Australia TX 1965-1967 - Revision history

Jon Preddle: Redirected page to Australia TX 1965-1966

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Redirected page to Australia TX 1965-1966

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Jon Preddle at 04:07, 22 November 2014

2014-11-22T04:07:35Z

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 In short, the variable time changes across the country meant that even though broadcasts of '''Doctor Who''' were scheduled to air all in the same early evening timeslot, the series actually aired in the west two or three hours after it had aired in the east.
-During the 1960s and 1970s, on the infrequent occasion that the same episode of '''Doctor Who''' aired in the west on the same day as it did in the east, there is uncertainty as to the mechanism by which this was achieved. There were several 'dual' screening methods available and employed by the Australian TV networks. These include:
+During the 1960s and 1970s, on the infrequent occasion that the same episode of '''Doctor Who''' aired in the west on the same day as it did in the east, there is uncertainty as to the mechanism by which this was achieved in every instance. There were several 'dual' screening methods available and employed by the Australian TV networks. These include:
 * '''Duplicate Prints''': Copies of the original film positive would be struck, and circulated around the regions. It's possible that one set of prints was bicycled between the western stations and another set was bicycled between the eastern stations (and on the very odd occasion they were bicycled between west and east). Indeed, this practice of bicycling was still very much in use (but with video tapes) well into the 1980s! (See further note below.)
 *'''Video Duplicates''': The episodes were copied onto video tape well in advance of broadcast, and it was the tapes that were bicycled around the regions rather than film duplicates.
@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
-'''DUPLICATE PRINTS?'''
+<!--'''DUPLICATE PRINTS?'''
 The '''duplicate print''' method was most likely used for '''Doctor Who'''. (The duplicate prints would have been made after the original positives had been cut by the censors, so any cuts would be 'printed in' the copy.) Given the staggered launch of the new series across the country and lack of any overlapping airdates in 1965, it's clear that there were no duplicate copies of prints in circulation for the first "Block" of episodes (i.e. serials {{A}} to {{P}}).
@@ Line 44: / Line 44: @@
 *'''Block 6''' ({{YY}} to {{CCC}}): one print + one duplicate
 *'''Block 7''' ({{EEE}} to {{SSS}}): one print + one duplicate
-With the introduction of colour to the ABC in March 1975, the mass duplication of video tapes was far less costly than printing off film copies. But it wasn't until February 1978 that for the very first time, all stations in all regions screened the same episode of '''Doctor Who''' on the same day, and this was achieved through the bulk duplication from the master video tapes.
+<!--However, given the lack of consistency regarding when and where there were 'dual' screenings (refer to "Block 4" that aired from [[Airdates in Australia (1967-1971)|24 March 1967]] for an example of ''multiple'' multiple screenings!), we have not always attempted to rationalise the methods employed, but we do note in the commentary and on the Airdates table pages where 'multiple copies' may have been in use.-->
 And although we note when the final regular screening of a particular serial occurred, it should be kept in mind that the same episode may have aired a few months later on a Country Station in QUEENSLAND.

@@ Line 33: / Line 33: @@
 '''DUPLICATE PRINTS?'''
-The '''duplicate print''' method was most likely always used for '''Doctor Who'''. (The duplicate prints would have been made after the original positives had been cut by the censors, so any cuts would be 'printed in' the copy.) Given the staggered launch of the new series across the country and lack of any overlapping airdates in 1965, it's clear that there were no duplicate copies of prints in circulation for the first "Block" of episodes (i.e. serials {{A}} to {{P}}).
+The '''duplicate print''' method was most likely used for '''Doctor Who'''. (The duplicate prints would have been made after the original positives had been cut by the censors, so any cuts would be 'printed in' the copy.) Given the staggered launch of the new series across the country and lack of any overlapping airdates in 1965, it's clear that there were no duplicate copies of prints in circulation for the first "Block" of episodes (i.e. serials {{A}} to {{P}}).
 However, '''IF''' duplicating prints was the '''only''' method ever used in order to explain all the 'dual screenings' in different states on the same date from late 1966 onwards, the following is the '''minimum''' number of prints + duplicates needed to accommodate the regional airdates for each Block of stories:

