Australia celebrates 70 years of television broadcasting

On this day in 1956, Australia became the latest country to begin full-time television broadcasting.

Australia was relatively slow to the television race, even though the first official broadcast was in 1934, two years after the launch of the BBC Television Service (now BBC1). The Broadcasting Act 1948 officially set the wheels in motion for a full-time TV service with the construction of the initial six transmitters. The then government under Robert Menzies also allowed commercial stations as well as a station from the ABC. Australia fell into recession in the early 1950s, around the time the first licences were being issued, delaying the launch of television further.

Contrary to popular belief, the ABC was not the first TV channel in Australia. It was actually TCN-9 in Sydney, then owned by Frank Packer and the flagship station of what is now the Nine Network. Also contrary to popular belief, the first person on Australian television wasn't Bruce Gyngell...at least not fully! The first person to speak on television was actually John Godson, but in audio only. Gyngell was the first person to appear on TV in sound and vision, introducing the first programme "This is Television". TCN-9 was initially an independent station, later affiliating with the Australian Television Network (now known as the Seven Network) before forming alliances with stations in Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide in the 1960s to become the Nine Network we know today. ABC didn't begin TV broadcasts until November 1956, What is now the Seven Network launched around the same time.

Colour television arrived in 1975, digital broadcasting began in 2001 and HD arrived in 2007. SBS launched in 1980 to serve Australia's multicultural communities. Today, the most popular network in Australia is Seven; followed by Nine, the ABC, 10 and SBS. Although streaming is very popular in Australia like most of the world, terrestrial broadcasts remain vital to rural communities. Unlike the UK, there are currently no major discussions in turning off these broadcasts.

So happy birthday Nine Network and happy birthday to television in Australia! Long may it continue to educate, entertain and inspire. Just don't give me another copyright strike.