Events January – The 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand are broadcast on Seven Network. 27 January – Australian longest running children's Saturday morning series Saturday Disney along with music video program Video Smash Hits debut on Seven Network. 29 January – Welsh children's animated series Fireman Sam premieres on ABC. 29 January – Australian television and radio host Steve Vizard presents his very own national Tonight show titled Tonight Live with Steve Vizard which is shown five nights a week on Seven Network. 3 February – Paul Keane was ready to get axed from his long-running role as Des Clarke in Neighbours, but has instead opted to take a four-month hiatus and was expected to return in April. Keane's break from the show comes as cast morale is at an all-time low following the departure of several key cast members, but producers are confident that Des will return with some good storylines. 12 February – American children's animated series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles debuts on Seven Network. 13 February – ABC debuts a new current affairs program Lateline hosted by Kerry O'Brien. 16 February – Australian lifestyle and gardening series Gardening Australia debuts on ABC. 20 February – In Neighbours, Toby & Noelene Mangel depart. 23 February – In Neighbours, this was Bronwyn Davies' final episode. 28 February – In Neighbours, this was Hilary Robinson's final episode. 31 March – Neighbours Producers have chosen to write out the popular character of Sharon Davies – the on-screen sister to Rachel Friend's former character Bronwyn Davies, played by 19-year-old Jessica Muschamp said the exit of Neighbours may have been a "blessing in disguise." She finished her final credits in Neighbours in five weeks and after leaving the series, she went to English pantomime performances over Christmas and was considering mini-series and theatre roles in Australia. April – Jennifer Keyte becomes the first solo woman newsreader on a commercial network in Australia when Glenn Taylor leaves the Melbourne bureau of Seven News. 9 June – Neighbours star Linda Hartley has decided to leave the hit-turned-troubled 10 TV Australia soap opera after a behind-the-scenes battle between producers Grundy Television and 10 TV Australia. Hartley had requested for a hiatus from the series to allow time to travel overseas and to pursue an opportunity for a singing career including a recording contract with Sony Music Australia, but Grundys were not keen to renew her contract, claiming the show had exceeded its casting budget. However, budget cuts ran out, negotiations broke down again and Hartley has chosen to leave the series. 2 July – Canadian children's animated series Babar based on a series of children's books by Jean and Laurent de Brunhoff premieres on ABC. 15 July – After a long absence of six months, the Australian comedy series The Comedy Company returns on 10 TV Australia. 20 August - French children's animated series Bouli premieres on ABC. 3 September – Australian children's TV series Johnson and Friends debuts on ABC. 5 September – In Neighbours, this was Beverly Robinson's final episode. 7 September – In Neighbours Kerry Mangel was shot in the head while duck hunting by Mick Taylor, leaving Joe Mangel in Saw-styled screaming and crying. This was the final episode. 10 October – In Neighbours, this was Des Clarke's final episode. 9 November – Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue, the American animated special program that warns children the danger of drugs and features famous cartoon characters from various animated TV shows alike, is simultaneously simulcast by Seven Network, Nine Network and 10 TV Australia (thus airing on all three major commercial television stations). The program was also introduced by Prime Minister Bob Hawke and his wife Hazel. 11 November – Australian comedy series The Comedy Company airs its final episode on 10 TV Australia before getting axed after very bad ratings and a failure to match the success of its 1988 season. 12 November – Australian children's TV series Johnson and Friends begins a second run and first ever repeat on ABC when it starts airing in the afternoons for the very first time ever. The series will be shown at 3:55 pm (which is usually the timeslot for airing 5 minute programs for children) dominating the 5 minute programming thus making Play School screening at 4:05 pm and the 4:30 pm programmes to push forward to 4:35 pm. 16 November – Hey Hey It's Saturday'''s Red Symons marries Elly Agotis in Melbourne in a Greek ceremony. December – The Seven Network wins the 1990 ratings year with a record of 35.6% share for Total People. The most watched program was Seven's AFL: 1990 AFL Grand Final. 8 December – Neighbours producers have announced that star Ashley Paske will not renew his contract with the troubled 10 TV Australia soap opera when it expires in January. He is expected to be seen on-air until May. 9 December – 1990 Neighbours movie-length finale: Joe Mangel shakes and kidnaps Sky Bishop from Eric Jensen (episode 1), Joe & Toby Mangel are arrested for shoplifting and kidnapping Sky Bishop, Tom Ramsay returns to Rsmsay Street after a three-and-a-half-year absence (episode 2), Paul Robinson proposes to Christina Aleesi, Glen Donnolly arrives and tells that Jim Robinson is his father (episode 3). 21 December – James Valentine presents the Australian weekday afternoon magazine series The Afternoon Show for the last time at 5:00 pm on ABC. The programme includes reruns of the French-American-Canadian animated series Inspector Gadget and Canadian action drama series Danger Bay (Both these shows haven't been airing on the ABC for a long time since most of the year). 22 December – Neighbours star Richard Norton has been informed by producers that they won't be renewing his contract with the troubled 10 TV Australia soap opera when it expires in February. 24 December – American animated special program Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue gets repeated and airs for a second time airing on both Seven Network, Nine Network and 10 TV Australia once again. 31 December – Queensland becomes the second Aggregated market with local stations Sunshine Television (which now is Seven Queensland), WIN and QTV (in 2002 it became Southern Cross Ten, in 2016 it became Southern Cross Nine, now 10 Regional).
