Events 25 January – Richard Morecroft reads his last ABC News bulletin. He is replaced the following Monday by Tony Eastley. 4 February – Nine cast members from All Saints participate in The Weakest Link: All Saints Special to mark the first and only anniversary of The Weakest Link in Australia. Erik Thomson wins the special, but his winnings are unknown. 11 February – The Nine Network's post-Sale of the Century replacement, Shafted hosted by former Hey Hey It's Saturday member Red Symons premieres. After dismal ratings the show is cancelled in April the same year. On the same day the network's post-Burgo's Catch Phrase replacement Pass the Buck, a new game show based on the UK game show containing a word association premieres leading into Nine's most-watched 6pm news bulletin, After dismal ratings the show is cancelled in May the same year. 20 February – American science fiction fantasy series Star Trek: Enterprise premieres on the Nine Network. 11 March – The Seven Network's Docklands studios in Melbourne is open, with the first Seven News Melbourne news bulletin being broadcast from the centre. This leads to a national relaunch of the Seven News brand with new sets and graphics in most cities. Also on that day, the nine remaining contestants from the third season of The Mole take part in a special episode of The Weakest Link for a chance to add $100,000 to the prize kitty. The team performed well against expectations, winning only $14,100, the lowest amount ever won on the Seven iteration of the show. On The Mole, this figure is rounded up to $15,000. The show was cancelled one month later after dismal ratings. 6 March – Foxtel introduces a new sports channel called Fox Footy Channel. It runs until 1 October 2006. 20 March – Tim Lane resigns from the Nine Network following a disagreement in regards to commentating AFL matches with Eddie McGuire involving the Collingwood Football Club. Lane defects to rival Network Ten in 2003, where he remained until Ten lost the rights at the end of 2011. 28 March – The Nine Network televises its first AFL game until Nine lost the TV rights at the end of 2006. 30 March – The Western Front premieres on Network Ten in Perth and was hosted by Tim Gossage and Lachy Reid. 30 March – Network Ten televises its first AFL game until Ten lost the TV rights at the end of 2011. 8 April – The Nine Network moves American comedy series Frasier to its 7:00 pm weeknight timeslot after the post-Sale of the Century replacement, Shafted was axed following bad ratings. 8 April – Australian media analysis television program Media Watch returns to air on the ABC several months after the broadcaster had removed its former managing director Jonathan Shier with David Marr taking over as host as Paul Barry had been sacked by Shier in 2000 following its cancellation. 24 April – Crystal-Rose Cluff wins the third season of The Mole, taking home $108,000 in prize money. Alaina Taylor is revealed as the Mole, and Marc Jongebloed is the runner-up. 2 May – Final episode of the Australian drama series (which is the very first television series in Australia to be filmed in widescreen) Something in the Air airs on ABC. 16 May – Kath & Kim premieres on the ABC and is a surprise hit. It was picked up by the Seven Network in 2007. 24 May – The Seven Network axes vintage episodes of Home and Away due to very bad ratings. 27 May – The American comedy-drama series M*A*S*H debuts its 5.00pm timeslot on the Seven Network. 10 June – Australian travel magazine series The Great Outdoors moves to one hour at 7.30pm Mondays on the Seven Network. 1 July – Peter Corbett wins the second season of Big Brother. 2 July – American science fiction fantasy series Smallville premieres on the Nine Network. 17 July – The Australian drama series Young Lions premieres on the Nine Network. 26 July – Mixy ends after 4-year run and it will be replaced by children's weekday morning and afternoon blocks on the ABC. 6 August – Eddie McGuire and Catriona Rowntree present an all new IQ test television series called Test Australia: The National IQ Test which is airing on Nine Network. It has also been ranked as the most watched television show for 2002 in Australia. 8 August – The American action drama series 24 premieres on the Seven Network. 12 August – After being cancelled in 2001, Burgo's Catch Phrase relaunches on the Nine Network and is a surprise hit, with new graphics, new theme music and new prizes with the contestant backdrop increased to three people with the game show been produced by Southern Star Endemol, leading into Nine's most-watched 6pm news bulletin. TV and radio personality Dylan Lewis is voted winner of Celebrity Big Brother. The Australian drama series White Collar Blue premieres on Network Ten. September – SBS launches its first Digital channel, the SBS World News Channel. 1 September – The Nine Network undergoes a revamp to change their on-air graphics, including changing their dots back to spears as well as the numeral becoming 3D for the colour-coded days. 30 September – The Wiggles return to television with a brand new television series called Lights, Camera, Action, Wiggles! airing for the first time ever on ABC. 4 October – Beyblade premieres on Fox Kids and two weeks later on Network Ten as part of Cheez TV. Also that day, David Koch takes over from Chris Reason as co-host of Sunrise, a role which he would hold until June 2023. 29 November – Brian Henderson retires from reading Sydney's National Nine News after four decades. He is replaced the following Monday by Jim Waley, who manages to keep the bulletin on top of the ratings in Sydney for the next two years. 2 December – Jim Waley presents his weeknight bulletin from Sydney’s National Nine News which replaced the retired Brian Henderson. 5 December - The American comedy-drama series Scrubs premieres on the Seven Network.

