1999 in Australian television

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The year 1999 in Australian television involved many events.

Events

• 1 February – QSTV becomes an affiliate of the Seven Network, becoming known as Seven Central.
• March – WIN Television WA commences broadcasting to regional & remote Western Australia, ending the long-time monopoly held by Golden West Network.
• April – Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? begins on Channel Nine and Adriana Xenides retires from Seven's Wheel of Fortune after 18 years as co-host.
• 28 May – Final episode of the Australian National morning program 11AM airs on Seven Network. The show was axed after 24 years.
• May – The Seven Network becomes the first Australian television network to introduce a watermark on its programs. Prior to 2008, the watermark was not allowed to be broadcast on news or current affairs programs.
• 28 June – Australian drama series SeaChange returns to the ABC for a second season.
• 1 July – Australian children's longest running series Mr. Squiggle celebrates its 40th year.
• 9 July – Australian children's longest running series Mr. Squiggle airs its final episode on the ABC.
• 20 September – British children's animated series Bob the Builder debuts on ABC.
• 19 November – Studio 9 Unplugged, a tribute special dedicated the famous studio rooms at GTV9 presented by Don Lane, goes to air on the Nine Network, ending a 40 year era of live television in that studio.
• 20 November – The final episode of Hey Hey It's Saturday airs on Channel Nine, before retiring, creator, host & producer Daryl Somers leaves Channel Nine after 28 years.
• 13 December – Australian children's educational TV series Lift Off airs on ABC for the very last time at 10:00am.
• 31 December – ABC is the host Australian broadcaster of the international TV event 2000 Today, a 26-hour live telecast of new year celebrations around the world, commencing at 8.30pm (AEDST) on 31 December.

Channels

New channels

• 4 April – Australian Christian Channel^[1]
• 1 October – Oh!^[2]

Debuts

Domestic

Program	Network	Debut date
The Adventures of Sam	ABC TV	29 January
Thunderstone	Network Ten	12 February
Crash Zone	Seven Network	13 February
Hi-5	Nine Network	5 April
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?	Nine Network	18 April
Rove	Nine Network	22 September
Chuck Finn	Seven Network	18 October
See How They Run	ABC TV	19 October
Ground Force	Seven Network	1999
Wipeout	Seven Network	1999
Flipper and Lopaka	Seven Network	1999

International

Program	Channel	Debut date
Percy the Park Keeper	Nine Network	2 January
WildC.A.T.S.	Network Ten	6 January
Aquila	ABC TV	10 January
Daria	ABC TV	12 January
CatDog	ABC TV	24 February
Animal Crackers	ABC TV	24 March
Rocky and the Dodos	ABC TV	16 April
Animorphs	ABC TV	10 May
Eye of the Storm	ABC TV	6 June
Albert the Fifth Musketeer	ABC TV	23 July
The Wild Thornberrys	ABC TV	2 August
Maisy	ABC TV	6 August
Lisa	ABC TV	27 August
The First Snow of Winter	ABC TV	30 August
George and Martha	ABC TV	30 August
Sex and the City[3]	Nine Network	6 September
The Powerpuff Girls	Seven Network	16 September
The Wombles (1996)	ABC TV	20 September
Bob the Builder	ABC TV	20 September
The Sopranos[4]	Nine Network	24 October
Archibald the Koala	ABC TV	10 November
Futurama	Seven Network	2 December
Fly Tales	ABC TV	6 December
That '70s Show	Seven Network	9 December
Wing Commander Academy	Network Ten	14 December
Bimble's Bucket	Nine Network	1999

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

Program	New network(s)	Previous network(s)	Date
Brambly Hedge	ABC TV	Nine Network	31 August

Subscription Television

International

Program	Channel	Debut date
Oh Yeah! Cartoons [5]	Nickelodeon	24 January
Animorphs[6]	Nickelodeon	April
The Brothers Flub[6]	Nickelodeon	5 April
Wimzie's House[7]	Nickelodeon	3 May
Birdz[7]	Nickelodeon	16 May
Rocket Power[8]	Nickelodeon	7 December

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

Program	New network	Previous network	Date
EastEnders [9]	UKTV	ABC TV	5 February

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

Program	Subscription network	Free-to-air network	Date
Driven Crazy	Nickelodeon [6]		March
/ Minty	Nickelodeon [10]	ABC TV	7 August

Specials

Program	Channel	Debut date
1999 Kids' Choice Awards[7]	Nickelodeon	29 May
Wayne's Best Dares[10]	Nickelodeon	19 September

Television shows

ABC

• Mr. Squiggle and Friends (1959–1999)
• Four Corners (1961–present)

Seven Network

• Wheel of Fortune (1981–1996, 1996–2003, 2004–present)
• Home and Away (1988–2005, 2005–present)
• Blue Heelers (1994–2006)
• The Great Outdoors (1993–present)
• Today Tonight (1995–present)
• All Saints (1998–present)

Nine Network

• Today (1982–present)
• Sale of the Century (1980–2001)
• A Current Affair (1971–1978, 1988–2005, 2006–present)
• Australia's Funniest Home Video Show (1990–2000, 2000–2004, 2005–present)
• The AFL Footy Show (1994–present)
• The NRL Footy Show (1994–present)
• Water Rats (1996–2001)
• Burgo's Catch Phrase (1997–2001, 2002–2003)

Network Ten

• Neighbours (1985–1989, 1989–present)
• GMA With Bert Newton (1991–2005)

Ending / Resting this year

Date	Show	Channel	Debut
28 May	11AM	Seven Network	1982
9 July	Mr. Squiggle and Friends	ABC	1959
20 November	Hey Hey It's Saturday	Channel Nine	1971
13 December	Lift Off	ABC	1992

References

1. Browne, Rachel (4 April 1999). "Preacher Beadman Spreads The World". The Sun-Herald (Sydney, Australia). p. 37.
2. Melloy, Neil (9 September 1999). "Oh! We had better name the show.". Courier Mail. p. 24.
3. Sikes, Gini (22 August 1999). "The XXX factor". The Sun-Herald (Sydney, Australia: Fairfax Media). p. 5. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
4. Curtis, Quentin (24 October 1999). "Analysing the Mafia". The Sun-Herald (Sydney, Australia: Fairfax Media). p. 6. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
5. Nick Nooze (Nickelodeon (Australia)) 3. 1998.
6. Nick Nooze (Nickelodeon (Australia)) 4. 1999.
7. "What's New On Nick? – May 1999". Nickelodeon (Australia). 1999. Archived from the original on 8 May 1999. Retrieved 17 December 2009.
8. Nick Nooze (Nickelodeon (Australia)). Summer. 1999.
9. Conway, Andrew (1 February 1999). "New Today for Dalley". Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, Australia: Fairfax Media). p. 2. Retrieved 10 Feb 2010.
10. Nick Nooze (Nickelodeon (Australia)) 5. 1999.