1979 in Australian television

This article is a summary of 1979 in Australian television.

Events

 * February - The Government approves the application for ATV0 to convert its transmission to the Channel 10 frequency.
 * 11 February - A brand new Australian weekly current affairs program 60 Minutes premieres on Nine Network. Based on the American newsmagazine television program of the same name, it has a lack lustre beginning, but will soon rise to become one of the highest-rating programs in Australia.
 * 27 February - Australian prime time black comedy/soap opera from Reg Grundy Productions Prisoner premieres on the 0-10 Network. It enjoys a large following both in Australia and around the world, particularly in the UK and parts of the US.
 * 28 February - In Prisoner, there was the Franky Doyle riot, Meg Jackson’s husband Bill Jackson is stabbed.
 * April - The Special Broadcasting Service screens the first of a series of multi-language programs on ABC on Sunday mornings.
 * 2 April - Australian actor Ron Blanchard and Alexander Bunyip the delightful character from the popular children's book The Monster That Ate Canberra by Michael Salmon present a brand new afternoon block for children called ARVO which also features programs such as Play School, Mr. Squiggle and Friends, Sesame Street, Basil Brush and The Famous Five.
 * 24 April - American prime time soap opera Dallas premieres on The 0-10 Network.
 * 1 May - During an escape with her girlfriend Doreen Anderson, Franky Doyle was shot. Her last words were “b***dy b*****ds’.
 * 28 June - Australian drama series Patrol Boat debuts on ABC.
 * 1 July - Commercial television stations now required to screen ‘C’ classified programming, aimed solely at children aged 6 to 13, every weekday between 4:00pm and 5:00pm. Early ‘C’ classified programs include Simon Townsend's Wonder World (0-10), Stax (Seven) and Shirl's Neighbourhood (Seven). Commercial stations are also required to screen a minimum of 30 minutes each weekday, prior to 4:00pm, of programming aimed at pre-school viewers.
 * 9 July - Crawford Productions's brand new soap opera Skyways begins it premiere on the Seven Network.
 * 13 August - A brand new Australian environmental education series for children called Earthwatch debuts on ABC at 5:00pm as part of the ARVO lineup.
 * 2 October - American sitcom Diff'rent Strokes debuts on Nine Network.
 * November - Media mogul Rupert Murdoch is taking control of TEN-10 Sydney and his bid to take over the Australian airline company which owns ATV0 Melbourne Ansett Australia, sparks a review into media ownership by the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal.
 * 5 December - American sitcom Taxi premieres on Nine Network.

New International Programming

 * 7 January – The Kenny Everett Video Show (ABC)
 * 7 January – All Creatures Great and Small (ABC)
 * 8 January/7 May – Michael Bentine's Potty Time (8 January: Seven Network - Melbourne, 7 May: Seven Network - Sydney)
 * 11 January/4 September – 🇺🇸 CHiPS (11 January: Seven Network - Melbourne, 4 September: Seven Network - Sydney)
 * 13 January – 🇺🇸 Baggy Pants and the Nitwits (The 0-10 Network)
 * 21 January – The Governor (ABC)
 * 24 January – Bagpuss (ABC)
 * 1 February – Rumpole of the Bailey (ABC)
 * 10 February/19 February – 🇺🇸 Mickey's 50 (10 February: Seven Network - Melbourne, 19 February: Nine Network - Sydney)
 * 11 February – 🇺🇸 Vega$ (Nine Network)
 * 15 February – 🇺🇸 The Incredible Hulk (1978) (Seven Network)
 * 19 February – 🇺🇸 Mork and Mindy (Nine Network)
 * 5 March – 🇯🇵 Battle of the Planets (The 0-10 Network)
 * 10 March – 🇺🇸 The Mumbly Cartoon Show (Nine Network)
 * 21 March – 🇺🇸 Peark (The 0-10 Network)
 * 24 March – 🇺🇸 The Secret Lives of Waldo Kitty (The 0-10 Network)
 * 24 March – 🇺🇸 I Am the Greatest: The Adventures of Muhammad Ali (The 0-10 Network)
 * 2 April – The Eagle of the Ninth (ABC)
 * 19 April – 🇺🇸 Sword of Justice (The 0-10 Network)
 * 24 April – 🇺🇸 Dallas (The 0-10 Network)
 * 27 April – Blake's 7 (ABC)
 * 8 May – Noah and Nelly in... SkylArk (ABC)
 * 22 May – The Famous Five (1978) (ABC)
 * 28 May – 🇺🇸 Roots: The Next Generations (The 0-10 Network)
 * 31 May – 🇺🇸 Project U.F.O. (The 0-10 Network)
 * 4 June – Danger UXB (ABC)
 * 12 June – Lillie (Seven Network)
 * 23 July – 🇺🇸 Dynomutt, Dog Wonder (Nine Network)
 * 8 August – Gather Your Dreams (ABC)
 * 10 August/24 November – 🇺🇸 Salvage 1 (10 August: Nine Network - Melbourne, 24 November: Nine Network - Sydney)
 * 3 September – 1990 (ABC)
 * 21 September – 🇺🇸 Supertrain (Nine Network)
 * 2 October – Hazell (ABC)
 * 2 October – 🇺🇸 Diff'rent Strokes (Nine Network)
 * 3 October – 🇺🇸 Angie (Nine Network)
 * 11 October – Circus (ABC)
 * 15 October – 🇺🇸 Yogi's Space Race (Nine Network)
 * 19 October – Out of Bounds (ABC)
 * 7 November – 🇺🇸 A Special Sesame Street Christmas (Seven Network)
 * 18 November – Bless Me, Father (Seven Network)
 * 19 November – 🇺🇸 WKRP in Cincinnati (Nine Network)
 * 19 November – 🇨🇦 SCTV (The 0-10 Network)
 * 19 November – 🇺🇸 The Big Blue Marble (Nine Network)
 * 21 November – 🇺🇸 Brothers and Sisters (Seven Network)
 * 21 November – 🇺🇸 Joe & Valerie (Seven Network)
 * 22 November – Return of the Saint (Seven Network)
 * 24 November – 🇺🇸 David Cassidy: Man Undercover (Seven Network)
 * 25 November – Mixed Blessings (Seven Network)
 * 27 November – The Aphrodite Inheritance (ABC)
 * 27 November – Disraeli (Seven Network)
 * 5 December – 🇺🇸 Taxi (Nine Network)
 * 11 December – Born and Bred (ABC)
 * 13 December – Pennies from Heaven (ABC)
 * 20 December – 🇺🇸 The Roller Girls (The 0-10 Network)
 * 24 December – 🇺🇸 Christmas Eve on Sesame Street (ABC)

1950s

 * Mr. Squiggle and Friends (1959–1999)

1960s

 * Four Corners (1961–present)

1970s

 * Hey Hey It's Saturday (1971–1999, 2009–2010)
 * Young Talent Time (1971–1988)
 * Countdown (1974–1987)
 * The Don Lane Show (1975–1983)
 * This is Your Life (1975–1980)
 * Chopper Squad (1976–1979)
 * In the Wild (1976–1981)
 * Glenview High (1977–1979)
 * 60 Minutes (1979–present)
 * Prisoner (1979–1986)
 * Doctor Down Under (1979–1980)