This amazing new electronic medium – television – made an immense impact on society in the late fifties. Today, with dozens of TV channels, it’s hard to imagine the incredible anticipation and excitement of television at the time.

TV performers became huge stars and technicians were respected as the people householders could rely on, to keep every home ‘on air’.

GTV9 used ventriloquist Ron Blaskett and his sidekick Gerry Gee to introduce consumers to television.

The Govenor of Victoria, Sir Dallas Brooks, makes the grand entrance to the GTV9 Studio, Melbourne, to officially open the four-month-old station on January 19, 1957.

After WW2 Astor, like AWA, sent technicians overseas, visiting top manufacturers to absorb their knowledge and experience, then commenced building experimental receivers. During 1949, Astor sent their televisions to be paraded in halls in capital cities and main provincial towns around Australia.

Before TV started, Ron Blaskett, a ventriloquist with his wooden doll Gerry Gee, was asked to perform in Channel 9 closed circuit demonstrations at Melbourne’s Royal Agricultural Shows. Similar demonstrations were made at the Sydney show.