60 Years of QLD TV

Days elapsed since Local Edition's end.

Saturday, August 30, 2008

ten-9-08 Flashback-The 1988 Seoul Olympics...

As we countdown to September 10, I thought it would be novel to go back in time... to the event (other than the Expo 88 closing ceremony) that was the biggest selling point for Brisbane residents in 1988 to "come across to Ten", the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Because Brisbane moved from 0 to 10, for the first time Network Ten could provide proper national promotion of programs, i.e promos didn't need changing for TV0 or completely new promos be produced for the Brisbane market. But it also meant that they could drop the "Eyewitness" from their news brand as all five metro stations (4 O&O, and the Ten affiliate in Brisbane) were on the same channel. Network Ten picked up the rights for Seoul in the early 1980's, as part of a deal which saw Ten screen the 1984 LA Olympics via satellite. But in 1988, Seoul was only a hour behind Sydney allowing live broadcasts as they happened (at a reasonable time) for the first time (as the previous two Olympics close to our timezone, Melbourne in 1956 and Tokyo in 1964 either had the disadvantage of no national coverage (in 1956) or no satellite links (in 1964).) We are very fortunate to have had two Olympics since Seoul, Sydney in 2000 and the recently completed Beijing games in 2008 that have not cost Aussies precious sleep.

As this blog is short, we will be using embedded videos rather than links to them.

Promo- "The World Is Coming To Seoul"

12/9/88-Week to go, a promo featuring Ten's Olympic commentators and a movie preview for the week ending with a Olympics promo.

17/9/88-A opening to remember, and the "Eyewitness" is dropped in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth to become "Ten News" (Brisbane kept the "Eyewitness" brand due to their commitment to Expo 88. The night after the Expo closing ceremony, Brisbane dropped the "Eyewitness" to come into line with the O&O's.)

Ten's Olympic schedule allowed room for their two nighttime hits, Perfect Match and Neighbours to continue unabated (unlike Seven's in 2008 which put Deal or No Deal and Home and Away on hiatus during the Olympics, while Today Tonight aired live from Beijing)
Credits go to aussiebeachut at Youtube!

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