2002 in Australian television

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Events

• 4 February – Nine cast members from All Saints participate in The Weakest Link: All Saints Special to mark the first and only anniversary of The Weakest Link in Australia. Erik Thomson wins the special, but his winnings are unknown.
• 11 February - The Nine Network's post-Sale Of The Century replacement, Shafted hosted by former Hey Hey It's Saturday member Red Symons premières. After dismal ratings the show is cancelled in April the same year. On the same day the network's post-Burgo's Catch Phrase replacement Pass the Buck, a new game show based on the UK game show containing a word association premieres leading into Nine's most-watched 6pm news bulletin, After dismal ratings the show is cancelled in May the same year.
• 11 March – The Seven Network's Docklands studios in Melbourne open, with the first Seven News Melbourne news bulletin being broadcast from the centre. This leads to a national relaunch of the Seven News brand with new sets and graphics in most cities. Also on that day, the nine remaining contestants from the third season of The Mole take part in a special episode of The Weakest Link for a chance to add $100,000 to the prize kitty. Against expectations, they only achieve $14,100, which is touted as the lowest amount ever won on the Australian version of the show. On The Mole, this figure is rounded up to $15,000. The Weakest Link was cancelled in one month later after dismal ratings.
• 6 March – Foxtel introduces a new sports channel called Fox Footy Channel. It runs until 1 October 2006.
• 20 March – Tim Lane resigns from the Nine Network following a disagreement in regards to commentating AFL matches with Eddie McGuire involving the Collingwood Football Club. Lane defects to rival Network Ten in 2003, where he has remained since.
• 24 April – Crystal-Rose Cluff wins the third season of The Mole, taking home $108,000 in prize money. Alaina Taylor is revealed as the Mole, and Marc Jongebloed is the runner-up.
• 16 May – Kath & Kim premieres on the ABC and is a surprise hit. It was picked up by the Seven Network in 2007.
• 1 July - Peter Corbett wins the second season of Big Brother.
• 12 August – After being cancelled in 2001, Burgo's Catch Phrase relaunches on the Nine Network and is a surprise hit, with new graphics, new theme music and new prizes with the contestant backdrop increased to three people with the game show been produced by Grundy Television, leading into Nine's most-watched 6pm news bulletin.
  • TV and radio personality Dylan Lewis is voted winner of Celebrity Big Brother.
• September – SBS launches its first Digital channel, the SBS World News Channel.
• 29 November – Brian Henderson retires from reading Sydney's National Nine News after 4 decades.

Channels

New channels

• 6 March - Fox Footy Channel

Defunct channels

• 30 November – Oh! (replaced by FOX8 on Optus Television)

Premieres

Domestic series

Program	Channel	Debut date
Kath & Kim	ABC TV	16 May
Old Tom	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	6 June
Creature Features [1]	ABC TV	9 September
Fairy Tale Police Department	Seven Network	18 October

International series

Program	Channel	Debut date
Merlin the Magical Puppy	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	4 February
Busy Buses	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	4 February
The Hoobs	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	4 February
North Square[2]	ABC TV	20 February
Digimon Tamers	Network Ten	26 February
Don't Eat the Neighbours	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	7 March
Rescue Heroes	Network Ten	6 May
The Legend of Tarzan	Seven Network	18 May
Aaagh! It's the Mr. Hell Show!	SBS TV	20 May
Angelina Ballerina	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	27 May
Teacher's Pet	Seven Network	22 June
Queer as Folk	ABC TV	1 July
Cyberchase	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	15 July
Caillou	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	15 August
Baby Blues	Nine Network	31 August
Band of Brothers [3]	Nine Network	2 September
Medabots	Network Ten	14 September
Pongwiffy	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	16 September
Olliver's Adventures	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	16 September
Engie Benjy	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	16 September
Zoids: Chaotic Century	Network Ten	17 September
Curb Your Enthusiasm[4]	Nine Network	23 September
Beyblade	Network Ten	14 October
Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series	Network Ten	12 October
The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius	Network Ten	18 October
Andy Pandy (2002)	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	7 November
Mr. Bean: The Animated Series	ABC TV	3 December
Archie's Weird Mysteries	Seven Network	7 December
Teletubbies Everywhere	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	9 December
X-DuckX	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	23 December
Anthony Ant	ABC Kids (digital only)	1 April
Upstairs, Downstairs Bears	ABC Kids (digital only)	11 September
Blazing Dragons	ABC Kids (digital only)	7 November
Buzz and Poppy	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	11 December
Oscar Charlie	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	11 December
Connie the Cow	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	17 April
Fourways Farm	ABC Kids (digital only)	6 June