@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 During the 1960s and 1970s, on the infrequent occasion that the same episode of '''Doctor Who''' aired in the west on the same day as it did in the east, there is uncertainty as to the mechanism by which this was achieved. There were several 'dual' screening methods available and employed by the Australian TV networks. These include:
 * '''Duplicate Prints''': Copies of the original film positive would be struck, and circulated around the regions. It's possible that one set of prints was bicycled between the western stations and another set was bicycled between the eastern stations (and on the very odd occasion they were bicycled between west and east). Indeed, this practice of bicycling was still very much in use (but with video tapes) well into the 1980s! (See further note below.)
 * '''Link by Cable''': Some of the major eastern cities were connected by a co-axial cable, which allowed for simultaneous broadcast of the same programme. (A co-axial cable link between MELBOURNE and SYDNEY was officially opened on '''9 April 1962'''. CANBERRA was likewise connected to this cable. The cable's 50th anniversary was celebrated in April 2012, per this [http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/conroy/media/media_releases/2012/048  Media Release].) However since this cable supplied telephone communications as well, use of the cable had to be booked in advance for television transmissions, and therefore this method of providing programming around the country was probably costly and used mainly for sharing of news feeds and locally-made programming rather than for children's programmes from the BBC.
 * '''Record for later Playback''': For those regions linked by cable or transmission line, programmes could be recorded onto video tape direct from the co-axial feed, and played back at a later time or day. These tapes were on occasion shared between those states not yet linked by cable or microwave.

@@ Line 68: / Line 68: @@
 *'''PERTH''': '''Doctor Who''' made its Australian '''debut''' in Western Australia, on Tuesday, '''12 January 1965'''. From Monday, '''22 March 1965''', the PERTH screenings shifted to Mondays. Between Wednesday, '''12 January''' and Thursday, '''20 January 1966''', while {{L}} and {{M}} was on, {{D}} was repeated. The first run ended on Monday, '''18 April 1966'''.
-*'''SYDNEY and CANBERRA''': Three days later, on Friday, '''15 January 1965''', SYDNEY and CANBERRA welcomed the new series. (It seems highly likely that Sydney's signal was being rebroadcast to the capital or it was a direct feed from the Sydney/Melbourne co-axial cable link-up). Mid-way through {{K}}, the '''first-ever''' holiday repeats occurred in SYDNEY and CANBERRA – both {{D}} and {{F}} were rerun in both regions at 1.30pm weekday afternoons, from Monday, '''20 December 1965''' to Monday, '''3 January 1966'''. The opening run concluded on Friday, '''22 April 1966'''.
+*'''SYDNEY and CANBERRA''': Three days later, on Friday, '''15 January 1965''', SYDNEY and CANBERRA welcomed the new series. Mid-way through {{K}}, the '''first-ever''' holiday repeats occurred in SYDNEY and CANBERRA – both {{D}} and {{F}} were rerun in both regions at 1.30pm weekday afternoons, from Monday, '''20 December 1965''' to Monday, '''3 January 1966'''. The opening run concluded on Friday, '''22 April 1966'''.
 *'''BRISBANE''': The series started on Friday, '''22 January 1965'''. The run ended on Friday, '''29 April 1966'''. If there was a repeat of {{D}} during December 1965/January 1966, as in other regions, we have not been able to find any listings. Chances are Brisbane never saw the serial repeated. (Although there is a ''very remote'' possibility that all seven episodes aired back to back one day as a replacement for cricket that had been cancelled due to rain (possibly on 11 December 1965), such a scheduling move would have been highly uncharacteristic of the ABC...)
@@ Line 276: / Line 276: @@
 *'''SYDNEY''': commenced with {{Q}}, the next story in sequence from where "Block 1" ended, screening all subsequent serials in the correct order up to {{U}}, after which came repeats of {{H}}, {{J}}, {{M}}, {{N}}, and {{P}}, followed by new episodes {{W}} to {{Z}} in order. SYDNEY was the first region to complete this run, which concluded on '''16 January 1967'''.
-*'''CANBERRA''': also commenced with {{Q}}, the next story in sequence from where the last Block left off. However, since Canberra aired only three times a week (no episode on Thursdays), this brings us to the likelihood of there being multiple prints in use between Sydney and Canberra, or the state capital simply recorded onto tape for later play-back the signals coming from Sydney. After {{Q}} came {{R}} to {{U}} in order, followed by repeats of {{H}}, {{J}}, {{M}}, {{N}} and {{P}}, after which came {{W}} to {{Z}} in order. CANBERRA was the last region to complete this run, which ended on '''20 February 1967'''.
+*'''CANBERRA''': also commenced with {{Q}}, the next story in sequence from where the last Block left off. However, since Canberra aired only three times a week (no episode on Thursdays), this brings us to the likelihood that the state capital simply recorded onto tape for later play-back the signals coming from the Sydney feed. After {{Q}} came {{R}} to {{U}} in order, followed by repeats of {{H}}, {{J}}, {{M}}, {{N}} and {{P}}, after which came {{W}} to {{Z}} in order. CANBERRA was the last region to complete this run, which ended on '''20 February 1967'''.
 *'''ADELAIDE''': opened on '''10 October 1966''' with an out of sequence {{S}}; this was followed by {{Q}}, then {{R}}, then a jump to {{T}}, followed by repeats of {{D}}, {{N}} and {{F}} (in that order), after which came new episodes of {{U}}, then a repeat of {{H}}, {{J}} and {{M}}, followed by new serials {{W}} to {{Z}} in order. The ADELAIDE run concluded on '''2 February 1967'''.

