last show, Ray Martin returns to the hosting role on Nine's A Current Affair.
- 19 April – Rove McManus wins the 2003 TV WEEK Gold Logie.
- 23 June – The Price Is Right revived on the Nine Network at 5.30pm weeknights after 5 years off the air, Larry Emdur returned as hosting and Shawn Cosgrove returned as voiceover, earlier news reports had speculated that former A*mazing host James Sherry would be the star, but it never happened.
- 25 June – Neighbours producers has announced that star Delta Goodrem will not renew her contract with the Network Ten series when it expires in next month. She is expected to be seen on-air until September.
- 27 June – TEN axes vintage episode reruns of Neighbours earlier through the 1991 series after very bad ratings and on the following Monday June 30, TEN launches the one-hour afternoon news bulletin instead. In 2002 Neighbours rated only 70,000 viewers during the whole 1990 series.
- 30 June – Two of the ABC's digital television service channels ABC Kids and Fly TV closed down due to funding cuts from the Federal Government.
- 30 June – American animated series Rugrats switches over to airing on Network Ten as part of Cheez TV after Ten acquired the rights from the ABC. However the series will air on ABC one last time in November.
- 13 July – The Australian version of the Endemol-hit decision making game: Deal or No Deal, premieres on the Seven Network hosted by Weekend Sunrise host Andrew O'Keefe, offering a top prize of a staggering two million dollars before lowering the top prize to $200,000 next year.
- 21 July – Regina Bird wins season 3 of Big Brother, becoming the show's first female winner.
- 27 July – The Australian version of Pop Idol debuts on Network Ten.
- 28 September – Shaun Faulkner wins the fourth season of The Mole, taking home $104,000 in prize money. Petrina Edge is revealed as the Mole, and Nathan Beves is the runner-up.
- 10 October – After protests from the community during the Vietnam War, SBS TV has chosen to cancel its broadcasts of the state-run news service across Vietnam.
- 23 October – Axed-Neighbours star Delta Goodrem wins the GOLD ARIA for Single of the Year at the 2003 ARIA Awards, along with 6 trophies, including John Farnham being inducted to the Hall of Fame and blasted the speakers loud to 1985's "You're The Voice".
- 19 November – The first series of Australian Idol was won by Guy Sebastian defeating Shannon Noll, along with his very first single, Angels Brought Me Here debuting at #1 on the ARIA Top 50 singles and Video Hits Top 20 singles chart reaching 4 time Platinum and album Just as I Am debuted at #1 and was reached 6 times Platinum. In 2010, Angels Brought Me Here ranked #1 on the ARIA end of decade singles chart.
- 5 December – After six years of reading the news together, Ross Symonds and Ann Sanders are both stood down as presenters of Seven News Sydney following years of dismal ratings to rival National Nine News Sydney. Ian Ross replaced them as of 2004. Symonds subsequently left the network, while Sanders remains with Seven, reading the national morning news.
- 22 December – Australian children's comedy series The Ferals returns to air on ABC after a very long absence since 1995. Rather than airing in the afternoons on Mondays at 5:00pm, the series now airs at 11:20am weekday mornings.
- December – Channel Nine takes a new record as the network wins all 40 weeks of ratings.
