This is a list of Australian television-related events, debuts, finales, and cancellations that were scheduled to occur in 2017, the 62nd year of continuous operation of television in Australia.
Events January Date Event Source1The ABC's coverage of Sydney New Year's Eve is mostly panned for the fourth consecutive year, described as "dull" and "tedious," with presenters Ella Hooper and Jeremy Fernandez forgetting to start the countdown.12Leaked video of Nine News Now presenter Amber Sherlock goes internationally viral after she insists colleague Julie Snook change to a different coloured outfit ahead of a segment.27It is announced that American soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful will film episodes in Australia.29The Seven Network airs the 2017 Australian Open – Men's singles final recording the highest ratings of a Men's final in 11 years, with 2.67 million metro viewers and 3.62 million total viewers. Channel Seven earned a 54.5% primetime viewing share.
February Date Event Source12The official 2017 OzTam television ratings period begins
March Date Event Source13Casey Donovan wins the third season of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!23Justin Milne is appointed new ABC chairman.
April Date Event Source9A two-week suspension in OzTam television ratings begins for the Easter break.23Official OzTam ratings resume after a two-week non-ratings period over Easter.The 59th Annual TV Week Logie Awards were held in Melbourne.
August Date Event Source13The Seven Network claims the television ratings season for the eleventh consecutive year.24MTV Australia and its sister channels, MTV Music, MTV Dance and MTV Classic, suspend broadcasting for a 12-hour period to get the channels' core audience to vote for marriage equality. During the suspension, MTV's test pattern displayed the Moonman holding the pride flag.28CBS Corporation announces its intent to purchase Network Ten, pending approval of the Foreign Investment Review Board. This comes two-and-a-half months after it went into voluntary administration. CBS had already maintained a long-term program and news-sharing agreement with Ten involving its namesake U.S. broadcast network, and was cited as a major creditor for Ten in the administration filing. In conjunction with the purchase, CBS Corporation also announces plans to launch an Australian version of its CBS All Access over-the-top service.
October Date Event Source27The Seven Network will broadcast the 2017 Rugby League World Cup
December Date Event Source2The last day of the official 2017 OzTam television ratings period.11SBS announces that established singer Jessica Mauboy, the first indigenous Australian to have a number one in the ARIA Charts, will represent Australia at the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest.15Tim McMillan and Emmy Kubainski are sacked as the newsreaders of Nine's Perth news bulletin.
Television channels
Channel closures 23 January – Sky News Election Channel 28 February – 31 Digital; succeeded by online streaming service Hitchhike TV
Renamed channels 4 December – ABC2 to ABC Comedy
Premieres Domestic series + Program Original airdate Network Source Bride & Prejudice Seven Network Murder Uncovered Seven Network Newton's Law ABC Arena Million Dollar Cold Case Seven Network Seven Types of Ambiguity ABC Seven Network True Story with Hamish & Andy Nine Network Australian Ninja Warrior Nine Network Yummy Mummies Seven Network Little Big Shots Seven Network Blue Water Empire ABC Nine Network Cosmetic Coffee Seven Network
International series + Program Original airdate Network Country of origin Source Revenge Body with Khloé Kardashian E! United States Beyond FOX8 United States Let it Shine BBC UKTV United Kingdom Lethal Weapon Nine Network United States Rillington Place BBC First United Kingdom Legion FX United States Detroiters The Comedy Channel United States So Cosmo E! United States APB FOX8 United States On Thin Ice BBC Knowledge United Kingdom Training Day Seven Network United States First Family of Hip Hop Arena United States The Moonstone BBC First United Kingdom Married to Medicine: Houston Arena United States Bull Network Ten United States Crime Watch Daily FOX8 United States The Collection BBC First United Kingdom Under Arrest December Crime + Investigation Canada Mighty Magiswords Cartoon Network United States Trial & Error Seven Network United States
Telemovies and miniseries + Program Original airdate(s) Network Source Hoges: The Paul Hogan Story Seven Network House of Bond Nine Network
+ Program Original airdate(s) Network Country of origin Source
Documentaries + List of domestic television documentary premieres Program Original airdate(s) Network Source
+ List of international television documentary premieres Program Original airdate(s) Network Country of origin Source
Specials + Program Original airdate(s) Network(s) Source
+ Program Original airdate(s) Network(s) Country of origin Source Random and Whacky Eleven Australia Fanshaw and Crudnut: Attack Of the Slug Santas 9Go! Australia
Programming changes
Changes to network affiliation Criterion for inclusion in the following list is that Australian premiere episodes will air in Australia for the first time on a new channel. This includes when a program is moved from a free-to-air network's primary channel to a digital multi-channel, as well as when a program moves between subscription television channels – provided the preceding criterion is met. Ended television series which change networks for repeat broadcasts are not included in the list.