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
-'''Time Zones'''
+'''TIME ZONES'''
-Australia has three standard time zones: during most of the year, PERTH is an hour and a half 'behind' ADELAIDE and DARWIN, and two hours 'behind' MELBOURNE, HOBART, CANBERRA, SYDNEY and BRISBANE. However PERTH, DARWIN and BRISBANE do not adopt "Daylight Savings" by adjusting the clocks by an hour during summer, and the other states that do recognise the change do not all do so at the same time! (For more on this, see [[Wikipedia: Australia Time|HERE]]!)
+Australia has three standard time zones: during most of the year, PERTH is an hour and a half 'behind' ADELAIDE and DARWIN, and two hours 'behind' MELBOURNE, HOBART, CANBERRA, SYDNEY and BRISBANE. However PERTH, DARWIN and BRISBANE do not adopt "Daylight Savings" by adjusting the clocks by an hour during summer, and the other states that do recognise the change do not all do so at the same time! (For more on this, see [[Wikipedia: Australian Time|HERE]].)
 In short, the variable time changes across the country meant that even though broadcasts of '''Doctor Who''' were scheduled to air all in the same early evening timeslot, the series actually aired in the west two or three hours after it had aired in the east.
 During the 1960s and 1970s, on the infrequent occasion that the same episode of '''Doctor Who''' aired in the west on the same day as it did in the east, there is uncertainty as to the mechanism by which this was achieved. There were several 'dual' screening methods available and employed by the Australian TV networks. These include:
-* '''Duplicate Prints''': Copies of the original film positive would be struck, and circulated around the regions. It's possible that one set of prints was bicycled between the western stations and another set was bicycled between the eastern stations (and on the very odd occasion they were bicycled between west and east) (see further note below)
+* '''Duplicate Prints''': Copies of the original film positive would be struck, and circulated around the regions. It's possible that one set of prints was bicycled between the western stations and another set was bicycled between the eastern stations (and on the very odd occasion they were bicycled between west and east). Indeed, this practice of bicycling was still very much in use (but with video tapes) well into the 1980s! (See further note below.)
-* '''Link by Cable''': Some of the major eastern cities were connected by a co-axial cable, which allowed for simultaneous broadcast of the same programme. (A co-axial cable link between MELBOURNE and SYDNEY was officially opened on '''9 April 1962'''. CANBERRA was likewise connected to this cable. The cable's 50th anniversary was celebrated in April 2012, per this [http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/conroy/media/media_releases/2012/048  Media Release].)
+* '''Link by Cable''': Some of the major eastern cities were connected by a co-axial cable, which allowed for simultaneous broadcast of the same programme. (A co-axial cable link between MELBOURNE and SYDNEY was officially opened on '''9 April 1962'''. CANBERRA was likewise connected to this cable. The cable's 50th anniversary was celebrated in April 2012, per this [http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/conroy/media/media_releases/2012/048  Media Release].) However since this cable supplied telephone communications as well, use of the cable had to be booked in advance for television transmissions, and therefore this method of providing programming around the country was probably costly and used mainly for sharing of news feeds and locally-made programming rather than for children's programmes from the BBC.
 * '''Record for later Playback''': For those regions linked by cable or transmission line, programmes could be recorded onto video tape direct from the co-axial feed, and played back at a later time or day. These tapes were on occasion shared between those states not yet linked by cable or microwave.
-* '''Microwave Link''': The ABC's west / east microwave link was officially 'opened' on '''9 July 1970''', which at least reduced but did not necessarily eliminate entirely the need to transport films and tapes from one state to another. (Indeed, this practice was still very much in use well into the 1980s!)
+* '''Microwave Link''': The ABC's west / east microwave link was officially 'opened' on '''9 July 1970''', which like the co-axial cables was used mainly for news feeds, rather than the sharing of imported programming.
 * Any combination of the above!
@@ Line 31: / Line 32: @@
 '''DUPLICATE PRINTS?'''
-The '''duplicate print''' method may have been used from time to time for '''Doctor Who'''. Given the staggered launch of the new series across the country and lack of any overlapping airdates in 1965, it's clear that there were no duplicate copies of prints in circulation for the first "Block" of episodes (i.e. serials {{A}} to {{P}}). However, '''IF''' duplicating prints was the '''only''' method used in order to explain all the 'dual screenings' in different states on the same date from late 1966 onwards, the following is the '''minimum''' number of duplicates needed to accommodate the regional airdates for each Block of stories:
+The '''duplicate print''' method was most likely always used for '''Doctor Who'''. (The duplicate prints would have been made after the original positives had been cut by the censors, so any cuts would be 'printed in' the copy.) Given the staggered launch of the new series across the country and lack of any overlapping airdates in 1965, it's clear that there were no duplicate copies of prints in circulation for the first "Block" of episodes (i.e. serials {{A}} to {{P}}).
