The popularity of the television as a form of entertainment arose dramatically after its release in Australia. By 1959, 3 years after it was introduced, it was estimated that over 50 percent if families in Sydney alone owned a television set. It had been released with black and white screening and broadcasts were limited to a few hours each night, and therefore lead to viewing television was treated as a special event. Early Australian Television featured news, quiz shows, movies, music programs and sport. A large proportion of television programs were from overseas.
Television transformed the way Australians received information. It soon became Australia's dominant form of mass communication, taking over from radio and cinema and posing a challenge to print media.Television transmitted ideas into Australia faster than ever before. Australia's awareness and experience of the rest of the world changed rapidly. Television exposed people to other cultures and world views and provided information that would play a major role in shaping popular public opinion. Although most Australians liked television, there were a select few who opposed to it, since they believed that it would allow Australia to be over-run by American culture. Others believed that was superficial and unsophisticated and contained no educational or cultural benefits, some people were concerned that television would encourage people to becoma less active and passive in the community.
Television transformed the way Australians received information. It soon became Australia's dominant form of mass communication, taking over from radio and cinema and posing a challenge to print media.Television transmitted ideas into Australia faster than ever before. Australia's awareness and experience of the rest of the world changed rapidly. Television exposed people to other cultures and world views and provided information that would play a major role in shaping popular public opinion. Although most Australians liked television, there were a select few who opposed to it, since they believed that it would allow Australia to be over-run by American culture. Others believed that was superficial and unsophisticated and contained no educational or cultural benefits, some people were concerned that television would encourage people to becoma less active and passive in the community.