2000 in Australian television
Television
- 1 January – The Seven Network introduces a new logo, the first one not to have the 7 inside a circle, which is still in use to today.
- 1 February – Popstars becomes the first Australian reality talent show, earning massive ratings for the Seven Network, leading to Bardot, the end product of the show. It becomes the first Australian act to debut at the number 1 position with both its debut single and debut album.
- 8 February – Due to GTV-9's Burgo's Catch Phrase losing its ratings, the Seven Network's smash-hit puzzle show, Wheel Of Fortune changes the new cash values on the Wheel. The changes to top Dollars were from $500 to $750 in Round 1, $1000 to $1500 in Rounds 2 & 3 and $2000 to $2500 in Round 4. The Proton car Wedge is introduced on the wheel. The show's highest-rating 4000th Episode was screened on 13 June, then the Battle Of The Champions special was screened in September, before it followed with the Sydney Olympics.
- 10 February – Australia's Funniest Home Video Show returns and starts in 2000 with a new look format, a new theme song and a relocation from Sydney to Melbourne. Also on that month, it moved to "Every Saturday Nights" at 6:30 PM.
- 27 February – The first ever reality TV show to debut in Australia, The Mole debuts on the Seven Network. Four more seasons follow.
- 6 March – Foxtel introduces a new sports channel called The Fox Footy Channel. It runs until 4:00 AM on 1 October 2006, with the final ever broadcast being the 2006 AFL Grand Final.
- 24 April - Jan Moody wins the first season of The Mole, taking home $115,000 in prize money. Alan Mason is revealed as the Mole, and Abby Coleman is the runner-up.
- 18 July - Hey Hey It's Saturday team member Red Symons, became the first celebrity to miss the $500,000 question on the three hour celebrity special on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?.
- 28 August - 58 year old Brisbane resident Trevor Sauer becomes the first person to win $500,000 on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?.
- September – The Sydney Olympics earn record ratings for Channel 7 with the Olympic Opening & Closing Ceremonies, and its continuous coverage.
- 9 October – Rove McManus's weekly talk show Rove Live makes its debut on Network Ten after it was axed by Nine Network in 1999.
- 19 December – The Seven Network loses the TV rights to the AFL for the first time, since televised football began in 1957. The rights are won by a Nine Network-Network Ten-Foxtel consortium.
- TV stations conduct test transmissions in digital.
- Nine Network's Australian game show Sale of the Century becomes Sale of the New Century and celebrates 20 years on air.
Channels
New channels
Domestic
International
Subscription Television
International
Specials
Documentary Specials
| Program |
Channel |
Debut date |
| Africa's Deadly Dozen[8] |
National Geographic Channel |
2000-11-04 !4 November |
| When Dinosaurs Ruled: At the Ends of the Earth[8] |
Discovery Channel |
2000-11-16 !16 November |
| Destination Space[8] |
National Geographic Channel |
2000-11-20 !20 November |
| Wings: Hindenburg: Fire in the Sky[8] |
Discovery Channel |
2000-11-26 !26 November |
Programming Changes
Subscription premieres
This is a list of programs which made their premiere on Australian subscription television that had previously premiered on Australian free-to-air television. Programs may still air on the original free-to-air television network.
Domestic
International
Ending This Year
References
Dragon Ball Z
Bear in the Big Blue House
Little Monsters
Franklin
SimsalaGrimm