1978 in Australian television
This article is a summary of 1978 in Australian television.
Events
- 20 March – Channel 0 launches its one-hour news service Eyewitness News with Bruce Mansfield as host.
- August – The ABC televises the 1978 Commonwealth Games from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The opening and closing ceremonies are televised live, with event highlights each day.
- 12 September – The very first major mini-series produced for Australian commercial television with a budget of over a million dollars Against the Wind is screen on Seven Network. It is also the first major Australian TV production to be broadcast in the United States.
- September – The Federal Government gives the go-ahead for the launch of a multicultural television service, to be operated by the Special Broadcasting Service, with the expectation of the new channel operating in Sydney and Melbourne by 1980.
- October – Channel 0 makes a request to the Federal Government for permission to change its broadcast frequency to Network Ten.
- 7 November – The 0-10 Network televises the Melbourne Cup to a national audience for the first time. The telecast is regarded as one of the largest national sports telecasts mounted to date.
- 64% of Melbourne and 70% of Sydney households now own colour TV sets, giving Australia one of the fastest changeovers to colour in the world.
- Graham Kennedy wins a Logie award for presenting Blankety Blanks.
Debuts
New international programming
- 2 January/29 November – The Whiteoaks of Jalna
- 19 January/4 July – Quincy, M.E.
- 4 February – Far Out Space Nuts
- 6 February – Man from Atlantis
- 8 February – The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
- 7 February – Robin's Nest
- 8 February/21 February – The Love Boat
- 16 February – Kingston: Confidential
- 17 February – Open All Hours
- 17 February – Big Hawaii
- 18 March – McDuff, the Talking Dog
- 20 March – The Kids from 47A
- 3 April – The New Adventures of Batman
- 3 April/7 November – Another Bouquet
- 7 April – Soap
- 10 April – Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle
- 1 May – Children of the Stones
- 8 May – The Blue Knight
- 9 May – Miss Jones and Son
- 9 May – Clue Club
- 13 May – Uncle Croc's Block
- 13 May – James at 15
- 18 May – Noddy
- 30 May – Mr. Men
- 5 June – Mind Your Language
- 19 June – Nashville 99
- 21 June/19 July – Yabba Dabba Doo! The Happy World of Hanna-Barbera
- 22 June – Rocky O'Rourke
- 26 June – Chorlton and the Wheelies
- 28 June – The Flockton Flyer
- 28 June – Sailor
- 6 July – Fantasy Island
- 19 August – Bugs and Daffy's Carnival of the Animals
- 20 August – The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams (TV series)
- 28 August – Jamie and the Magic Torch
- 2 September – Space Academy
- 9 September – The Skatebirds
- 9 September – The Krofft Supershow
- 11 September – The Red Hand Gang
- 13 October – Three's Company
- 23 October – Who Pays the Ferryman?
- 24 October – Armchair Thriller
- 27 October – Flower Stories
- 6 November – C.P.O. Sharkey
- 7 November – Carter Country
- 7 November – The Oregon Trail
- 8 November – Rosetti and Ryan
- 11 November – Future Cop
- 30 November – Loves Me, Loves Me Not
- 30 November – Sha Na Na
- 7 December – Citizen Smith
- 8 December – The McLean Stevenson Show
- 23 December – Good Heavens CHiPS Kum-Kum
- ''Star Trek: The Animated Series''
Television shows
1950s
1960s
- ''Four Corners''
1970s
Hey Hey It's Saturday Young Talent Time Countdown The Don Lane ShowReturning this year
- ''No shows returning this year.''