Video Hits | |
---|---|
Presented by |
Dylan Lewis (2010–2011) Faustina 'Fuzzy' Agolley (2006–2011) Hayden Guppy (2009) Nathan Sapsford (2007–2008) Axle Whitehead (2004–2006) Kelly Cavuoto (2004) |
Country of origin | Australia |
Original language(s) | English |
No. of seasons | 25 |
Production | |
Location(s) | Sydney, Melbourne |
Running time | 180 mins – 240 mins (dependent on adjacent programming) |
Release | |
Original network | Network Ten |
Picture format |
4:3 Analogue (1987-2011) 16:9 Digital (2001-2011) 576i (SDTV) (2007-2011) 1080i (HDTV) (2007-2009) |
Audio format | Stereo |
Original release | 15 February 1987 – 6 August 2011 |
Chronology | |
Followed by | The Loop |
Related shows | Video Hits (Canadian TV series) |
Video Hits is an Australian music video program that first aired on 15 February 1987. From 7 May 2011 it broadcast on Network Ten for two hours each Saturday and Sunday morning: 10am – 12pm on Saturdays and 8am – 10am on Sundays. Video Hits was the world's second longest running music show after then Eurovision Song Contest. The show was cancelled in July 2011 and its last episode aired on 6 August 2011.
In 1987 to 1999, the show highlighted songs featured in the Australian Music Report chart each week. This fluctuated from a Top 40 format to a Top 30, Top 20 and in early 2008, just a Top 10 countdown. In the 2000s, the show switched to the ARIA Report. In the late 1990s, an "Interactive Top 10" was introduced with songs supposedly voted in by the public. This was later stopped after claims of vote rigging. One case in particular saw a song by Australian singer Rani (called "Always on My Mind") chart in the Top 5 of the interactive chart for more than six months, having sold poorly in shops and getting very little airplay. Another Australian band Drops Of Light caused a furor amongst major labels when their independently produced clip Never Knew The Way was aired in 1989 as a hit prediction with the show assisting the clip to be signed to a worldwide distribution deal.
In 2003, the show reached 1.5 million viewers every Sunday in metropolitan markets.
Producers included Helen Ryan, Donna Andrews, Gary Dunstan.
From 1987 to 2004, the show featured a non-stop video clip-based format. In 2004, the show introduced a new look and format that included feature interviews each week and clips from different music genres.
During late 2005, the show was broadcast live on Sundays with a live audience. Special guests appeared on the show to co-host, such as The Veronicas, The Black Eyed Peas and Melissa Tkautz to name a few.
In 2006, the show was broadcast live without an audience. The chosen artist picked songs they wanted played along with their own past and present videos in a format similar to ABC's rival music TV show rage. As of April 2007, the show still continues with this format.
Video Hits turned 20 years old in 2006 and celebrated with a special event featuring a countdown of the Top 100 Video Clips of the past twenty years, compiled from online and SMS votes. This countdown was shown again in 2007, with slight differences in the list; however, "Thriller", by Michael Jackson, was voted #1 both times. Instead, in 2008, a special entitled A-Z of Pop was shown.