Television

• 1 January – The Seven Network introduces a new logo, the first one to not have the 7 inside a circle ^{[citation needed]}, which is still in use as of today.
• 7 January – American sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond airs on the Seven Network for the very last time. It would change broadcasts to Network Ten on 28 November.
• 17 January – Australian soap opera Something in the Air premieres on ABC. It was the very first Australian television series to be filmed in widescreen^{[citation needed]}.
• 31 January – American police procedural, legal, crime drama television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit makes it debut on Network Ten.
• 31 January – Dragon Ball Z premieres on Network Ten as part of Cheez TV. Originally using the censored Ocean Productions dub before switching to the uncut Funimation dub.
• 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.
• 3 February – Disaster strikes for the long running Australian children's TV series Play School as the ABC sacks its producer Henrietta Clark and long-time presenters Benita Collings, David James and Angela Moore in order to make way for a revamped version in the show’s 34-year history.
• 7 February – Author, journalist and former Four Corners presenter Paul Barry takes over as host of the Australian media analysis television program Media Watch presenting up until 6 November.
• 8 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.
• 21 February – The Nine Network's Australian game show Sale of the Century returns by rebranding their name to Sale of the New Century and celebrates 20 years on air.
• 22 February - The American police procedural series Third Watch premieres on the Nine Network.
• 26 February – The Nine Network debuts a brand new Saturday morning Warner Bros. themed wrapper program for children called The Cool Room as a replacement of its previous program What's Up Doc? which had been axed on Christmas Eve 1999.
• 27 February – The first ever reality TV show to debut in Australia, The Mole debuts on the Seven Network. Five more seasons follow.
• 6 March – Australian sports based talk show The Fat premieres on ABC.
• 12 March – The 1997 film Bean, starring British comedian Rowan Atkinson as his most famous character Mr. Bean and based on the British sitcom of the same name, premieres on the Seven Network.
• 13 March – In response 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 including the rising of the 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.
• 3 April – American children's television series Bear in the Big Blue House is broadcast on ABC airing on free for air television in Australia for the first time two years after its Australian debut on the Disney Channel.
• 24 April – Australian comedy series Pizza makes its premiere on SBS.
• 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.
• 1 May – Digimon makes it debut on Network Ten.
• 7 May – The 1996 film The Frighteners starring Michael J. Fox premieres on Network Ten.
• 20 May – Australian-American science fiction television series Farscape premieres on the Nine Network airing for the first time in Australia after the previous year when it first aired on The Sci-Fi Channel in the United States. The series was produced by The Jim Henson Company and Hallmark Entertainment.
• 27 May – Network Ten broadcasts the final episode of the Australian satirical panel game show Good News Week.
• 8 June – Australian soap opera Home and Away airs on ITV in the UK for the very last time after being broadcast on the network for 11 years. It will return to air on British television on Channel 5 on 16 July 2001. The show's year-long absence occurs because of a clause in ITV's contract preventing it from being broadcast for at least a year after its ITV run ends.
• 2 July – Batman & Robin premieres on the Nine Network.
• 16 July – The 1997 film Conspiracy Theory starring Mel Gibson and Julia Roberts premieres on the Nine Network.
• 17 July – Australian cooking show Fresh premieres on the Nine Network.
• 18 July – Former Hey Hey It's Saturday team member/Red Faces gong master judge 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?.
• 14 August – National Nine News updates its theme and on air graphics to coincide with the launch of Digital TV.
• 27 August – Australian drama series SeaChange returns for a third season on ABC.
• 28 August – Then 58-year-old Brisbane resident Trevor Sauer becomes the first person to win $500,000 on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?.
• 15 September – The Sydney Olympics earn record ratings for Channel 7 with the Olympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies, and its continuous coverage.
• 18 September – Australian breakfast program Sunrise returns to the Seven Network after a very long absence since its final episode in 1999.
• 9 October – Rove McManus's weekly talk show Rove Live makes its debut on Network Ten after it was axed by the Nine Network in 1999.
• 15 October – The 1997 film The Peacemaker starring George Clooney and Nicole Kidman premieres on the Nine Network.
• 6 November – Australian media analysis television program Media Watch is axed by the ABC as the host of the program Paul Barry had been sacked by the network's managing director Jonathan Shier.
• 18 November – The 1997 slasher film Scream 2, the sequel to the 1996 film Scream, premieres on the Nine Network.
• 28 November – American sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond switches over to air on Network Ten.
• 2 December – The 1997 film Spice World starring British pop group the Spice Girls premieres on the Seven Network.
• 9 December – Final episode of the Australian drama series SeaChange is broadcast on the ABC.
• 27 December – Long running Australian soap opera Neighbours begins airing on television stations in Ireland for the very first time on RTÉ.
• The famous^{[citation needed]} Touched by Berlei Hands TV commercial depicting a young woman with long dark hair, shown in the lead up to the Sydney Olympics, goes to air for the very first time.
• TV stations conduct test transmissions in digital.

