21 January –
Golden West Network is launched in
Geraldton as GTW-11 and begins broadcasting. This completes the roll-out of regional commercial television across Australia [citation needed].
April – The
ABC's long-running music program Countdown celebrates its 100th episode.
April – The
Seven Network successfully bids for exclusive Australian rights to televise the
1980 Olympic Games from Moscow. The network paid $1 million in the deal, outbidding rival offers from
ABC and
Nine Network.
October - Nine Network's wartime period soap opera, The Sullivans, premieres on British television when the ITV network begin showing it during daytime. It eventually becomes a regional programme, with each ITV contractor showing it as and when they wished. The most common timeslot used, however, was 12:30-13:00pm on Tuesday and Thursday. The series marks the first of several Australian soap operas to be broadcast by ITV, which continued until the early 00s.
5 December – The final episode of the Australian music series Flashez airs on
ABC at 5:30pm.
The Federal Government investigates a proposal to establish a domestic satellite system, enabling instant transmission of television and other communications across Australia and in particular to remote areas.
Australian music series Flashez returns for a new series on
ABC now airing at 5:30pm right after Sesame Street for most of the year.
Gus the Snail (a character who was based on an executive producer who wanted to take over the
ABC) makes his very first appearance on the long running Australian children's television series Mr. Squiggle and Friends.