The year 2008 in Australian television was the 53rd year of continuous operation.
Events 14 January – The Nine Network undergoes a major revamp in its production and logo and on-air graphics as a part of a new network re-launch, and after a two-year absence, returns the famous "Nine Balls" logo, except instead of balls, they use discs. It will see an overhaul of news and current affairs graphics (news graphics revised, not current affairs) and studios sets (also didn't happen) and a general on-air look. 1 February – Former The Great Outdoors host Shelley Craft quits Channel Seven and moves to Channel Nine to join the team of Domestic Blitz and take over from Toni Pearen as host of Australia's Funniest Home Videos. 7 February – Veteran television king Ray Martin quits the Nine Network after 30 years with the network. 8 February – ABC TV is rebranded ABC1, which is visible on on-air graphics from . 8 February – Long running Australian soap opera Neighbours airs on the BBC in the UK for the very last time after being shown for 22 years. It will switch over to air on Five on 11 February. 12 February – The Supreme Court of Victoria places an injunction on the broadcast and exhibition of the Nine Network's drama series Underbelly in Victoria, following concerns that the series, which depicts Melbourne's gangland wars, could prejudice an ongoing murder trial.Underbelly blocked by murder trial judge, Herald Sun, 12 February 2008. 14 March – A Current Affair broadcasts its 5000th episode and celebrates its 20th anniversary. 30 March – Today introduces a three-and-a-half-hour format, starting at 5.30 am and finishing at 9 am. 3 April – Kate Ritchie (Sally Fletcher), one of the original 1988 cast members of Home and Away, leaves the series after twenty years. 7 April – The Nine Network makes the first episodes of the new series Canal Road available for download over the Internet, ahead of its television broadcast on 16 April.Nine downloads series ahead of TV launch, News Limited, 7 April 2008. 27 April – Jack Chambers wins the first season of So You Think You Can Dance Australia. 4 May – Kate Ritchie wins the Gold Logie Award for the Most Popular Personality on Australian Television for the second consecutive year at the 2008 Logie Awards. 7 May – SBS TV launches a revamped version of its logo, as well as a new slogan: "Six Billion Stories and counting". 27 May – Nine Network revived the series Wheel of Fortune under a new title of Million Dollar Wheel of Fortune and its production company Sony Pictures Television (the same company used in the US flagship counterpart, and offers a top prize of AU$1,000,000. The series shortly cancelled after five weeks of air on 27 June due to low ratings, while the same format would later be adopted in the US version three months later, with the first top prize win occurred 14 October 2008. 2 June – The Seven Network apologises after airing an episode of the hospital drama All Saints in which it is suggested that a child born of an incestuous relationship is likely to result in the child having Down's syndrome.Ricketson, Matthew: Seven apologises for incest episode, The Age, 3 June 2008. 1 July – 16-year-old guitarist Smokin' Joe Robinson wins the second season of Australia's Got Talent. 18 July – Hi-5 airs its 400th episode. 21 July – The final episode of Network Ten's baddie reality show Big Brother Australia airs. The eighth and final season was won by 52-year-old grandmother Terri Munro. 25 July – The final episode of the Nine Network's late-night news program Nightline airs after 16 years of broadcast. 26 July – Peter Cundall's last appearance on Gardening Australia before retiring from Australian Landscapes. It goes to air on ABC1.Blooming marvellous, The Age, 24 July 2008. 3 August – The final episode of the Nine Network's flagship news and current affairs program Sunday airs. Sunday was axed by the network after 27 years of broadcast. 26 August - Australian dramedy series Packed to the Rafters premieres on Seven Network, which broadcasts every Tuesday at 8:30 pm. 28 August – Australia's Naughtiest Home Videos, a revival of the spin-off to Australia's Funniest Home Videos, rebadged on the Nine Network. It last time played on the network is when the late CEO, Kerry Packer banned the spin-off for life 16 years ago. 10 October – Today Tonight draws with a final goodbye with Anna Coren in the hot-seat before heading to CNN in Hong Kong. Matt White replaced by Coren the following Monday. 20 October – National Nine News changes its name to Nine News when it launches a new-look – losing viewers to Seven News. 9 November – McLeod's Daughters actor Luke Jacobz and his partner Luda Kroiter win the eighth season of Dancing with the Stars. 23 November – The sixth season of Australian Idol was won by Wes Carr. 1 December – The Seven Network wins the ratings year for the second consecutive year, and its third overall, with a record ratings share of 28.7%. The two other commercial networks, the Nine Network (27.2%) and Network Ten (21.0%), came in second and third place respectively. The two public broadcasters, ABC1 and SBS TV, managed a ratings share of 17.5% and 5.6% respectively. 5 December – Heather Foord presents her final weeknight bulletin on Nine News Queensland. Her final appearance wraps up a year of poor ratings for the once-leading bulletin, which lost all 40 weeks of ratings to the rival Seven News Brisbane in 2008.