Channels

New channels

• 1 January – CNNfn^[1]
• 2 December – FOX Classics Shared with Fox Kids

Debuts

Free-to-air

Domestic

International

Program	Channel	Debut date
Mercy Point	Network Ten	2 January
/ Vor-Tech: Undercover Conversion Squad	Network Ten	3 January
The Awful Truth	SBS	4 January
Painted Lady	Seven Network	7 January
// Space Island One	Nine Network	7 January
/ The Count of Monte Cristo (1998)	ABC	7 January
More Tears	SBS	22 January
Donovan Quick	ABC	23 January
The Cops	ABC	26 January
Living Britain	ABC	29 January
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit	Network Ten	31 January
Dragon Ball Z	Network Ten	31 January
Smack the Pony	ABC	3 February
Country House	Nine Network	5 February
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show	Seven Network	5 February
Mickey Mouse Works	Seven Network	5 February
David Copperfield (1999)	ABC	6 February
Playing the Field	Seven Network	17 February
Air America	Network Ten	19 February
Angel	Seven Network	20 February
Kid in the Corner	ABC	20 February
Roswell	Nine Network	21 February
Power Rangers Lost Galaxy	Seven Network	21 February
/ Ed, Edd 'n' Eddy	Seven Network	21 February
Third Watch	Nine Network	22 February
/ Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century	Seven Network	8 March
Maisie Raine	ABC	11 March
Oliver Twist (1999)	ABC	12 March
Daring & Grace: Teen Detectives	ABC	14 March
Escape from Colditz	ABC	22 March
Playing the Field	Seven Network	23 March
Busted on the Job: Caught on Tape	Seven Network	1 April
Bear in the Big Blue House	ABC	3 April
/ A Mind to Kill	Seven Network	7 April
Nature Boy	ABC	9 April
Silver Surfer	Network Ten	10 April
The Adventures of Sam and Max: Freelance Police	Network Ten	27 April
Monarch of the Glen	ABC	30 April
Digimon: Digital Monsters	Network Ten	1 May
/ Farscape	Nine Network	20 May
Once and Again	Seven Network	23 May
Storm Force	Seven Network	29 May
The Broker's Man	Nine Network	3 June
Conrad Bloom	Seven Network	5 June
I am Weasel	Seven Network	8 June
Great Military Blunders	ABC	9 June
Baddiel and Skinner Unplanned	SBS	12 June
Second Sight	ABC	18 June
Stella Street	SBS	26 June
Max Steel	Network Ten	30 June
Little Monsters	ABC	3 July
Tweenies	ABC	4 July
Franklin	ABC	6 July
Babes in the Wood	Seven Network	20 July
Clocking Off	ABC	21 July
/ Game Park	SBS	23 July
Da Vinci's Inquest	Seven Network	31 July
Animal Stories	ABC	31 July
Sophie Grigson's Herbs	SBS	11 August
Now and Again	Network Ten	15 August
Sounds of the Eighties	SBS	25 August
/ Pablo the Little Red Fox	ABC	30 August
The Royle Family	ABC	1 September
Badger	ABC	2 September
The Vanishing Man	Nine Network	7 September
Animal Minds	SBS	10 September
Spot's Musical Adventures	ABC	11 September
/ Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog	Network Ten	18 September
/ Young Hercules	Network Ten	18 September
/ Eerie, Indiana: The Other Dimension	Network Ten	18 September
Tales of the Little Grey Rabbit	ABC	18 September
Deceit	ABC	24 September
Bad Girls	Seven Network	3 October
/ Beggars and Choosers	Seven Network	3 October
First Wave	Seven Network	5 October
Grown Ups	Network Ten	6 October
Harsh Realm	Seven Network	6 October
L.A. 7	Seven Network	7 October
Relic Hunter	Network Ten	7 October
City Central	Seven Network	11 October
Walter Melon	Network Ten	20 October
The Secret Files of the Spy Dogs	Network Ten	20 October
Invasion: Earth	Nine Network	23 October
Mortal Kombat: Conquest	Nine Network	26 October
Sheeep	ABC	3 November
City of the Wildcats	ABC	21 November
Hope Island	Network Ten	25 November
Jack and Jill	Nine Network	27 November
The West Wing	Nine Network	28 November
Ken Hom's Travels with a Hot Wok	SBS	28 November
Young Americans	Network Ten	28 November
Bad Dog	Network Ten	29 November
The Avengers: United They Stand	Network Ten	29 November
Judging Amy	Nine Network	30 November
/ SimsalaGrimm	ABC	6 December
Freaks and Geeks	Nine Network	9 December
Rex the Runt	SBS	11 December
// BeastMaster	Network Ten	12 December
Clerks: The Animated Series	Seven Network	13 December
// Lexx	Seven Network	17 December
Willow Town	Network Ten	18 December
Robbie the Reindeer	ABC	23 December
/ Gormenghast	Seven Network	23 December
Odd Man Out	Nine Network	30 December
Detention	Nine Network	2000
Popular	Seven Network	2000
Soupe Opéra	ABC TV	2000