Debuts
New International Programming
| Program |
Network |
Debut date |
 The Lionhearts |
Seven Network |
25 January |
| Kim Possible |
Seven Network |
1 February |
| Adventures from the Book of Virtues |
Seven Network |
1 February |
 Fimbles |
ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) |
3 February |
| Yoko! Jakamoko! Toto! |
ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) |
24 February |
| God, the Devil and Bob |
Seven Network |
24 March |
| Eddy and the Bear |
ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) |
17 April |
 Mamemo |
ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) |
18 April |
 Yu-Gi-Oh! |
Network Ten |
21 April |
| Digimon Frontier |
Network Ten |
21 April |
 Girlstuff/Boystuff |
ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) |
3 June |
| Martin Morning |
ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) |
3 June |
| / Corneil and Bernie |
ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) |
3 June |
 The Fairytaler |
ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) |
9 June |
| Lloyd in Space |
Seven Network |
28 June |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003) |
Network Ten |
4 July |
| Teamo Supremo |
Seven Network |
26 July |
| Transformers: Armada |
Network Ten |
9 August |
| Rubbadubbers |
ABC TV |
11 August |
| / Gadget and the Gadgetinis |
Network Ten |
15 August |
| / Jasper the Penguin |
ABC TV |
25 August |
| King |
ABC TV |
3 September |
| Red Cap Red Cap [4] |
ABC TV |
2003-09-19 !19 September |
| Static Shock |
Nine Network |
20 September |
| Beyblade V-Force |
Network Ten |
22 September |
| Crush Gear Turbo |
Network Ten |
26 September |
| Siegfried & Roy: Masters of the Impossible |
Nine Network |
28 September |
| Queer Eye for the Straight Guy Queer Eye for the Straight Guy [5] |
Network Ten |
2003-09-29 !29 September |
| The Koala Brothers |
ABC TV |
8 October |
| Samurai Jack |
Nine Network |
16 October |
| Justice League Unlimited |
Nine Network |
17 October |
| What's New Scooby-Doo? |
Nine Network |
19 October |
| Rotten Ralph |
ABC TV |
3 November |
| Wire, The The Wire [6] |
Nine Network |
2003-11-18 !18 November |
| Strawberry Shortcake |
Network Ten |
6 December |
| Roboroach |
Network Ten |
19 December |
| Microscopic Milton |
ABC Kids (digital only) |
2 May |
| Mopatop's Shop |
ABC Kids (digital only) |
7 April |
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.
International
Domestic
| Program |
Channel |
Debut date |
| Islandares[7] |
Nickelodeon |
2003-02-07 !7 February |
International
Free-to-air premieres
This is a list of programs which made their premiere on Australian free-to-air television that had previously premiered on Australian subscription television. Programs may still air on the original subscription television network.
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
Specials
Ending / Resting this year
References
- ↑ Eff 'n' bewdiful, The Age, 1 May 2003.
- ↑ Race for year's worst show, The Age, 8 May 2003.
- ↑ Who wants to be a multimillionaire?, The Age, 10 July 2003.
- ↑ Hassall, Greg (19 September 2003). "Red Cap". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
- ↑ Warneke, Ross (2 October 2003). "Gay gurus make a splash". The Age. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
- ↑ Hassall, Greg (24 November 2003). "TV previews". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 10. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
- 1 2 3 "What's New On Nick? – February 2003". Nickelodeon (Australia). 2003. Archived from the original on 7 February 2003. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
- ↑ "UKTV Highlights". UKTV (Australia and New Zealand). 2003. Archived from the original on 8 January 2003. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
- 1 2 "UKTV Highlights". UKTV (Australia and New Zealand). 2003. Archived from the original on 16 February 2003. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
- ↑ "Trading in Star Misery". Herald Sun. Melbourne, Australia: News Limited. 26 June 2003. p. I02.
Punk'd debuts on MTV this Tuesday at 9.30pm.
- ↑ "UKTV Highlights". UKTV (Australia and New Zealand). 2003. Archived from the original on 15 July 2003. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
- ↑ Charlotte (17 August 2003). "Playing in the zone". TV Guide. Sunday Herald Sun. p. X06.
- ↑ Adams, Cameron (5 February 2003). "Here comes trouble – Jackass hits Australia". Herald Sun. Melbourne, Australia: News Limited. p. H07.
- 1 2 3 "What's New On Nick? – Term 4". Nickelodeon (Australia). 2003. Archived from the original on 11 December 2003. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
- ↑ "Today's Highlights". Foxtel. Archived from the original on 1 February 2003. Retrieved 19 January 2010.
- ↑ ellis, scott (16 March 2003). "PAY TV HIGHLIGHTS". The Sunday Age. Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 8.
- 1 2 "What's New On Nick? – Term 2 2003". Nickelodeon (Australia). 2003. Archived from the original on 8 June 2003. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
- 1 2 "What's New On Nick? – Term 3". Nickelodeon (Australia). 2003. Archived from the original on 3 August 2003. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
- ↑ Schembri, Jim; Paul Kalina (6 November 2003). "Wednesday". The Age. Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 27.
- ↑ Courtis, Brian (20 February 2002). "Silky briefs and stolen Y-fronts". The Age. Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media. p. 12.
- ↑ "FOXTEL Highlights (Entertainment)". Foxtel. Archived from the original on 7 October 2003. Retrieved 18 January 2010.