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ABC2, the digital sibling of Australia’s national broadcaster launched one year ago today.
Personally I watch it more then some free to air channels, and the idents that accompanied the launch were the catalyst for me finally starting this blog. Currently the station doesn’t have any live telecasts, and is still restricted in its content (thanks to legislation), but even with its problems; the Sunday morning Rage’s, every state’s Stateline, Lateline in the morning, and never missing a Media Watch have made ABC2’s first year in existance more then worth it for me.
Its shown just a small taste of what multichanneling can bring, and I can’t wait for ABC Three or ABCNews 24, when/if they should ever arrive.
I captured this promo for abc.net.au on ABC2 this afternoon.
For more videos check out the ABC2 category of this blog.
8 replies on “One year of Two”
Happy Birthday ABC2!
Indeed, it’s an excellent channel. I watched a very memorable Bjork concert a while ago. *thumbs up*
And yeah, for me Media Watch is Thursday 7:45 🙂
Happy birthday, ABC2, and may you continue well into the future. Without a set top box, I can’t get digital TV at the moment, but I do watch some of the content online – Australia Wide is a good example. The new look is a bit messy, but lengthening it to a half hour was a great move.
The idents are brilliant, too, aren’t they? The restrictions on public digital broadcasting will be lifted on 1st January next year, so we can look forward to an even better ABC2 next year! Maybe bringing back license fees would get an ABC3 up and running – have a BBC-quality/quantity system. 😀
Happy Birthday, ABC2!!!
May you rise up and become one of Australia’s most loved channels!
Jordan mentioned the removing of the restrictions next year…anyone want to be more specific about what the changes will be???
Unfortunately, I’ve not been able to find out anything more about the removal of restrictions on the public broadcasters, ABCtv and SBS. There are a couple of places where more information is available: the Digital Broadcasting Australia news page (http://www.dba.org.au/index.asp?sectionID=39&newsID=818&display=news); a MediaSpy News article I penned 😛 (http://mediaspy.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=7054); and the Senate Standing Committee’s Inquiry page (http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/cita/digitaltv/index.htm).
There is a slight error in the APH Report page (http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/cita/digitaltv/report.htm) – it says the report is “comprised of”. I’m sure that should be the report “comprises” whatever it does contain.
My previous comment is awaiting moderation at the moment, but I just found what I was looking for. Among the report’s recommendations are the following:
* allowing the ABC to screen any previously-produced programmes;
* allowing the ABC to “rebroadcast all of its radio networks on DTV, each of which reduces the available television picture quality by one percent” (if anyone can explain the last bit, I’d be most grateful);
* “expressly” letting Aunty broadcast sport and comedy;
* allowing SBS to broadcast the English news programmes of its “overseas partners, from whom SBS already broadcasts the foreign language versions” and also letting it broadcast any SBS-produced news services with an “overseas focus”; and, finally, and (for me, at least) most importantly,
* allowing the SBS to “provide its viewers the maximum benefit from its World Cup football rights”.
It’s just easier to read pages 106 and 107 of the report (pages 128 and 129 in the PDF version of the full report on the APH Standing Committee website).
Thanks Jordan!
One thing I know the ABC is eager to do is to rescreen on ABC2 all of its drama series from the 1970s and 1980s.
They may finally get to do it!
Thanks!
Yes, that would be brilliant. There are many things that I’ve not seen due to my age – ‘Australia, You’re Standing In It’ is supposed to be good, as is ‘Aunty Jack’ (although it’s been released on DVD).
I wonder if they’d broadcast the old movies that they have overnight on ABC1 (I’ll probably have to call it that now :D) overnight on ABC2 as well.
Happy Birthday ABC go to abc.net.au