ABC News (Australia)

ABC News is a national news service produced by the News and Current Affairs division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The news is broadcast on TV, Radio, and on the Internet via ABC Online.

A number of TV bulletins and updates are shown throughout the day, including flagship state-based bulletins at 7.00pm. Bulletins focus strongly on issues of state relevance, with a greater inclusion of national and international news items than are found in the news bulletins of commercial broadcasters.

The flagship radio news programs are AM and PM broadcast over various outlets.

ABC NewsRadio is Australia's only 24 hour continuous news radio channel.

National TV Bulletins

The Midday Report

The Midday Report is broadcast weekdays at 12pm on ABC1. It is presented by Ros Childs. It is shown live from the ABC's national studio in Ultimo, Sydney to eastern states, and on delay to central states (which are normally 30 minutes behind the eastern states). A separate bulletin is produced for Western Australia, which is two hours behind eastern states, as the delay (present on most other national bulletins) was deemed too long for the bulletin to remain up-to-date. Finance is presented by Sue Lannin.

The current bulletin was launched in February 2005, replacing the less successful "Midday News and Business", preceded in turn by the long-running "World at Noon".

Australia National News

Australia National News [http://australianetwork.com/guide/00001173.htm] is a national version of the evening news bulletin broadcast by Australia Network.

News Updates

National news updates are presented on ABC1 throughout the day. Between 6pm and 9.30pm, however, live updates are presented in most states by the respective state newsreaders.

National updates for ABC2 and ABC News Online are presented by, amongst others, Colin Wotherspoon, Kerrin Binnie, Geoff Ernest, Jessica Askin, Kirsty Heenan, Kathryn Stolarchuk, Aislin O'Connor and Laura Dymock.

tate Bulletins

ABC News' flagship 7pm bulletin is presented from the capital city of each state and territory, and includes national finance and sport segments presented by Alan Kohler, from Melbourne, and Peter Wilkins, from Sydney.

=Canberra=

"ABC News Canberra" is presented from the Corporation's studios in Dickson. On weekdays it is presented by Virginia Hausegger, with weather presented by Mark Carmody. Alan Kohler (finance) and Peter Wilkins (sport).

On weekends the bulletin is presented by Craig Allen, and Chris Kimball (sport).

=New South Wales=

Juanita Phillips presents "ABC News New South Wales". The bulletin was first presented in 1956 by veteran newsreader James Dibble until June, 1983, when he was replaced by Richard Morecroft - who remained as presenter for the next two decades [cite web| url = http://www.abc.net.au/50years/news/key_stories_nat/ksn_1956.htm| title = Key Stories - 1956| accessdate = 2007-06-28| date = 2006| work = Australian Broadcasting Corporation| publisher = abc.net.au] . Graham Creed presents weather, in addition to Alan Kohler and Peter Wilkin's national finance and sport segments.

On weekends Felicity Davey presents news, sport and weather.

=Northern Territory=

"ABC News Northern Territory" is presented from ABC Northern's studios in Darwin. On weekdays it is presented by Michael Coggan (news, local sport, and weather), Alan Kohler (finance) and Peter Wilkins (Sport).

On weekends Margie Smithurst presents (news, sport, and weather)

=Queensland=

"ABC News Queensland" is presented by Andrew Lofthouse (news) and Jenny Woodward (weather) from the ABC news and current affairs studio at the Channel Ten Mt Coot-tha site. National finance is presented by Alan Kohler and sport by Peter Wilkins. David Curnow presents weekend news, sport and weather.

=South Australia=

Dominique Schwartz presents "ABC News South Australia" on weekdays from the ABS-2's Collinswood studios, alongside Alan Kohler (national finance) and Peter Wilkins (national sport).

On weekends Jessica Schact presents news and weather, and Neil Cross sport.

