January 09: Obama, Ajay, McLeod’s & Temptation

December 26, 2009  Filed Under News, 8 Comments » 

TV Tonight begins a look back over 2009, by logging some of the headlines that made 2009 so memorable.

January
Simon Baker mulls US citizenship
Heather Locklear gets probation

Grant Denyer on the comeback to recovery
Matt Smith named eleventh Doctor Who
NRL Footy Show loses “The Chief”
Queensland courts the Logies
Joe O’Brien becomes permanent co-host of ABC2 News Breakfast
Mike Munro signs to Sunday Night
TEN ends Bold & Beautiful 6pm experiment
President Obama Inauguration

Patrick Swayze hospitalised with pneumonia
Peter Overton takes over …

Gallery: Obama Inauguration

January 21, 2009  Filed Under Programming, 34 Comments » 

President Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, called on his countrymen to begin a new chapter in the US. “Starting today we must pick ourselves up dust ourselves off and begin again the work of remaking America,” he said.

In a deeply religious ceremony, Obama indicated to the world that America is ready to lead with new resolve.

“And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of …

APAC on the air

January 20, 2009  Filed Under Pay TV, 24 Comments » 

APAC, the Australian Public Affairs Channel, has hit Pay Television today screening on Channel #607.

The Foxtel / Austar funded channel is produced by SKY News and is available at no extra cost to subscription viewers.

As with the C-SPAN Channel in the US, APAC will focus on broadcasting government sessions. The channel will offer complete sittings from the federal house, the senate, and hearings plus question time from NSW, Victoria and Queensland state parliaments. Other states will follow. It will also feature one dedicated evening programme still to be announced.

A channel …

Seven joins inauguration party

January 19, 2009  Filed Under Programming, 11 Comments » 

Seven is the final network to announce its plans for the Inauguration of Barack Obama.

It will screen from 3am – 6am hosted by Natalie Barr and Mike Amor both in Washington DC. There will be crosses to reporter Rahni Sadler on the parade route. Sunrise will be hosted by Natalie Barr live from Washington with Melissa Doyle and Larry Emdur in Sydney.

All our networks will now cover this historic event at the Capitol Building, with only one delayed （SBS）.

Start times in AEDT are as follows:

Tue Jan 20
9pm SKY News US …

Obama: TEN telecast / SBS concert

January 17, 2009  Filed Under Programming, 15 Comments » 

More programming news on the Obama Inauguration which takes place early on Wednesday morning (Australian time) with word that Network TEN will screen TEN News Presentation: Inauguration of Barack Obama.

This is an unusual move by TEN, which was the only network the didn’t expand its daytime coverage when Obama won the election. But it will screen extensive coverage beginning at 1:30am Wednesday to 6am.

Nine and ABC will also have live coverage, while SBS has highlights later on Wednesday.

This now leaves Seven -most unusually- as the only network not to …

A-PAC Channel nears

January 15, 2009  Filed Under Pay TV, 19 Comments » 

New public affairs channel, A-PAC, is due to launch soon on Foxtel and Austar.

The not-for-profit, independent channel, has already undergone a name change from A-SPAN, but has been promised to launch January 20th, in time for the Obama Inauguration.

The channel will feature complete sittings from the federal house, the senate, and hearings plus question time from NSW, Victoria and Queensland state parliaments. Other states will follow.

In addition to interviews with politicians it will also have a dedicated evening programme and incorporate the National Press Club, the Sydney Institute, the Institute of …

Nine’s live Obama marathon

January 14, 2009  Filed Under Programming, 16 Comments » 

Nine News will present a live marathon telecast of Barack Obama’s Inauguration, beginning next Tuesday night.

The special, featuring live reports from Karl Stefanovic (and not his correspondent brother Peter) and Robert Penfold in Washington DC, begins at 10:55pm, elbowing ER into the waiting room.

It will continue through until 5:30am Wednesday morning.

ABC also has an overnight live telecast while SBS screens highlights the next day.

No word yet from Seven or TEN.

Airdate: President Obama Inauguration

January 9, 2009  Filed Under Programming, 6 Comments » 

Barack Obama’s Inauguration is set to take place very early on the morning of Wednesday January 21 (Australian time).

Unlike the election result and victory speech, the Obama Inauguration takes place from 4am AEDT on January 21 (2am in WA).

ABC will screen it live from 3:30am AEDT (earlier in states outside this time zone. It will also have a highlights package at 12:30pm hosted by Barrie Cassidy in Washington.

SBS will also screen a highlights package at 12:30pm with Anton Enus.

By Wednesday morning we will probably have watched select moments on our breakfast …