This is a list of Australian television events and premieres which occurred, or were scheduled to occur, in 2013, the 58th year of continuous operation of television in Australia.
Events
17 January – The Seven Network's longest running soap opera Home and Away celebrates its 25th anniversary. 18 January – The Nine Network's nightly current affairs programme A Current Affair turns 25. 22 February – Network Ten's CEO, James Warburton, is stood down after 14 months in the role, following a string of network ratings failures. 21 March – Phil Rankine and Amity Dry win an All-Stars edition of The Block.Knox, David (21 March 2013). "Phil & Amity win The Block: All Stars". TV Tonight. Retrieved 12 June 2013. 1 April – SBS revamps SBS 2 with an aim on a youth-oriented audience. 7 April – Asher Keddie wins the Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television at the 2013 Logie Awards.Knox, David (8 April 2013). "2013 Logie Awards: It’s Asher!". TV Tonight. Retrieved 12 June 2013. 17 April – The court bans Mel B from appearing on Channel Nine's Australia's Got Talent. Instead she will continue with Channel Seven for an indefinite long run. 26 April – Days of Our Lives the US soap opera finishes its long 45-year run on the Nine Network, ending a 4-decade tradition of Daytime Soap operas in Australian Free-to-air Television. 6 years later, the program returns to Nine along with The Young and the Restless airing from 2 September on 9Gem 28 April – Dan and Steph Mulheron win the fourth season of My Kitchen Rules.Knox, David (28 April 2013). "Dan & Steph win My Kitchen Rules". TV Tonight. Retrieved 12 June 2013. 16 May – Cricketer Andrew Symonds wins the first series of Celebrity Splash!.Knox, David (17 May 2013). "Splashdown for Seven reality". TV Tonight. Retrieved 12 June 2013. 29 May – Robyn and Katie Dyke win the eighth season of The Biggest Loser.Knox, David (29 May 2013). "Robyn & Katie win The Biggest Loser 2013". TV Tonight. Retrieved 12 June 2013. 17 June – Harrison Craig wins the second season of The Voice.Knox, David (17 June 2013). "Harrison Craig wins The Voice 2013". TV Tonight. Retrieved 18 June 2013. 1 July – Carly Schulz and Leighton Brow win the first season of House Rules.Knox, David (2 July 2013). "Carly & Leighton win House Rules". TV Tonight. Retrieved 30 August 2013. 28 July – Alisa and Lysandra Fraser win the seventh season of The Block.Knox, David (28 July 2013). "Alisa & Lysandra win The Block: Skyhigh". TV Tonight. Retrieved 30 August 2013. 27 August – Nancy Ho wins the first series of The Great Australian Bake Off.Knox, David (28 August 2013). "Nancy wins The Great Australian Bakeoff". TV Tonight. Retrieved 30 August 2013. 24 September – Melissa Juratowitch wins the eighth season of Australia's Next Top Model.Knox, David (25 September 2013). "Melissa wins Australia's Next Top Model 2013". TV Tonight. Retrieved 25 September 2013. 16 October – Hillal Kara-Ali wins the sixth and final season of The Mole, taking home $180,000 in prize money. Erin Dooley is revealed as the Mole, and Aisha Jefcoate is the runner-up.Knox, David (17 October 2013). "The Mole is revealed -finally!". TV Tonight. Retrieved 17 October 2013. 28 October – Dami Im wins the fifth season of The X Factor.Knox, David (28 October 2013). "Dami Im wins The X Factor 2013". TV Tonight. Retrieved 11 November 2013. 2 November – Channel Seven again bans Mel B from appearing on Channel Ten's The Project in the last minute before it goes to air. 6 November – Tim Dormer wins the tenth season of Big Brother.Knox, David (6 November 2013). "Tim wins Big Brother 2013". TV Tonight. Retrieved 11 November 2013. 10 November – Music trio Uncle Jed win the seventh season of Australia's Got Talent.Knox, David (11 November 2013). "Music trio wins Australia's Got Talent". TV Tonight. Retrieved 11 November 2013. 26 November – Illusionist Cosentino and his partner Jessica Raffa win the thirteenth season of Dancing with the Stars. 10 December – The final analogue signals are turned off in Melbourne and Surrounds as well as Remote Central and Eastern Australia, bringing an end to 57 years of analogue broadcasting in Australia.
Deaths Name Date Age Notability Reference Section Bille Brown, AM 13 January (aged 61), Playwright and actor who appeared in numerous television series. Patricia Lovell, AM, MBE 26 January aged 83 Australian film producer, best known to a generation as star of children's television series Mr. Squiggle as Miss Pat in the 1960s and 1970s. Peter Harvey 2 March aged 68, journalist with the Nine Network for 38 years. Maureen Duval 27 June aged 80 Host of Good Morning Sydney from 1978 to 1989, and later a panellist on Beauty and the Beast. Joyce Jacobs 15 September aged 91, English-born Australian actress who appeared in A Country Practice from 1981 to 1994. Alan Coleman 10 December aged 76 English-Australian director, producer, and screenwriter Johnny Lockwood 10 December 92 British Australia actor, star of Number 96 Brian Moll 9 August aged 88 British Australian actor The Young Doctors and A Country Practice Binny Lum, (aged 97), Pioneering radio and television personality
Channels
New channels 28 March – eXtra 17 September – Spree TV 22 or 25http://www.mediaspy.org/forum/index.php?/topic/23996-fresh-ideas-tv/?view=findpost&p=987342/ November – Fresh Ideas TV
Renamed channels 1 January – Foxtel Movies (replacing both Showtime and Movie Network) 2 April – SBS 2 (rename of SBS TWO)
Digital television transition
Analogue switch-off The switch-off of analogue television was completed in 2013, with the following areas being the last to be switched off: 2 April – Adelaide 9 April – Tasmania 16 April – Perth 28 May – Brisbane, Gold Coast 25 June – Regional Western Australia 28 July – Darwin 3 December – Sydney 10 December – Melbourne, Remote Central and Eastern Australia
Restack/Retune Restack was the official name, and Retune was the more consumer-friendly name, given to the change in frequency of many digital television stations following analog switch-off. The main purpose was to clear channels 52–69 in the 700 MHz band for reuse in mobile communications. Channels 9 & 9A were also cleared so that they could be used for DAB+. Many remote areas were excluded, their stations didn't change frequency and channel 9 & 9A continue to be used in some remote areas for digital television.
The restack began in April 2013 and was completed by the end of 2014.
Premieres
Domestic series