Australia Network
Channel Name: Australia
Network
Launched:
1 January 1993
Owned by:
Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Australian Government
Country:
Australia
Network:
ABC Television
Headquarters:
Sydney, Melbourne
Sister channels:
No data
Language: No
data
Website:
australianetwork.com
Australia Network, originally Australia
Television International and later ABC Asia Pacific, is a free-to-air
international satellite television service operated by the Australian Broadcasting
Corporation since 2006. The television
and online service broadcasts 24 hours a day on 7 days a week, to approximately
44 countries in Asia, the Pacific and the Indian sub-continent. The channel
broadcasts a mix of programming, including news and current affairs,
English-language learning programs, international documentaries, lifestyle,
drama, sports and children's programming. The current channel operating rights
is due to be opened to a
The
international television service's current incarnation launched on 1 January
2002. It is funded partially by Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and
Trade, as well as some advertising (unlike the ABC's domestic television
services). The channel is targeted at local audiences in 44 countries across
parts of Asia, the Pacific and India. Australia network, along with
international radio network Radio Australia, is a part of the ABC's
International, Corporate Strategy and Governance division.
History:
Origins: Australia Television
International the forerunner to Australia Network was launched in 1 January
1993. Radio Australia had been operating as part of the ABC since 1939 while
the passing of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act in 1983 allowed the
Corporation to operate an additional international television service. The channel
was originally proposed by directors Mark Armstrong and David Hill, who felt
that a television channel would further heighten Australia's presence in the
Asia-Pacific region and demonstrate the ABC's technical abilities.
The
new channel was to be funded by a combination of government subsidies and
commercial sponsorship.[6] The presence of commercials, not previously seen or
heard on the ABC, resulted in the creation of an updated edition of the ABC
Editorial and Programme Practices stipulating that the 'Australia Television
service will retain editorial control and independence in all programming'.[6]
Paul Keating launched Australia Television International on 1 January 1993 -
televised live to 50 countries in the southeast Asian region, from the ABC's
television studios in Gore Hill.
Funding
cuts made in the 1997-1998 federal budget, and recommendations made in the
Mansfield Report, meant that control of Australia Television was handed over to
the Seven Network in 1998.[7] Under Seven's direction the channel continued to
receive federal funding, and carry some ABC News.[7]
2002-2006 - As ABC Asia Pacific: Despite
efforts made by Seven to expand into Asia using the service, it continued to
lose money. In 2002, the government announced a five-year, $50 million tender
for the service[7] - at the time watched primarily by Australian expats for its
news programmes, football coverage, and children's programming.[7] Seven chose
not to bid, while Imparja Television's application was unsuccessful. The ABC
won the contract and launched ABC Asia Pacific on 1 January 2002, with content
from the Seven Network, Nine Network, Network Ten, and the ABC's own original
content, as well as news bulletins produced by Sky News Australia.
The
tender was renewed in 2005 however the ABC was re-awarded control of the
service, over other applicants including Sky News Australia.[8][9] Soon after,
the network stopped showing content from Sky News Australia, replaced with
bulletins produced by the ABC's own news and current affairs division from its
Southbank studios in Melbourne.
2006-present - As Australia Network: ABC
Asia Pacific changed its name to Australia Network on 7 August 2006,[1] at the
same time introducing a number of new programs, as well as the expansion of its
existing news programs and English-language learning programs.[1] Following a
restructure of the ABC in early 2007, Australia Network became a part of the
Corporation's International, Corporate Strategy and Governance division.
The
channel is not available in Australia or New Zealand, owing to rights
restrictions, although ABC News for Australia Network bulletins are carried
overnight on ABC News 24 in Australia and on Stratos TV in New Zealand. Several
Australia Network programmes are also available online in Australia on the
ABC's iview platform. Australia Network became available in Malaysia on Astro
(Channel 514) in December 2008.
Programming: Australia network shows a
range of programming targeted at audiences within the region,[1] including
evening news bulletins at two-hour intervals targeted at different parts of the
region, and a number of English-language educational programs produced by the
Network including Study English, Living English, English Bites and The Business
of English.[10] Popular soap operas Home and Away (both new and classic
episodes) and Sons And Daughters is also shown on the channel, with a recap
program on Sundays. Other drama series include hospital drama All Saints,
police series Rescue Special Ops, Stingers, Blue Heelers, City Homicide, and
East of Everything. The Nine Network's travel program Getaway & the
children's show Play School is also shown.
News and current affairs: Further
information: ABC News and Current Affairs, ABC News. Three news bulletins are
shown at two hour intervals throughout the evening, in order to provide a
fairly constant timeslot for the range of timezones within the channel's
coverage area. ABC Asia Pacific News is presented from the ABC's Southbank
studios in Melbourne by Beverley O'Connor, with stories from ABC reporters
based in and around the region. Following the channel's relaunch in 2006, four
new correspondents based in New Delhi, Beijing, the South Pacific and Jakarta
were added to report exclusively for the bulletins.
Current
affairs program Asia Pacific Focus, hosted by Edmond Roy and Helen
Vatsikopoulos is also shown after the network's 9.00pm HKT bulletin.
Some
programs from ABC TV news & current affairs programs.
Sport: The Australia Network broadcasts
a number of Australian sporting events, such as the Melbourne Cup and V8
Supercars, as well as the National Rugby League and Australian Football League
seasons and their respective Finals Series. At present there is no cricket
shown.
Logo History: In 2002, ABC Asia Pacific
used the same logo as ABC in Australia. The station idents also feature the
same silver ring and elements as ABC Television's 2002 idents.
In
2003, generic break bumpers are used between commercial breaks, using a simple
background and a simple ring animation.
In
2004, the channel used the new slogan Everyone's ABC Asia Pacific, with new
idents using the same ribbon package of ABC TV Australia, but usually keeping
the 2002 idents.
In
2006, ABC Asia Pacific rebranded as Australia Network, using a new logo as a
stylized lower-cased 'a'. In 2009, the logo's color simplified from gold to
simple white, with new idents using the new logo in guise of a balloon......More >>