Celebrity deaths Name Age Date of death Broadcast description Grybas, Clinton Clinton Grybas 32 AFL and sports commentator and presenter Harvey, Sandra Sandra Harvey 49 Four Corners producer Ledger, Heath Heath Ledger 28 Australian-born international actor (Sweat, Roar) Harwood, Andrew Andrew Harwood 62 Host (It's Academic, Good Morning Sydney, Til Ten) Andrews, Steve Steve Andrews 38 QTQ9 voice over announcer Jacobs, Jessica Jessica Jacobs 17 Actress (The Saddle Club, Fergus McPhail, Holly's Heroes) Lindsay, Reg Reg Lindsay, AM 79 Australian singer and Host, (The Reg Lindsay Country Hour, Country Homestead) Allen, Christie Christie Allen 53 Australian singer and performer Countdown performer Priestley, Mark Mark Priestley 32 Actor (All Saints) Pate, Michael Michael Pate 88 Actor (Matlock Police) Heinze, Kevin Kevin Heinze 80 Horticulturalist and Host (Sow What) Leonard, Peter Peter Leonard 66 Journalist and WIN News Canberra newsreader. Courtis, Brian Brian Courtis 63 Melbourne television critic Guest, Rob Rob Guest 57 Host and theatre performer (Man O Man, Special Missing Pieces) Kereama, Levi Levi Kereama 27 Australian Idol 2003 contestant Pryor, Dennis Dennis Pryor 83 Melbourne television critic Marsland, Richard Richard Marsland 32 Writer (Rove, The Glass House, Newstopia)
New channels 7 January – Sky News Business Channel 17 March – Nine HD 28 April – Channel Ten Darwin 22 June – BBC HD 22 June – Discovery HD 22 June – National Geographic Channel HD 22 June – Fox Sports HD 22 June – ESPN HD 1 November – CBeebies 1 November – BBC Knowledge 1 November – 111 Hits
Ratings
Premieres
Domestic series
International series
Telemovies
Domestic telemovies Program Network Debut date Emerald Falls Network Ten Valentine's Day ABC1 Scorched Nine Network Prime Minister is Missing, The The Prime Minister is Missing ABC1 Menzies and Churchill at War ABC1 Infamous Victory: Ben Chifley's Battle for Coal ABC1 Informant, The The Informant Network Ten Very Barry Christmas, A A Very Barry Christmas ABC1
International telemovies Telemovie title Network Debut date Ben 10: Race Against Time / Ben 10: Race Against Time Cartoon Network Camp Rock Camp Rock Disney Channel Knight Rider Knight Rider Seven Network Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death ABC1 24: Redemption 24: Redemption Seven Network Rather You Than Me Rather You Than Me UK.TV Curse of Steptoe, The The Curse of Steptoe UK.TV
Miniseries
International miniseries Miniseries Network Airdate(s) Line of Beauty, The The Line of Beauty ABC TV Andromeda Strain, The The Andromeda Strain Showcase Sense and Sensibility UK.TV Talk to Me UK.TV Victoria's Empire UK.TV Cranford UK.TV Tin Man Tin Man Seven Network
Documentary specials
Domestic documentary specials Program Network Debut date Jihad Sheilas ABC TV The Spirit of Australian Sport: Australian Football The History Channel Miracle on Everest ABC1 Walk Like a Man SBS TV The Spirit of Australian Sport: Swimming The History Channel Roller Derby Dolls ABC1 The Spirit of Australian Sport: Rugby League The History Channel Beyond Kokoda: War Without Mercy The History Channel The Fibros and the Silvertails ABC1 No Way, Get F*#ked, F*#k Off! SBS TV How Kevin Bacon Cured Cancer ABC1 The Intervention (about the NT National Emergency Response) ABC1 The Spirit of Australian Sport: Horse Racing The History Channel Searching 4 Sandeep ABC1 Humpbacks: From Fire to Ice ABC1 The Howard Years ABC1 Hairtales ABC1 The Making of My Favourite Australian ABC1
