On October 12, 1967, The Canberra Times recorded Australia's first direct transmission of a news event to international broadcasters.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A press conference given by the Prime Minister of Japan, Eisaku Sato, was to be telecast live to Japan by satellite that afternoon.
The conference was televised by the Australian Broadcasting Commission's outside broadcast unit and sent by satellite for transmission by Japanese TV networks.
A parliamentary luncheon in Mr Sato's honour that day was to be similarly broadcast in Japan. The telecast made history as the first direct transmission from Australia of a news event.
The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Overseas Telecommunications Commission and the Postmaster General's Department co-operated in the transmission.
Members of the Japanese Broadcasting Corporation joined with the ABC to compile the programme.
Canberra viewers saw a delayed telecast on Channel 3 of the speeches by Mr Sato and Australia primer minister Harold Holt at the parliamentary luncheon. It was telecast at 3.20pm and followed by a live coverage of the press conference at 4.30pm.
On his arrival at Fairbairn RAAF Base Mr Sato said he and his wife were "delighted to be here and to have set foot for the first time on this land of the south".
He and his wife had been looking forward to the visit for a long time. "I look forward to having talks with Prime Minister Holt who has shown a keen interest in South-east Asia, and has already visited many of the countries of this area", Mr Sato said.
"Our economic ties are becoming more diversified not only through trade but also through co-operation in capital investment and technical know-how."