Premieres
Domestic series Program Network Debut date Agro's Cartoon Connection Seven Network Saturday Disney Saturday Disney Seven Network Video Smash Hits Seven Network The Super Sunday Show Seven Network Tonight Live with Steve Vizard Tonight Live with Steve Vizard Seven Network Family and Friends Nine Network Lateline Lateline ABC TV Gardening Australia ABC TV Facing Writers ABC TV The C Company Nine Network The Party Machine ABC TV Graham Kennedy's Funniest Home Video Show Nine Network Robbo's World Nine Network Skirts Seven Network The Greatest Tune on Earth Seven Network The Private War of Lucinda Smith Nine Network Elly & Jools Nine Network The Bugs Bunny Show Nine Network More Winners ABC TV Savage Indictment ABC TV Flair Seven Network Let the Blood Run Free 10 TV Australia Johnson and Friends ABC TV Embassy ABC TV The Search for the World's Most Secret Animals Nine Network Jackaroo Seven Network The Girl from Tomorrow Nine Network Imparja National News Imparja Television 1990 In Brisbane Today Nine Network (Queensland only) 1990
International series Program Network Debut date The Popcorn Kid Nine Network / Max Headroom Seven Network Surgical Spirit ABC TV The Giddy Game Show ABC TV Hothouse ABC TV The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole ABC TV Lincoln ABC TV // The Ray Bradbury Theatre ABC TV The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh Seven Network Pinny's House ABC TV Fireman Sam ABC TV The Story of the Dancing Frog ABC TV Murphy Brown Nine Network Doogie Howser M.D. 10 TV Australia Dream Street Seven Network Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Seven Network We'll Think of Something ABC TV Kidd Video Nine Network The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn ABC TV A Dream of Red Mansions SBS After the War ABC TV Floyd's American Pie SBS Michael Palin: Around the World in 80 Days ABC TV Agatha Christie's Poirot Seven Network The Gemini Factor ABC TV Beverly Hills Buntz Nine Network Police Academy Nine Network The Watch House ABC TV Hard Time on Planet Earth Seven Network Screen One ABC TV Hard Copy Nine Network Hale and Pace Nine Network Marco SBS Bugs vs. Daffy: Battle of the Music Video Stars Nine Network One God-Three SBS Maria Chapdelaine ABC TV Bugs Bunny's Wild World of Sports Nine Network Frontiers ABC TV Heart of the High Country 10 TV Australia Generations Seven Network Rituals Seven Network The Hitchhiker 10 TV Australia The Black Forest Clinic 10 TV Australia Ladies in Charge ABC TV The Heat of the Day ABC TV Cross of Fire Seven Network Baywatch 10 TV Australia The Six Cases of Father Brown SBS Once a Cop SBS Sparky's Magic Piano ABC TV / The Great Wall of Iron ABC TV The Jim Henson Hour 10 TV Australia Alexei Sayle's Stuff ABC TV Singles Seven Network A Kind of Loving ABC TV / Babar ABC TV Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers Seven Network Eye of the Dragon ABC TV Madam Sousou SBS The Charmings Nine Network Woof! Nine Network Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics Nine Network The Karate Kid Nine Network The Mind SBS The Lenny Henry Show SBS Father Dowling Mysteries Seven Network Ffizz 10 TV Australia E! Entertainment Nine Network Never Come Back ABC TV // Ox Tales Nine Network Moondial ABC TV Booker Nine Network The Fear ABC TV Marblehead Manor 10 TV Australia Hardball Nine Network Mike and Angelo ABC TV Ernie's Incredible Illucinations ABC TV Bouli ABC TV The Country Boy ABC TV Miguel Servet SBS The Secret Drawer SBS Major Dad 10 TV Australia Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story Seven Network Press Gang ABC TV Spy Wars SBS Space Knights Seven Network Vid Kids 10 TV Australia America's Funniest People Nine Network Prisoners of Childhood SBS The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley ABC TV The Storm SBS Knight & Daye 10 TV Australia // The Adventures of the Little Koala Nine Network Blind Faith Seven Network Adventurer ABC TV Shingen SBS Island Son Seven Network Body Styles SBS Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue Seven NetworkNine Network10 TV Australia Good Morning, Miss Bliss Seven Network The Thanksgiving Promise Seven Network Hey Vern, It's Ernest! Nine Network Round the Bend ABC TV // Wowser Nine Network In the Heat of the Night Seven Network That's Love 10 TV Australia No Strings Seven Network Only One Earth ABC TV Murphy's Law 10 TV Australia The Famous Teddy Z Nine Network A Man Called Hawk Nine Network Starting from Scratch 10 TV Australia Vintage: A History of Wine ABC TV A Fine Romance (1989) 10 TV Australia A Peaceable Kingdom Nine Network The Young Riders Seven Network The Real Charlotte ABC TV The Return of Shelley ABC TV New Attitude Nine Network Free Spirit Nine Network Doctor Doctor Nine Network Family Matters Seven Network Annie McGuire Nine Network The New Archies Nine Network Great Circuses of the World Nine Network / Hollywood the Golden Years: The RKO Story ABC TV / Dolphin Cove Nine Network 48 Hours Nine Network The Phantom of the Opera Nine Network Rod, Jane and Freddy ABC TV Cops 10 TV Australia Blackadder's Christmas Carol Seven Network Rarg 10 TV Australia First of the Summer Wine ABC TV Jim Henson's The Storyteller 10 TV Australia The Angel and the Soldier Boy ABC TV Marvin: Baby of the Year Seven Network / The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers Seven Network 1990
Changes to network affiliation