International documentary specials Telemovie title Network Debut date SBS TV Ovation Is TV Bad for My Kids The LifeStyle Channel Nine Network SBS TV SBS TV The History Channel SBS TV Seven Network Network Ten Network Ten How To Beat Your Kid's Asthma The LifeStyle Channel Disney Channel SBS TV Chelsea Flow Show 2008 The LifeStyle Channel Crufts 2008 The LifeStyle Channel SBS TV SBS TV SBS TV SBS TV ABC2 ABC1 Network Ten SBS TV SBS TV ABC1 ABC1 ABC1 Unknown
Specials
Programming changes
Sports broadcasting rights A-League – Association football
The A-League broadcasting rights were held exclusively by subscription television network Fox Sports for the 2008–09 season. Fox Sports broadcast every match of the season live-to-air, and also screened a weekly "highlights" program.
Australian Football League (AFL) – Australian rules football
The Australian Football League (AFL) broadcasting rights were jointly held by two free-to-air networks, Seven Network and Network Ten, and one subscription television network, Fox Sports, for the 2008 AFL season. Generally the eight matches per round were divided as such: Fox Sports aired four games all live-to-air (a Saturday afternoon match, a Saturday night match, a Sunday afternoon match and the Sunday twilight match), the Seven Network aired two matches delayed (the Friday night match and a Sunday afternoon match), and Network Ten aired two matches, one live-to-air and one delayed, which consisted of a Saturday afternoon and a Saturday night match respectively. The broadcast of matches may vary between networks, and broadcast times may change depending on the area of broadcast. The 2008 AFL Grand Final was broadcast live-to-air by the Seven Network, whilst Network Ten broadcast the 2008 Brownlow Medal and the 2008 NAB Cup Grand Final.
Olympic Games
The primary broadcaster of the 2008 Summer Olympics was the Seven Network, whilst complementary coverage was provided by SBS TV.
Paralympic Games
The 2008 Summer Paralympics was broadcast by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) via ABC1 and ABC2.
Sport Network/s Games per Week Breakup of Games Notes Setanta Sports AustraliaSpecial Broadcasting Service Setanta Sports Australia – 27 Games Live Replays/Highlights of all games Special Broadcasting Service: 8 Games Live, Including The Opening Game 6 Other Group Matches The Final Highlights of all Matches.Fox SportsChannel Nine Fox Sports: 1–2 Games LIVE Channel Nine: Weekly Highlights of 1 game each week Channel NineFox Sports – Pay-TV Channel Nine – 3 Games Friday Night AEST 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm LIVE Friday Night AEST 9:30 pm – 11:30 pm Delayed 2 hours Sunday Afternoon AEST 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm Delayed 1 hour Fox Sports: 5 Games Saturday Afternoon AEST 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm LIVE Saturday Night AEST 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm LIVE Saturday Night AEST 9:30 pm – 11:30 pm Delayed 2 hours