1980 in Australian television

This article is a summary of 1980 in Australian television.

Events

20 January - The 0/10 Network became known as Network Ten to reflect ATV moving from Channel 0 to channel 10.
30 January - Australian sitcom Kingswood Country (a spinoff of the Australian comedy sketch series The Naked Vicar Show) starring Ross Higgins premieres on Seven Network.
10 May - Seven Network airs the final episode of the Australian comedy series Doctor Down Under.
27 May - British comedy drama series Minder premieres on ABC.
14 July - A remake of the 1970s Australian game show Great Temptation called Sale of the Century premieres on Nine Network and becomes the biggest hit of the year. Tony Barber who has previously hosted Great Temptation will return to host this remake along with new co-host Victoria Nicolls.
August - TV Times and TV Guide magazines are amalgamated into TV Week.
11 August - Canadian sceptic James Randi was interviewed by Don Lane which ended with a fight about elderly psychic Doris Stokes. As he went to a commercial break he fired Randi from the show, telling him to p**s off.
4 September - Australian drama miniseries The Timeless Land debuts on ABC.
September - The Australian Broadcasting Tribunal refuses the takeover of ATV10 by Rupert Murdoch's News Limited.
24 October - Special Broadcasting Service was launched as Channel 0/28.
12 November - In the 1980 season finale for Prisoner, Meg Jackson and Bob Morris marry, the Christmas performance and the mineshaft disaster.
The 1980 Moscow Olympics are televised on Seven Network via satellite.

Television

24 October - Channel 0/28{{cite web |title=National Museum of Australia - SBS established |url=https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/sbs-established |website=www.nma.gov.au |access-date=3 November 2024 |language=en}}

Debuts

class="wikitable sortable" width="100%" style="font-size:87%;"

bgcolor="#efefef"

! width=60%| Program

! width=20%| Network

! width=20%| Debut date

Arcade

| Network Ten

| {{sort|1980-01-20|20 January}}

Kingswood Country

| Seven Network

| {{sort|1980-01-30|30 January}}

Timelapse

| ABC TV

| {{sort|1980-03-12|12 March}}

Locusts and Wild Honey

| ABC TV

| {{sort|1980-04-13|13 April}}

Are You Being Served?

| Network Ten

| {{sort|1980-06-15|15 June}}

Sam's Luck

| ABC TV

| {{sort|1980-07-07|7 July}}

Sale of the Century

| Nine Network

| {{sort|1980-07-14|14 July}}

The Timeless Land

| ABC TV

| {{sort|1980-09-04|4 September}}

Home Sweet Home

| ABC TV

| {{sort|1980-10-06|6 October}}

All in the Green Year

| ABC TV

| {{sort|1980-10-20|20 October}}

Videodisc

| ABC TV

| {{sort|1980-10-27|27 October}}

New international programming

1 January - {{flagicon|USA}} The Duke (Seven Network)
2 January - {{flagicon|FRA}}/{{flagicon|JPN}} Zoom the White Dolphin (ABC TV)
13 January - {{flagicon|USA}} Quark (ABC TV)
27 January - {{flagicon|USA}} 240 Robert (Network Ten)
3 February - {{flagicon|UK}} Rebecca (ABC TV)
5 February - {{flagicon|UK}} The Omega Factor (ABC TV)
7 February - {{flagicon|UK}} Telford's Change (ABC TV)
11 February - {{flagicon|USA}} The All-New Popeye Show (Seven Network)
21 February - {{flagicon|USA}} Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels (Seven Network)
21 February - {{flagicon|USA}} The Dukes of Hazzard (Network Ten)
3 March - {{flagicon|UK}} Grange Hill (ABC TV)
4 April - {{flagicon|USA}} A Connecticut Rabbit in King Arthur's Court (Network Ten - Sydney)
22 April - {{flagicon|USA}} Beggarman, Thief (Seven Network)
26 May - {{flagicon|USA}} Fangface (Network Ten)
27 May - {{flagicon|UK}} Minder (ABC TV)
31 May - {{flagicon|USA}} California Fever (Network Ten)
4 June - {{flagicon|USA}} Jason of Star Command (Nine Network)
22 June - {{flagicon|USA}} Scooby and Scrappy-Doo (Nine Network)
2 July – {{flagicon|UK}} The Paper Lads (Nine Network)
5 July - {{flagicon|USA}} Godzilla (Seven Network)
16 July - {{flagicon|USA}} Hagen (Nine Network)
2 August - {{flagicon|USA}} Space Sentinels (Network Ten)
4 August - {{flagicon|USA}} Thunder (Network Ten)
25 August - {{flagicon|UK}} Ballet Shoes (Nine Network)
9 September - {{flagicon|UK}} The Moon Stallion (ABC TV)
25 September - {{flagicon|UK}} Hawkmoor (ABC TV)
20 October - {{flagicon|UK}} Huntingtower (ABC TV)
3 November - {{flagicon|UK}} Pinocchio (ABC TV)
16 November - {{flagicon|USA}} A New Kind of Family (Seven Network)
17 November - {{flagicon|USA}} Beyond Westworld (Seven Network)
18 November - {{flagicon|USA}} Big Shamus, Little Shamus (Seven Network)
19 November - {{flagicon|USA}} Me and Maxx (Network Ten)
25 November - {{flagicon|USA}} Flo (Network Ten)
26 November - {{flagicon|USA}} The Ropers (Seven Network)
2 December - {{flagicon|USA}} Mrs. Columbo (Nine Network)
3 December - {{flagicon|USA}} B.A.D. Cats (Nine Network)
4 December - {{flagicon|USA}} The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show (Network Ten)
9 December - {{flagicon|UK}} Flambards (Nine Network)
22 December - {{flagicon|USA}} The New Fred and Barney Show (Seven Network)
23 December - {{flagicon|USA}} Texas (Network Ten)
25 December - {{flagicon|USA}} Bugs Bunny's Looney Christmas Tales (Network Ten)
26 December - {{flagicon|USA}} Struck by Lightning (Seven Network)

Television shows

=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){{cite web |title=David Bowie on The Don Lane Show |url=https://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/curated/asset/96739-david-bowie-don-lane-show |website=National Film and Sound Archive of Australia |access-date=3 November 2024}}
60 Minutes (1979–present)
Prisoner (1979–1986)
Doctor Down Under (1979–1980)