Subscription Television

Domestic

International

Program	Channel	Debut date
100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd 100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd[2]	Nickelodeon	3 March
Rotten Ralph / Rotten Ralph[2][3]	Nickelodeon	4 March
SpongeBob SquarePants SpongeBob SquarePants[2][3]	Nickelodeon	6 March
Just A Kid Just a Kid[4]	Nickelodeon	7 April
Witch World	Fox Kids	1 July
Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot	Fox Kids	3 July
/ Spider-Man Unlimited	Fox Kids	7 July
/ Mega Babies	Fox Kids	10 July
Monster Rancher	Fox Kids	10 July
Angela Anaconda Angela Anaconda[4]	Nickelodeon	August
Highlander: The Raven[5]	Fox8	20 November
Grange Hill Grange Hill[6]	Nickelodeon	December
Radio Active Radio Active[6]	Nickelodeon	December
Pelswick Pelswick[6]	Nickelodeon	1 December
Noah Knows Best Noah Knows Best[6]	Nickelodeon	15 December
Kampung Boy	Nickelodeon	2000
Dogs with Jobs	National Geographic Channel	2000
/ Mona the Vampire	Nickelodeon	2000
// Anthony Ant	Nickelodeon	2000
Courage the Cowardly Dog	Cartoon Network	2000
Mission Hill	The Comedy Channel	2000
Mike, Lu and Og	Cartoon Network	2000
Foxbusters	Nickelodeon	2000
Sabrina: The Animated Series	The Disney Channel	2000
// Milo's Bug Quest	Fox Kids	2000
Holby City	UKTV	2000
The Avengers: United They Stand	Fox Kids	2000
Xyber 9: New Dawn	Fox Kids	2000
Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids	Oh!	2000
Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles	Fox Kids	2000
Maggie and the Ferocious Beast	Nickelodeon	2000
The Grimleys	UKTV	2000
Poochini's Yard	Nickelodeon	2000
Max Steel	Fox Kids	2000
Open Sesame	Nickelodeon	2000
Insectia	National Geographic Channel	2000
Belfry Witches	The Disney Channel	2000
/ 64 Zoo Lane	Nickelodeon	2000
Hero to Zero	Nickelodeon	2000
Big Meg, Little Meg	Nickelodeon	2000
Bobbie the Bus	Nickelodeon	2000
The Amanda Show	Nickelodeon	2000
Misguided Angels	Fox Kids	2000

Specials

Program	Channel	Debut date
2000 American Comedy Awards[7]	The Comedy Channel	6 August
Latin Grammy Awards 2000[5]	Arena	4 November

Documentary Specials

Changes to network affiliation

This is a list of programs which made their premiere on an Australian television network that had previously premiered on another Australian television network. The networks involved in the switch of allegiances are predominantly both free-to-air networks or both subscription television networks. Programs that have their free-to-air/subscription television premiere, after previously premiering on the opposite platform (free-to air to subscription/subscription to free-to air) are not included. In some cases, programs may still air on the original television network. This occurs predominantly with programs shared between subscription television networks.

International

Program	New network(s)	Previous network(s)	Date
The Littles	Network Ten	Nine Network	26 July
Everybody Loves Raymond	Network Ten	Seven Network	28 November
Barney & Friends	Fox Kids	Network 10	2000

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

Program	Subscription network	Free-to-air network	Date
Moonlighting Moonlighting[9]	TV1	Nine Network	4 February
Miami 7 Miami 7[2]	Nickelodeon	Seven Network[citation needed]	3 March
Frasier[10]	TV1	Nine Network	3 July
Futurama	Fox8	Seven Network	November
Buffy the Vampire Slayer	Fox8	Seven Network	13 December
Pokémon	Cartoon Network	Network Ten	2000
Voltron: The Third Dimension	Fox Kids	Seven Network	2000

Ending This Year

Returning this year

• 18 September – Sunrise (Seven Network)