1965 Rottnest Island IPT OB
Mike Humphry has kindly provided us with a flashback to 1965 when TVW was producing the popular tonight style variety show called “In Perth Tonight” (IPT). It was based on Graham Kennedy’s “In Melbourne Tonight” (IMT) which commenced in 1957, one year after television was launched in Australia. Both IMT and [...]

To explain: Brian gathered our best on and off-camera talent together (David Farr I recall, was the male lead) he then designed a set larger than anything that had ever been devised before—complete with a running stream, weeping willows, wild flowers, a boat (avec oars) and a leading lady (whose name escapes me) and appropriate English garden-type music, to complete this idyllic scene of David rowing his paramour to goodness-knows-where..

… Uncle Albert’s few friends congratulated him on the commercial—but he got no new business, and the best salesmanship involved was after the event when I had to convince BST that even though we were in breach of Broadcasting standards by running an almost four minute commercial, the vision was such as to justify it being considered as Australian progam content if we were asked to explain…

Lamenting the loss of local Perth TV content and investigating modern means for re-cultivating it… regaining some semblance of local control.

If you want to know where the local bands are playing, the newest show in town and where’s the latest club or nightspot in Perth, then television is no longer the best place to look, [...]

The end of Local TV… or is it?
At a recent gathering of folk involved in the media, former TVW Managing Director Kevin Campbell detailed the desirable affects of an intensely-local television format, which proved most successful in Canada.

Former TVW Managing Director Kevin Campbell

This is the Citytv concept.

Kevin also outlined [...]

Inquiry into recent ABC programming decisions Terms of Reference That the following matter be referred to the Environment and Communications References Committee for inquiry and report by 12 October 2011: The decision by the television management of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) to significantly cut the number and amount of ABC-produced programs, jobs (including through forced redundancies) and potentially affect resources, as announced on August 2, 2011, with particular reference to:

the implications of this decision on the ABC’s ability to create, produce and own its television content, particularly in the capital cities of Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Hobart; the implications of this decision on Australian film and television production in general and potential impact on quality and diversity of programs; whether a reduction in ABC-produced programs is contrary to the aims of the National Regional Program Initiative; the implications of these cuts on content ownership and intellectual property; the impact of the ABC’s decision to end internal production of Bananas in Pyjamas and to outsource the making of a ‘Bananas in Pyjamas’ animation series to Southern Star Endemol Proprietary Limited; and the future potential implications of these cuts on ABC television’s capacity to broadcast state league football and rugby; and any other related matters.

Demolition of the former ABW Channel 2 Television studios in Perth, Western Australia, is currently underway to make way for two new buildings.

ABW Channel 2 Studios in Perth WA Demolished

WA TV History
Demolition of the former Perth ABC Television building on Terrace Road is currently underway to make way for two new [...]

A Rock Mass For Love LP was recorded live during a TVW Channel 7 outside broadcast at St George’s Cathedral, Perth on 21st March 1971. The Director was Keith Mackenzie and 2 of the OB cameramen were Bob Finkle and Murray Kelso.

It was one of the first Australian musical works of its kind, preceding the [...]

WA TV History This is the opening number of ‘The Good Oil’ a musical comedy written by Coralie Condon and first performed on stage at Perth’s Playhouse Theatre in 1958.

… WA TV History This number was from the 1965 TVW Channel 7 production of ‘The Good Oil’ (a musical comedy written by Coralie Condon) features Jill Perryman and Kevan Johnston.

TVW in 1973

Western Australia’s first television station TVW Channel 7 opened on October 16th, 1959. The second commercial station STW Channel 9 commenced full program broadcasts on June 12th, 1965. There was a long pause before the third commercial station NEW Channel 10 opened on May 20, 1988.

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EIGHT YEARS WITH SEVEN IN THE SIXTIES
Brian Harrison-Lever

Brian Harrison-Lever with Carolyn Tannock (nee Noble)

After returning from a 4 year working holiday in the UK in 1963 I made an application for a job as a Set Designer with Perth’s new, commercial television station, TVW Channel Seven. I was interviewed by the then Station Manager Brian [...]