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Please be watching TVW Channel 7 tonight at 8:30pm (Friday October 16th, 2009) for Seven’s 50th anniversary special titled “7 Perth The First 50 Years”.

This fast moving, informative and entertaining special will bring back many fond memories of TVW in the early years. It will also be an education for the younger viewers who did not experience a time when TVW was an independent company, dedicated to providing a local presence, broadcasting a wide range of live and recorded shows every day. Romper Room, Children’s Channel Seven, Stars of the Future, Today and Televisit aimed at women, News, current events, Viewpoint and Sports programs, with a variety of entertainment shows from Spotlight, Tuesday Date, Teen Beat, Club 7 Teen, Tonight on Seven, In Perth Tonight, Spellbound, and the many quiz shows such as Post Office, Letterbox and It’s Academic, Reach For The Stars, the big budget specials such as Invitation to the Dance, the Nutcracker and the Good Oil and many more. Not to forget the arena shows in the big tent or the Perth Entertainment Centre, the Christmas Pageant and Telethon. This trend continued as the decades passed, culminating in the internationally broadcast Bob Hope Down Under in 1978 and Miss Universe in 1979.

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Sir James Cruthers espouses the philosophy first outlined by WA Newspaper Managing Editor James Edward Macartney. Darcy Farrell informs us of the world changing and headline gaining stories during his period as the inaugural News Editor.


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Rolf Harris, Coralie Condon, Brian Williams and Carolyn Noble were four TVW pioneers who made a big impact on the viewers, as either presenters or producers.


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Gary Carvolth and Jeff Newman represent two very versatile presenters, involved with a wide range of programs and who applied their craft both in front and behind the cameras. Trina Brown was also very versatile. Firstly as a fondly remembered children’s hostess, Secondly pioneering Early Birds and thirdly as the first woman weather presenter in WA.

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Sandy Baker, Johnny Young, Peter Waltham and Alison Fan enlighten us about the early and middle years.


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Simon Reeve, Yvette Mooney, Jenny Seaton, Keith Geary, Susannah Carr and Ric Ardon wrap up the final decades. The images here only give a small insight into the considerable content of this two hour special, astutely produced by Sadie Purser and most competently compiled by Brad Bergersen.



12 Responses to “The First 50 Years – TVW Channel 7 tonight at 8:30pm (Friday October 16th, 2009)”

  1. Frank Calabrese says:

    What a great special – a credit to everyone involved – I hope that Ch 7 will release an extended version of this special with extras etc and all monies raised being donated to Telethon – though I understand that there may be issues with getting copyright clearances for any commercial release.

    But one can dream, can’t they ?

  2. Kevin says:

    I requested a copy of the program from TVW and was told “Unfortunately this program won’t be available for sale due to copyright issues”.

    A real shame because I live in the US now and didn’t get to see the special last night. Hopefully some videos will pop up on YouTube soon :)

  3. Quentin Hall says:

    I hope there’s more footage of “the early years” of TVW. So much had to be skipped that I was thinking the first 15 years took about 10 minutes of the show last night. The bulk seemed to start in the days of colour transmission. It would be great to have more of the “make shift” ways of old. There would be a programme in that idea I’m sure. All the tricks of the trade.

    No mention of the infamous “Taffy the Lion”. Even the fact Michael Jackson came to Telethon one year wasn’t mentioned – or is that a hot potato subject?

  4. Tim Cracknell says:

    Brilliant special TVW! It was an eye opener to see how TVW 7 and Perth was over the years. I was a child of the late gen X and have very fond memories of much of the local news,programs and of course Telethon during the 1980s. I wasn’t home on Friday night although I was able to record the program to my DVD recorder (Gotta’ love modern AV recording technology) It’s a pity that copyright forbids the retail release of the program as it would be great if proceeds were submitted to Telethon!. Well done to WA TV History for promoting local TV history.

  5. Mary Labrou says:

    Do you have any footage from stars of the future ?

  6. JOAN FLOOD says:

    HI IM LOOKING FOR A PROGRAMME SO EASY ???1963-64 WHERE MEG ALEXANDER WAS THE PRESENTER FOR SINGER .MEG LIVES NEXT TO ME HER BIRTHDAYS 87 IS DUE SOON I WOULD LIKE TO SURPRISE HER.I DID TRY 2 YEARS AGO

    THANK YOU

    JOAN FLOOD

  7. Linda Attard says:

    Hi,I am desperatly searching for footage of my husband who was on a telephon hosted by bob rodgers and on channel 7 1970 my husband played and sang in his first band liquid amber,tony lammond was one of the judges ,my husband was only 11.It would mean so much to us if we could find it,it was ,we have been married for 33 years this year it would be the best gift for both of us.

  8. catherine says:

    Hi I’m trying to find some shows to watch of stars of the future one with a circus act for a friend as her father has passed away and he appeared on the show if someonecould help me thank u

  9. catherine says:

    0488959680

  10. Faye says:

    Hi, is there any way of getting recordings of club seventeen or are there no records thanks faye

  11. Nicola Smith says:

    I have just been given a betamax video of my sisters as contestants on stars of the future , we were called the smith sisters , this was back in 1978/1979 , will know exact date when I have had it transferred onto cd , can anyone tell me who judged with Max Kay in the late 70’s ? and who the show host was ? please

  12. Rod Kerr says:

    I’m looking for any information on Don Rennie. I believe he had a show called Rennie’s Half Hour. Any information would be most welcome.

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