 *'''Block 1''' ({{A}} to {{P}}): one print only
 *'''Block 2''' ({{Q}} to {{Z}}): one print + one duplicate
@@ Line 38: / Line 41: @@
 *'''Block 4''' ({{LL}} to {{SS}}): one print + two duplicates
 *'''Block 5''' ({{TT}} to {{XX}}): one print + one duplicate
-*'''Block 6''' ({{YY}} onwards): one print + one duplicate
+*'''Block 6''' ({{YY}} to {{CCC}}): one print + one duplicate
+*'''Block 7''' ({{EEE}} to {{SSS}}): one print + one duplicate
-However, given the lack of consistency regarding when and where there were 'dual' screenings (refer to "Block 4" that aired from [[Airdates in Australia (1967-1971)|24 March 1967]] for an example of ''multiple'' multiple screenings!), we have not always attempted to rationalise the methods employed, but we do note where 'multiple copies' may have been in use.
+With the introduction of colour to the ABC in March 1975, the mass duplication of video tapes was far less costly than printing off film copies. But it wasn't until February 1978 that for the very first time, all stations in all regions screened the same episode of '''Doctor Who''' on the same day, and this was achieved through the bulk duplication from the master video tapes.
 And although we note when the final regular screening of a particular serial occurred, it should be kept in mind that the same episode may have aired a few months later on a Country Station in QUEENSLAND.
@@ Line 60: / Line 64: @@
 |'''Repeats'''||'''{{D}}----{{F}}'''
 |}
-The first run of '''Doctor Who''' commenced in '''January 1965'''. Episodes aired weekly on different days of the week in each region, at 7.30pm - a timeslot dictated by the "A" censorship classification applied to {{A}}, {{B}}, {{C}}, {{E}}, {{G}}, {{J}}, {{K}} and {{L}}. Once all the "A" rated episodes had played, the timeslot was brought forward to 6.30pm, starting with [[The Web Planet]].
+The first run of '''Doctor Who''' commenced in '''January 1965'''. Episodes aired weekly on different days of the week in each region, at 7.30pm - a timeslot dictated by the "A" censorship classification applied to {{A}}, {{B}}, {{C}}, {{E}}, {{G}}, {{J}}, {{K}} and {{L}}. Once all the "A" rated episodes had played, the timeslot was subsequently brought forward to 6.30pm, starting with [[The Web Planet]].
 *'''PERTH''': '''Doctor Who''' made its Australian '''debut''' in Western Australia, on Tuesday, '''12 January 1965'''. From Monday, '''22 March 1965''', the PERTH screenings shifted to Mondays. Between Wednesday, '''12 January''' and Thursday, '''20 January 1966''', while {{L}} and {{M}} was on, {{D}} was repeated. The first run ended on Monday, '''18 April 1966'''.
@@ Line 85: / Line 89: @@
 ====REGIONAL VARIANCES====
 [[File:AustrCAF.JPG|thumb|right|350px|Article previewing the first episode in Perth, 12 January 1965]]
-[[File:BRISBANE22Jan65.JPG|thumb|right|350px|Billing, and Article previewing the first episode in Brisbane, 22 January 1965]]
+[[File:Canberra15-1-65.jpg|thumb|right|350px|Episode 1 airs on the first of the "Country Stations", Canberra's channel 3 on 15 January 1965, via link with Sydney]]
 [[File:MarcoRpt.JPG|right|thumb|350px|First repeat: Marco Polo, part one repeated; 1.30pm, Sydney, 20 December 1965]]
 As noted above, there were many inter- and intra-regional screening variances across the country. It would be impossible to catalogue every single one of these, but to illustrate the number of variances there could be just for one serial, here are the known main centre and country channel transmitters and airdates for [[An Unearthly Child]], parts one to four:
@@ Line 250: / Line 254: @@
 As you can see, the country stations in Queensland were airing the first serial while other centres in the same state were seeing [[The Daleks]].
-Also of note is that a large number of new Country Stations went into operation at different stages throughout 1965 (see list at right), widening the viewership of '''Doctor Who''' in its debut year; but of course that meant that many viewers tuned in for the first time mid-story!
+Also of note is that a large number of new Country Stations went into operation at different stages throughout 1965 (see list above and right), widening the viewership of '''Doctor Who''' in its debut year; but of course that meant that many viewers tuned in for the first time mid-story!
@@ Line 257: / Line 261: @@
 ===Block 2: HARTNELL ---- '''October 1966 to February 1967'''===
 [[File:Q3Oct66.JPG|right|thumb|350px|The Space Museum, part one, 6.30pm, 3 October 1966 (Sydney)]]
 {| {{small-table}}
 |-
@@ Line 264: / Line 269: @@
 |}
-This Block of stories is somewhat complex, due to the out-of-sequence screening of the stories. This was most likely due to two sets of prints being circulated between the five regions, and it was therefore necessary to screen the stories out of order to avoid any overlaps.
+This Block of stories was the first to be seen by the most number of viewers since the series started. As noted in the list above, by the middle of 1966, the number of Country Stations receiving feeds from their regional capital had nearly doubled the number that had been transmitting in 1965.
 The second run, now screening four days a week (Monday to Thursday, at 6.30pm), commenced Monday, '''3 October 1966''', in '''five regions''':
@@ Line 294: / Line 301: @@
 {{Aus air nav}}
 {{Blank lines|2}}
 ==Links==

