This is a list of Australian television-related events, debuts, finales, and cancellations that are scheduled to occur in 2018, the 63rd year of continuous operation of
television in Australia.
Overview of the events of 2018 in Australian television
SBS airs a three-hour commercial and commentary-free program The Ghan which follows
The Ghan train from Adelaide to Darwin in the first locally produced
slow television event series. It becomes the channel's highest rated broadcast in 12 months with 583,000 national viewers. Sister channel
SBS Viceland runs a 17-hour extended version the following weekend lasting from 2:40am to 8:30pm.
Following accusations around inappropriate conduct of actor
Craig McLachlan in a stage show, the ABC removes all episodes of The Doctor Blake Mysteries, which McLachlan starred in, from its channels and
ABC iview. Producers of the series December Media also announce they are temporarily suspending production of a future season for the
Seven Network.
World Movies, an original launch channel on
Foxtel in 1995, closes as a
linear channel, continuing on only as an
on demand offering and a branded segment on other movie channels.
The
Nine Network secures the rights to televise the
Australian Open tennis tournament from 2020–24. However, three months later, the deal is brought forward by twelve months.
The
60th Annual TV Week Logie Awards were held at
The Star Gold Coast. As well as being staged in Queensland for the first time, the event introduced a number of changes including live re-voting, reducing the number of award categories, renaming of publicly voted categories and eligibility changes. The ceremony was held much later in the year than previous ceremonies to avoid clashing with the
2018 Commonwealth Games also being held on the Gold Coast.
Chairman of the ABC
Justin Milne resigns after claims emerge about political interference at the ABC and the surprise sacking of Michelle Guthrie days earlier.
Major glitches ruins what was to be
Ian Henderson's final ABC News Victoria bulletin, with the New South Wales bulletin instead broadcast. He eventually presents his final bulletin the following evening, with
Tamara Oudyn named as his replacement.
Network Ten launches a major network branding, including introducing a new logo for the first time since 1991. Channel Ten becomes
Channel 10, while multichannels ONE and ELEVEN are rebranded as 10 Boss (later renamed to
10 Bold) and
10 Peach respectively.
Sky News Live sacks
Ross Cameron after making racist comments as co-host of Outsiders, becoming the second original co-host to be fired due to controversial comments made on the program after
Mark Latham in 2017.
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 channel'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 channel affiliation
Program
Date
New channel
Previous channel
Source
List of international television programs which changed channel affiliation
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.
List of international television programs which premiered on free-to-air television for the first time
Program
Date
Free-to-air channel
Subscription channel
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 channel.
List of domestic television programs which premiered on subscription television for the first time
Program
Date
Free-to-air channel
Subscription network(s)
Source
Returning programs
Australian produced programs which are returning with a new season after being absent from television in the previous calendar year.
Australian actress best known for the serial A Country Practice as Vicki Dean Bowen, E Street as Dr. Elly Fielding, and Neighbours as Prue Brown and presenter of The Great Outdoors