Television

The NFSA television collection includes many iconic moments in Australian television from its beginning in 1956 to the present: TV dramas such as Homicide (1964-1976), Underbelly (2008-current) and Rake (2010); mini series such as Against the Wind (1978); telemovies such as the The King (2007); music and variety shows such as Six O’Clock Rock (1959-62) and Rove (1999-2009).

It also features game and reality shows such as Wheel of Fortune (1981-2008) and Masterchef (2009-current), as well as a number of Australia’s greatest sporting moments and critical news events and current affairs programs.

The size of Australia’s television industry means, however, that the NFSA can only acquire a fraction of the programs we see on our television that are available across digital and analogue broadcasting platforms and include free to air, subscription, community and internet TV.

Program selection is based on a title’s cultural, historic and aesthetic significance and is guided by the NFSA’s collection policy. The collection strives to document the development of the Australian television industry, including examples of early television tests prior to commencement of regular TV broadcast in 1956; the introduction of subscription television in 1995; creation of Indigenous television service National Indigenous Television (NITV) on 13 July 2007 and the introduction of multiple digital channels.

It also documents the technical changes and challenges the industry has faced: the introduction of videotape, satellites, colour TV, 3D television, internet TV and the first switch off of the analogue signal.