Subscription television

Domestic

Program	Channel	Debut date
A Day in the Life[5]	Arena	20 February

International

Program	Channel	Debut date
The Osbournes[6]	MTV	4 April
Shinzo	Fox Kids	8 April
Time Squad[7]	Cartoon Network	3 May
Justice League[7]	Cartoon Network	8 June
The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius[8]	Nickelodeon	26 July
Zoids: Chaotic Century[9]	Cartoon Network	2 September
The Story of Tracy Beaker[10]	Nickelodeon	18 October
Fun at the Funeral Parlor[11]	UKTV	22 October
The Anna Nicole Show[12]	Arena	5 November
Lenny Henry In Pieces[13]	UKTV	9 November

Specials

Program	Channel	Debut date
2002 Country Music Association Awards[13]	Main Event	7 November

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

Program	Free-to-air network	Subscription network	Date
The Osbournes [14][15]	Network Ten	MTV	1 July

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.

International

Program	Subscription network	Free-to-air network	Date
Saved by the Bell: The College Years [10]	Nickelodeon		5 October
Mary-Kate and Ashley in Action! [10]	Nickelodeon		14 October

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
Sailor Moon	Network Ten	Seven Network	12 April
Percy the Park Keeper	ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only)	Nine Network	1 August
The New Adventures of Madeline	Seven Network	ABC TV	22 December

References

1. Hassall, Greg (9 September 2002). "Review of Creature Features". The Sydney Morning Herald's The Guide: 14–15.
2. Courtis, Brian (20 February 2002). "Silky briefs and stolen Y-fronts". The Age (Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media). p. 12. Retrieved 7 January 2010.
3. Molitorisz, Sacha (28 August 2002). "The best war series ever made". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 14 December 2002. Retrieved 28 December 2002.
4. Schembri, Jim (17 October 2002). "The man behind Seinfeld is back with a new side-splitter". The Age (Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media). p. 20. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
5. "Day in the life reveals sweet surprises". Herald Sun (Melbourne, Australia: News Limited). 17 February 2002. p. X03.
6. Adams, Cameron (14 March 2002). "Last Word All the News That Fits". Herald Sun (Melbourne, Australia: News Limited). p. 64. The Osbournes starts on MTV Australia from April 4 at 7pm.
7. "Toon Watch". Toon HQ (Cartoon Network (Australia)) (1): 6. 2002.
8. "What's New On Nick? – July / August 2002". Nickelodeon (Australia). 2002. Archived from the original on 4 August 2002. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
9. "Toon Watch". Toon HQ (Cartoon Network (Australia)) (2): 5. 2002.
10. "What's New On Nick? – July / August 2002". Nickelodeon (Australia). 2002. Archived from the original on 4 December 2002. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
11. "UKTV Highlights". UKTV (Australia and New Zealand). 2002. Archived from the original on 19 October 2002. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
12. Miller, Kylie (30 October 2003). "NETWORKING". The Age Green Guide (Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media). p. 12. Retrieved 14 January 2010.
13. "FOXTEL Highlights (General Entertainment)". Foxtel. Archived from the original on 6 November 2002. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
14. Melloy, Neil (22 June 2002). "Ozzy-speak defies bleeper". Courier Mail (Brisbane, Australia: News Limited). p. 18.
15. Farrer, Gordon (28 June 2002). "Unholy and mundane". The Age (Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Limited). p. 17. Retrieved 17 December 2009.