@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 * '''Microwave Link''': The ABC's west / east microwave link was officially 'opened' on '''9 July 1970''', which at least reduced but did not necessarily eliminate entirely the need to transport films and tapes from one state to another. (Indeed, this practice was still very much in use well into the 1980s!)
-It is understood that the '''duplicate print''' method was very rarely adopted for '''Doctor Who'''. So, given the complexities of these 'dual' shared transmissions, we have not attempted to rationalise these methods, but we do note where 'multiple copies' may have been in use.
+There were also additional scheduling variances within each region / state / territory. For instance, due to its size, Queensland had quite a number of variances within the state (see sortable table below), and people in the south of Queensland could also view broadcasts coming from New South Wales. These variances have not been catalogued.
-There were also additional scheduling variances within each region / state / territory. For instance, due to its size, Queensland had quite a number of variances within the state (see sortable table below), and people in the south of Queensland could also view broadcasts coming from New South Wales. These variances have not been catalogued.
+It is understood that the '''duplicate print''' method was likely the most common method used for '''Doctor Who'''. However, given the lack of consistency regarding when and where there were 'dual' screenings (refer to the block that aired from [[Airdates in Australia (1967-1971)|24 March 1967]] for an example of multiple multiple screenings!), we have not attempted to rationalise these methods, but we do note where 'multiple copies' may have been in use.
 And although we note when the final screening of a particular serial occurred, it should be kept in mind that there may have been additional intra-regional screenings of that same story long after that 'final' date.
@@ Line 261: / Line 261: @@
 '''8mm OFF-SCREEN CLIPS'''
 An Australian viewer (whose identity and home city are unknown) filmed short clips of '''Doctor Who''' by pointing a 8mm silent film camera at his television screen. The extracts were most likely taken in SYDNEY during the October to November 1966 first run of {{Q}}, {{R}}, {{S}}, {{T}}, and {{U}}, followed by the repeats of {{H}}, {{J}} and {{N}}, during November and December 1966.