2003 in Australian television

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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.
• 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

Seven Network

Date	Program
February	Your Life on the Lawn
1 May	Greeks on the Roof	[1]
8 May	Big Bite	[2]
13 July (Sunday 7.30pm)	Deal or No Deal	[3]

Network Ten

Date	Program
9 February	Skithouse
27 July	Australian Idol

New International Programming

Program	Network	Debut date
The Lionhearts	Seven Network	25 January
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
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
Rubbadubbers	ABC TV	11 August
Transformers: Armada	Network Ten	9 August
Gadget and the Gadgetinis	Network Ten	15 August
Jasper the Penguin	ABC TV	25 August
King	ABC TV	3 September
Red Cap [4]	ABC TV	19 September
Static Shock	Nine Network	20 September
Crush Gear Turbo	Network Ten	26 September
Queer Eye for the Straight Guy [5]	Network Ten	29 September
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
Tales of the Tooth Fairies	ABC TV	5 November
The Wire [6]	Nine Network	18 November
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

Program	New network(s)	Previous network(s)	Date
Rugrats	Network Ten	ABC TV	30 June
Speed Racer	ABC Kids (digital only)	Seven Network, Network Ten	7 April
Batfink	ABC Kids (digital only)	Network Ten	9 June

Subscription television

Domestic

Program	Channel	Debut date
Islandares[7]	Nickelodeon	7 February

International

Program	Channel	Debut date
Bruiser[8]	UKTV	4 January
World of Pub[9]	UKTV	1 February
Roger Roger[9]	UKTV	25 February
Punk'd [10]	MTV	1 July
Chalk[11]	UKTV	19 July
That's So Raven[12]	Disney Channel	18 August

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
Jackass [13]	Network Ten	MTV	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
Outriders [7]	Nickelodeon	Nine Network	28 January
Hi-5 [14]	Nickelodeon	Nine Network	Q4

International

Program	Subscription network	Free-to-air network	Date
Degrassi Junior High [7]	Nickelodeon	ABC TV	28 January
Pie in the Sky [15]	UKTV	ABC TV	1 February
Sunburn[16]	UKTV		16 March
/ Sk8 [17]	Nickelodeon		5 May
The Kids of Degrassi Street [18]	Nickelodeon	ABC TV	28 July
Viva S Club [18]	Nickelodeon		28 July
Blobheads [14]	Nickelodeon		17 October
North Square[19][20]	UKTV	ABC TV	12 November
Henry's World [14]	Nickelodeon	ABC TV	1 October

Specials

Program	Channel	Debut date
2003 Kids' Choice Awards[17]	Nickelodeon	10 May
2003 Teen Choice Awards[21]	Fox Kids	25 October

References

1. Eff 'n' bewdiful, The Age, 1 May 2003.
2. Race for year's worst show, The Age, 8 May 2003.
3. Who wants to be a multimillionaire?, The Age, 10 July 2003.
4. Hassall, Greg (19 September 2003). "Red Cap". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
5. Warneke, Ross (2 October 2003). "Gay gurus make a splash". The Age. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
6. Hassall, Greg (24 November 2003). "TV previews". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 10. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
7. "What's New On Nick? – February 2003". Nickelodeon (Australia). 2003. Archived from the original on 7 February 2003. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
8. "UKTV Highlights". UKTV (Australia and New Zealand). 2003. Archived from the original on 8 January 2003. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
9. "UKTV Highlights". UKTV (Australia and New Zealand). 2003. Archived from the original on 16 February 2002. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
10. "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.
11. "UKTV Highlights". UKTV (Australia and New Zealand). 2003. Archived from the original on 15 July 2003. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
12. Charlotte (17 August 2003). "Playing in the zone". TV Guide. Sunday Herald Sun. p. X06.
13. Adams, Cameron (5 February 2003). "Here comes trouble – Jackass hits Australia". Herald Sun (Melbourne, Australia: News Limited). p. H07.
14. "What's New On Nick? – Term 4". Nickelodeon (Australia). 2003. Archived from the original on 4 December 2003. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
15. "Today's Highlights". Foxtel. Archived from the original on 1 February 2003. Retrieved 19 January 2010.
16. ellis, scott (16 March 2003). "PAY TV HIGHLIGHTS". The Sunday Age (Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media). p. 8.
17. "What's New On Nick? – Term 2 2003". Nickelodeon (Australia). 2003. Archived from the original on 8 June 2003. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
18. "What's New On Nick? – Term 3". Nickelodeon (Australia). 2003. Archived from the original on 3 August 2003. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
19. Schembri, Jim; Paul Kalina (6 November 2003). "Wednesday". The Age (Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media). p. 27.
20. Courtis, Brian (20 February 2002). "Silky briefs and stolen Y-fronts". The Age (Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media). p. 12.
21. "FOXTEL Highlights (Entertainment)". Foxtel. Archived from the original on 7 October 2003. Retrieved 18 January 2010.