From Molly's death to the Matildas: TV moments that stopped the nation

Australia’s television story runs from the first broadcasts in the 1950s to today’s sports-dominated peak audiences. On September 16, 1956, Bruce Gyngell’s “Good evening and welcome to television” marked the launch of Australian TV, just two months before the country hosted the first Southern Hemisphere Olympic Games. By 1957, more than 200,000 sets had been sold. The article recalls major live moments, including Apollo 11 in 1969, the Thredbo landslide in 1997, and the Sept. 11, 2001 breaking-news interruption of CNN footage. It also highlights cultural TV hits, from A Country Practice’s “Molly Jones” death in 1985 to Ramsay Street weddings in 1987, and a 2000 audience of about 8.8 million for Cathy Freeman. That record lasted 23 years until the Matildas’ 2023 Women’s World Cup semi-final vs England drew nearly 11.15 million viewers.