Channels

New channels

6 March – Fox Footy Channel

Defunct channels 30 November – Oh! (replaced by FOX8 on Optus Television)

Premieres

Domestic series Program Channel Debut date The Garden Gurus Nine Network Shafted Nine Network Pass the Buck Nine Network Auction Squad Seven Network Australian Survivor Nine Network Tracey McBean ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) Fear Factor Nine Network Saturday Night Footy Network Ten Kath & Kim ABC TV Old Tom ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) Young Lions Nine Network Celebrity Big Brother Network Ten MDA ABC TV Test Australia: The National IQ Test Nine Network White Collar Blue Network Ten Creature Features ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) CNNNN ABC TV Lights, Camera, Action, Wiggles! ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) Don't Blame Me Nine Network Fairy Tale Police Department Seven Network Mornings with Kerri-Anne Nine Network Bad Cop, Bad Cop ABC TV

International series Program Channel Debut date Level 9 Nine Network Yizo Yizo SBS TV Two Thousand Acres of Sky Seven Network The Strip Nine Network Hitler's Holocaust SBS TV / Secrets of the Dead SBS TV The Cindy Margolis Show Nine Network Vampires, Pirates and Aliens ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) Atlantis High ABC Kids (digital only) Merlin the Magical Puppy ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) Busy Buses ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) The Hoobs ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) Eddy and the Bear ABC Kids (digital only) Little Ghosts ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) The Famous Five (1995) ABC Kids (digital only) The Adventures of Dawdle the Donkey ABC Kids (digital only) Black Books ABC TV The Six Wives of Henry VIII ABC TV North Square ABC TV Star Trek: Enterprise Nine Network Digimon Tamers Network Ten / Don't Eat the Neighbours ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) The Kumars at No. 42 ABC TV Connie the Cow ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) / Guinevere Jones Network Ten Rescue Heroes Network Ten Night and Day ABC TV The Legend of Tarzan Seven Network Angelina Ballerina ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) / The Amazing Adrenalini Brothers (shorts) ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) Fourways Farm ABC Kids (digital only) / Starhill Ponies ABC Kids (digital only) / Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001) Network Ten Sir Gadabout: The Worst Knight in the Land ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) Molly's Gang ABC Kids (digital only) Dog and Duck ABC Kids (digital only) Construction Site ABC Kids (digital only) Teacher's Pet Seven Network / Queer as Folk SBS TV Smallville Nine Network The Way We Live Now (2001) ABC TV The Book Group ABC TV / Cyberchase ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) SpongeBob SquarePants Network Ten Caillou ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) Baby Blues Nine Network Band of Brothers Nine Network Medabots Network Ten The Ripping Friends Fly TV (digital only) Pongwiffy ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) Olliver's Adventures ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) Engie Benjy ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) Zoids: Chaotic Century Network Ten Curb Your Enthusiasm Nine Network Small Potatoes (1999) ABC TV Beyblade Network Ten Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series Network Ten The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius Network Ten Dr. Phil Nine Network / Ace Lightning ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) Bounty Hamster ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) Andy Pandy (2002) ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) Foyle's War ABC TV Teletubbies Everywhere ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) / The Dead Zone Nine Network Mr. Bean: The Animated Series ABC TV Scrubs Seven Network Archie's Weird Mysteries Seven Network Funny Little Bugs ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) / X-DuckX ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) The Adventures of Mole Seven Network The Adventures of Toad Seven Network Animal Ark ABC Kids (digital only) 2002 // Anthony Ant ABC Kids (digital only) 2002 /// Upstairs, Downstairs Bears ABC Kids (digital only) 2002 // Blazing Dragons ABC Kids (digital only) 2002 Buzz and Poppy ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) 2002 Oscar Charlie ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) 2002 Binka ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) 2002 Snailsbury Tales ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) 2002 Oswald ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) 2002 / Slim Pig ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) 2002 The Wheels on the Bus ABC Kids (digital only) 2002 / Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings (2002) ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) 2002 / Henry's World ABC TV, ABC Kids (digital only) 2002 The Fantastic Flying Journey ABC Kids (digital only) 2002 Mopatop's Shop ABC Kids (digital only) 2002 Skipper & Skeeto ABC Kids (digital only) 2002 Microscopic Milton ABC Kids (digital only) 2002 Letters from Felix ABC Kids (digital only) 2002 Coupling ABC TV 2002 24 Seven Network 2002 Sheena Network Ten 2002 The Queen's Nose ABC Kids (digital only) 2002 / Clifford the Big Red Dog Nine Network 2002 Footballers' Wives Network Ten 2002 Amazon Nine Network 2002 Dog Eat Dog Seven Network 2002 Really Wild Animals ABC Kids (digital only) 2002 Freakylinks Nine Network 2002 // Dark Realm Nine Network 2002 Hollywood 7 Seven Network 2002 Hype Nine Network 2002 Big Bag ABC Kids (digital only) 2002

Subscription television

Domestic Program Channel Debut date A Day in the Life Arena

International Program Channel Debut date Osbournes, The The Osbournes MTV Shinzo Fox Kids Time Squad Time Squad Cartoon Network Justice League Justice League Cartoon Network // The Cramp Twins Cartoon Network The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius Nickelodeon Zoids: Chaotic Century Zoids: Chaotic Century Cartoon Network Beyblade Fox Kids Story of Tracy Beaker, The The Story of Tracy Beaker Nickelodeon Fun at the Funeral Parlor UKTV Anna Nicole Show, The The Anna Nicole Show Arena Lenny Henry in Pieces UKTV Yu-Gi-Oh! Nickelodeon 2002 The Fairly OddParents! Nickelodeon 2002 Invader Zim Nickelodeon 2002 Kim Possible Disney Channel 2002

Specials Program Channel Debut date 2002 Country Music Association Awards Main Event

Free-to-air premieres