Previously the Adelaide News has been hosted by, and reported to, a number of high profile presenters and journalists including Jane Doyle, Clive Hale, Kelly Nestor, Rebecca Morse, Glenn Taylor, Maxine McKew, Virginia Hausegger, Janice Peterson and John Lombard.

=Tasmania=

"ABC News Tasmania" is presented by Peter Gee from Hobart. Weather is presented by Simon McCulloch, while finance is presented nationally by Alan Kohler and sport Peter Wilkins.

Barbara Pongratz presents news, sport and weather on weekends.

=Victoria=

Ian Henderson presents "ABC News Victoria" from ABC Victoria's Southbank studios, with Paul Higgins (weather), Peter Wilkins (national sport), and Alan Kohler (national finance, presented from Melbourne).

Tamara Oudyn presents weekend news, sport and weather.

* Former sports presenter Angela Pippos resigned in October 2007 after being demoted as weeknight sports presenter to weekend presenter in 2004 to make way for Peter Wilkins. It was documented in the press that Pippos had some run-ins with senior management over this issue and the timing of her departure, which came after she was approached by Victorian premier John Brumby to run as a candidate in the Williamstown by-election, caused by the resignation of former premier Steve Bracks. Pippos was suspended for one week while she made her decision not to stand, but resigned just weeks later. She now presents the breakfast program on Sport Radio 927.

* In 2008, an unusual event occurred when "ABC News Victoria" won one week in the 2008 television ratings season, and also had one draw with "Seven News Melbourne".

* Presenter Ian Henderson is currently on leave. Tamara Oudyn is presenting weeknights, with Beverley O'Connor presenting weekends.

=Western Australia=

Karina Carvalho presents ABC News Western Australia from ABC WA's East Perth studios, with Russell Woolf (weather), Peter Wilkins (national sport), and Alan Kohler (finance) and Russell Woolf (weather). On weekends Craig Smart presents news and weather, and Trevor Jenkins local sport.

Presentaion

1956

The news theme used from 1956 to 1985 was "The Majestic Fanfare" composed by Charles Williams and played by the Queen's Hall Light Orchestra. This piece of music is still in use to open ABC's radio news bulletins across all stations, except NewsRadio. Each bulletin opened with a clip from the top story of the day, with the title "ABC News" superimposed over the footage.

1985

The ABC refreshed it's structure and look in 1985 when the 7 o'clock news and the following current affairs programme (at that time, Nationwide) were combined to form ABC National (usually known as "The National.") The news theme used was 'Best Endeavours,' written by Alan Hawkshaw. This piece of music was at that time, and is still, the theme for Channel 4 News in the UK.

1985 - 2005

After The National was deemed unsuccessful, that same year the news was refreshed again with a new set, graphics, and theme, composed by Tony Ansell & Peter Wall. This theme was used for almost 20 years. In 1997, the set was updated and the theme received a new beginning - however nothing else was changed.

2005 - Present

The current theme, changed on Australia Day (26 January) 2005, was written by Martin Armiger. At the same time the set and graphics received a major overhaul, and the current package has been used to the present. [All information in Music, Graphics and Presenters sourced from http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A32938842]

Future

At the time of the 2005 relaunch, ABC News Director John Cameron stated that the current graphics package would be utilised 'probably for 5 years.' It is therefore possible that a new graphics package and set design will be launched in early 2010, perhaps to coincide with the launch of an ABC News Channel, the funding of which the ABC is currently seeking from the Federal Government in the 2009 Federal Budget. The first step toward the News Channel will be the launch of 'ABC Breakfast' on ABC2 in September 2008.

ee also

*ABC News and Current Affairs
*Australian Journalism

References

External links

* [http://www.abc.net.au/news/ ABC News website]
* [http://colsearch.nfsa.afc.gov.au/nfsa/search/display/display.w3p;adv=yes;group=;groupequals=;holdingType=;page=0;parentid=;query=138312;querytype=;rec=0;resCount=10 ABC News at the National Film and Sound Archive]