2 February – Top-rating game show Wheel of Fortune makes a rebranding and a super new-look over to continue its long-run. Also, Steve Oemcke takes over from Rob Elliott as the show's final original main host.
14 March – Foxtel launches its new digital service, Foxtel Digital.
5 April – Neighbours returns to air on American television with Oxygen broadcasting the series.
18 April - Rove McManus wins the 2004 TV WEEK Gold Logie.
21 April - A live episode of Blue Heelers goes to air on the Seven Network, titled "Reasonable Doubt". Although this particular episode earned reasonable ratings, peaking with 693,000 viewers in Melbourne, the rest of the season is a failure ratings-wise.[1]
1 May – Network Ten breaks with years of tradition and abandons the Sunday night movie after poor ratings. Instead, it screens some episodes of Law and Order: Criminal Intent.[2] Most other networks follow suit later on.
13 August – After a short-lived return at its new 11:30 am timeslot, Ten axes vintage Neighbours episodes again after more very bad ratings.
16 August – Ten extends its morning news into a one-hour format.
29 August – The Nine Network launches a new look version of the colour-coded days ident will be shown, again placing focus on the slogan “Still the One”.
30 August – Immediately after the closing ceremony of the Athens Olympics, the first ever Sunrise is broadcast from the Seven Network's new Martin Place studios. On the same night, Seven News relaunches nationwide with a complete overhaul of graphics, a new musical theme (unchanged until 1 February 2016) and a new set in Sydney. Nine News counters by introducing live CBD backdrops on its Sydney and Brisbane bulletins.
11 December – The Network Ten is the next Australian television network to introduce a watermark on its programs, although the watermark is now broadcast on Ten News. It was located on the bottom left of the screens before switching to bottom right in 2006.
14 December – The final episode of Stingers goes to air on the Nine Network and the show was axed after six years.
23 December – American animated science fiction sitcom Futurama created by Matt Groening the creator of The Simpsons airs on the Seven Network for the last time before changing broadcasts to Network Ten which won't happen until the end of next year.
December – Seven, Nine & TEN withdrawn their opening to movies - movie openers are replaced by classification boards instead.
Wheel of Fortune's attempt for a major revamp backfires and is quietly cancelled due to low ratings - leaving Deal or No Deal the absolute only game show remaining, leading into Seven's 6pm news bulletin.
December – The Nine Network claims the ratings season for the fourth consecutive year, winning 38 out of 40 weeks, while Network Ten (which wins the other two weeks) finishes ahead of the Seven Network nationally for the first time.[3]
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.
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.
All Grown Up![4]
The Cassidys [7]
My Dad the Rock Star[5]
Martin Mystery[10]