1989 in New Zealand television

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Overview of the events of 1989 in New Zealand television

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This is a list of New Zealand television-related events in 1989.

## Events

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* October – Network Two is renamed to Channel 2.
* 26 November – TV3 is launched in New Zealand.[1]
* 27 November – American children's animated series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles based on the comic book series by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird begins airing on TV3.
* 2 December – American sitcom Family Matters begins premiering on New Zealand television on TV3 three months after its US television debut.
* 5 December – Australian soap Home and Away makes its ever debut in New Zealand with the series transmitting on TV3.
* 8 December – The final editions of Top Half (Auckland) and Today Tonight (Wellington) were broadcast on Channel 2 at 5.45pm.

## Debuts

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### Domestic

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* 13 February – After 2 (Network Two) (1989-1991)
* 13 February – 3:45 Live (Network Two) (1989-1990)
* 3 April – Holmes (TV One) (1989-2004)
* 3 April – Sale of the Century (Network Two) (1989-1993)
* 5 April – Shark in the Park (TV One) (1989-1991)
* 18 June – Strangers (Network Two) (1989)
* 9 July – The Shadow Trader (Network Two) (1989)
* 30 October – Blind Date (Channel 2) (1989-1991)
* 27 November – The Early Bird Show (TV3) (1989-1992)
* Betty's Bunch (1989)
* 14 Days on Trial (Channel 2) (1989-1990)
* Your Choice (Channel 2) (1989)
* Space Knights (Channel 2) (1989-1990)
* Night of the Red Hunter (1989)

### International

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* 8 January –  Probe (Network Two)
* 13 January –  The Survival Factor (Network Two)
* 12 February –  The Adventures of Snelgrove Snail (TV One)
* 12 February –  TUGS (TV One)
* 1 April –  TV 101 (Network Two)
* 1 April –  AlfTales (TV One)
* 5 April –  Dear John (USA) (Network Two)
* 5 April –  No Frills (TV One)
* 6 April –  Stoppit and Tidyup (TV One)
* 7 April –  Mission: Impossible (1988) (Network Two)
* 27 April –  Count Duckula (Channel 2)
* 29 April –  Saturday Night Clive (TV One)
* 7 May –  Tube Mice (TV One)
* 7 May –  Tumbledown Farm (TV One)
* 16 May –  Charlie Chalk (TV One)
* 2 July –  Gran (TV One)
* 1 September –  Hello Kitty's Furry Tale Theater (TV One)
* 3 September –  A Pup Named Scooby-Doo (TV One)
* 27 November –  Garfield and Friends (TV3)
* 27 November –  The Mickey Mouse Club (1989) (TV3)
* 27 November –  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) (TV3)
* 27 November –  The Shiralee (TV3)
* 28 November –  The Nutt House (TV3)
* 1 December –  In the Heat of the Night (TV3)
* 2 December –  Mighty Mouse and Friends (TV3)
* 2 December –  Family Matters (TV3)
* 2 December –  Midnight Caller (TV3)
* 2 December –  High Mountain Rangers (TV3)
* 3 December –  Murphy Brown (TV3)
* 5 December –  Home and Away (TV3)
* 7 December –  Houston Knights (TV3)
* 8 December –  Empty Nest (TV3)
* 8 December –  Hey Dad..! (TV3)
* 8 December –  Rafferty's Rules (TV3)
* Nightingales (Channel 2)
* Surgical Spirit (TV One)
* Island Son (Channel 2)
* A Bit of a Do (TV One)
* Colin's Sandwich (TV One)
* China Beach (Channel 2)
* Streets Apart (TV One)
* Doctor Doctor (Channel 2)
* Gruey (Channel 2)
* Unsub (Channel 2)
* Joint Account (TV One)
* Day by Day (Channel 2)
* Annie McGuire (Channel 2)
* Rockliffe's Folly (TV One)
* Paradise (Channel 2)
* Hannay (TV One)
* Dadah Is Death (Channel 2)
* Baby Boom (Channel 2)
* The Comedy Company (Channel 2)
* / Denver, the Last Dinosaur (Channel 2)
* Round the Bend (Channel 2)
* Hothouse (Channel 2)
* / Jim Henson's Mother Goose Stories (Channel 2)

## New channels

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* 26 November – TV3

## Changes to network affiliation

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This is a list of programs which made their premiere on a New Zealand television network that had previously premiered on another New Zealand 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.

### Domestic

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Program  | New network(s)  | Previous network(s)  | Date

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What Now | Channel 2 | TV One | 1989
Sale of the Century | TV One | Channel 2 | 1989

### International

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Program  | New network(s)  | Previous network(s)  | Date

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Tales of the Wizard of Oz | TV One | Channel 2 | 17 March
Postman Pat | TV One | Channel 2 | 15 August
Frank's Place | Channel 2 | TV One | 22 October
TUGS | Channel 2 | TV One | 18 November
DuckTales | TV3 | Channel 2 | 27 November
The Wuzzles | TV3 | TV One | 27 November
Walt Disney's Mickey and Donald | TV3 | TV One | 2 December
/ The Smurfs | Channel 2 | TV One | 1989
The Adventures of Parsley | TV One | Channel 2 | 1989
Rainbow | Channel 2 | TV One | 1989
Mother and Son | Channel 2 | TV One | 1989

## Television shows

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* Play School (1972–1990)
* University Challenge (1976–1989, 2014–present)
* What Now (1981–present)
* Gloss (1987–1990)
* Betty's Bunch (1989)
* Blind Date (1989–1991)
* The Early Bird Show (1989–1992)
* Shark in the Park (1989–1992)
* After 2 (1989–1991)
* 3:45 Live (1989–1990)

## Ending this year

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* 16 April – Worzel Gummidge Down Under (also United Kingdom) (1987–1989)
* 5 November – University Challenge (1976–1989, 2014–present)
* Betty's Bunch (1989)

## References

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1. ^ Brookes, Emily. "'Run out of money before we got on air': Mark Jennings on Three's first day". Stuff.

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