+ List of domestic television series which changed network affiliation Program Date New network Previous network Source
+ List of international television programs which changed network affiliation Program Date New network Previous network Country of origin SourceBottersnikes and Gumbles ABC ME 7TWO United Kingdom
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. + Program Date Free-to-air network Subscription network(s) Country of origin Source
Subscription premieres This is a list of programs which made their debut on Australian subscription television, having previously premiered on Australian free-to-air television. Programs may still air (first or repeat) on the original free-to-air television network. + Program Date Free-to-air network Subscription network(s) SourceLong Lost FamilyNetwork TenLifeStyle You
+ Program Date Free-to-air network Subscription network(s) Country of origin SourceState of AffairsSeven NetworkUniversal ChannelUnited States
Returning programs Australian produced programs which are returning with a new season after being absent from television from the previous calendar year. + Program Return date Network Original run SourceThe Biggest LoserNetwork Ten2006–2015Hi-59Go!1999–2011
Endings + Program End date Network Start date Source House Husbands 17 April Nine Network 2 September 2012 Love Child 4 July Nine Network 17 February 2014
Celebrity deaths
Name Date Age Broadcast notability Reference section Auriel Andrew (OAM) 2 January age 69 Indigenous Australian county music singer, appeared on numerous television shows including The Reg Lindsay show, as well as guest roles on Australian soaps like A Country Practice and Blue Heelers Richard Divall (AO, OBE) 13 January aged 71 Australian conductor, composer, scholar and Knight to Malta, known for his association with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, as a music director Sandy Gandhi 28 January age 58 Indian Australian comedian and newspaper columnist Ritchie Yorke 6 February age 73, Music journalist, author, historian and broadcaster, contributed to numerous television documentary films, including John and Yoko's Year of Peace and wrote The Real Patsy Kline Joy Hruby (OAM) 21 February aged 89 Actress, comedian, TV presenter, filmmaker, author and celebrity agent, with a career spanning over 50 years, best known as the hostess and interviewer on show Joys World on Community Television Fred Parslow 26 February aged 84 Australian actor of television, film and theatre, appeared in The Sullivans, best known for film role in Alvin Purple and his long association with the Melbourne Theatre Company. Frances Hargreaves 3 March age 62 South African born Australian actress, best known for serial Number as comedy character of wayward teenager Marilyn McDonald,. Chelsea Brown 5 April aged 74 American-born star, best known for native production comedy Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, of the latter Australian actress who appeared in Graham Kennedys Blankety Blanks, Number 96 and E Street John Clarke 9 April aged 68 New Zealand-born entertainer, portrayed character Fred Dagg, best known as an actor, comedian, writer and satirist in Australia 8 May aged 89 Australian actress of stage, television and film best known for roles in The Flying Doctors as Nancy Buckley, also appeared in guest parts in Prisoner and Neighbours as Connie O'Rourke . Lou Richards (MBE) 8 May aged 94 AFL player and coach who transitioned to a successful media career, with appearances on The Footy Show and The Sunday Footy Show Lyn James 11 May aged 87 Welsh-born actress, who started her career in Britain, before emigrating to Australia and becoming best known for her role in serial The Young Doctors an original cast member who featured for the entire series run as receptionist Helen Gordon John K. Watts 3 June aged 80 Australian Rules Footballer, radio and television presenter and personality Jill Singer – 8 June aged 60 Melbourne-based journalist and current affairs personality, hostess of The 7.30 Report and Today Tonight Les Murray 31 July aged 71 Hungarian-born Australian sports broadcaster, known for program The World Game. Harry Beitzel 13 August aged 90 Australian football umpire and broadcaster. Giant of Australian Rules media, Harry Beitzel, dies Drew Morphett 25 August aged 69 Australian sports broadcaster, from the (ABC). Sports broadcaster Drew Morphett dies aged 69 Alan Cassell 30 August (aged 85) English Australian actor, won Best Actor of the Year for A Day in the Death of Joe Egg. (Special Squad). Alan Louis Cassell Peter Luck 6 September aged 73 Australian journalist and television presenter (This Day Tonight) Journalist and TV presenter Peter Luck dead, aged 73 Judith McGrath 20 October aged 70 Actress of theatre and television, best known for her roles in Prisoner as Colleen Powell, A Country Practice as Bernice Hudson, Round the Twist as Matron Cecilia Gribble and All Saints as Von Ryan. See also 2017 in Australia List of Australian films of 2017
References