in January 1975 to a 6 pm Sunday time-slot and extending to 60 minutes. Its reach was improved by a mid-afternoon Saturday time-slot to repeat the previous week's show. Countdown soon became the most successful and popular TV music program ever made in Australia, and it exerted a dramatic influence on the local music scene over the next decade. The advent of colour TV in March 1975 coincided with a major shift in the direction of local popular music, and was vital in the national success for artists such as Skyhooks and Sherbet. Countdown benefited from the emergence of the music video genre: it popularised promotional videos, which had previously been a minor part of pop shows. Its use of film-clips, by both established and developing overseas acts (which rarely toured Australia), made Countdown an important venue for breaking new songs and new artists. Meldrum produced the debut self-titled album for Supernaut in May 1976 and its related hit single, "I Like It Both Ways". He also promoted The Ferrets; he had them signed to Mushroom Records and started producing their debut album, Dreams of a Love, on 19 July 1976. After nearly a year, production was incomplete, so The Ferrets took over (assisted by audio engineers, Tony Cohen and Ian MacKenzie) and finalised it on 15 August 1977. Meldrum was attributed as Willie Everfinish (a play on "will he ever finish") For its lead single he wanted the A-side as "Lies", taking weeks to produce it, and his preferred B-side, "Don't Fall in Love", was rushed in three hours. When The Ferrets premiered on Countdown, they used "Don't Fall in Love" instead, which reached No. 2 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart. Many customers wanted a copy of The Ferrets' album, however, there was concern at Mushroom as Meldrum had not yet organised the cover. A white, hand-stamped cardboard sleeve was issued with a promise of the artwork to follow. Countdown gave early exposure to, and generated breakthrough Australian hits for, international artists including ABBA, Meat Loaf, Blondie, Boz Scaggs, Cyndi Lauper, Madonna, and Michael Jackson; sometimes years before they became international stars. Meldrum made overseas trips and formed friendships with many artists, enabling Countdown to gain international exclusives. His on-screen performances were sometimes criticised for rambling and incomprehensible commentaries or interview questions. When providing an album review he would often hold the album awkwardly in front