ABC2

Infobox TV channel
name = ABC2
logofile = ABC2.svg
logosize = 200px
logoalt = ABC2 logo
launch = 7 March 2005 | replaced names = ABC Kids Channel & Fly TV
picture format = 576i (SDTV)
slogan = "Connecting 2"
country = Flagicon|Australia Australia
broadcast area = Nationally
share = "In Metropolitan areas:" 0.3%
share as of = June 2008
share source= [ [http://www.oztam.com.au/documents/2008/A1_20080608.pdf Ratings Week 24 (08/06/2008 - 14/06/2008)] ]
sister names = ABC1
owner = Australian Broadcasting
Corporation
network = ABC Television
web = [http://www.abc.net.au/tv/abc2/ abc.net.au/tv/abc2]
terr serv 1 = SD Digital
terr chan 1 = Channel 22
sat serv 1 = Foxtel Digital
sat chan 1 = Channel 126
sat serv 2 = Austar Digital
sat chan 2 = Channel 126
cable serv 1 = Foxtel Digital
cable chan 1 = Channel 126
cable serv 2 = TransTV Digital
cable chan 2 = Channel 22
|

ABC2 is a national public television channel in Australia. Launched on 7 March 2005, it is the responsibility of the ABC's television division, and is available nationally to digital television viewers in Australia. The channel broadcasts a range of original content supplemented with repeats of popular ABC1 programs, notably children's programs, magazine shows, and sport.

History

Origins

The history of ABC2 can be traced back to 1998, when the Australian Broadcasting Authority released a report, titled "Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting", recommending that the Australian Government support the early introduction of digital broadcasting as a free-to-air service with the loan of a 7 MHz channel for each broadcaster.cite web |url=http://www.aph.gov.au/library/Pubs/bd/1997-98/98bd178.htm |title= Bills Digest No. 178 1997-98: Television Broadcasting Services (Digital Conversion) Bill 1998 |accessdate=2007-08-19 |publisher=Australian Parliamentary Library] The Australian Broadcasting Corporation stated that it wished to run up to four multichannels at different times of the day or alternatively offer a high-definition television service. The corporation claimed that up to AUD$100 million would be needed to prepare for these services, half of which would need to be government-funded.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation launched, in August 2001, the ABC Kids Channel, with Fly TV launching in November 2001. The two multichannels, available only through digital television, broadcasted a range of programming targeted at younger and teenage viewers.cite press release |title=ABC Kids Channel |publisher=Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts |date=2001-08-17 |url=http://www.dcita.gov.au/Article/0,,0_4-2_4008-4_15900,00.html |accessdate=2007-08-19] Funding issues meant that, in May 2003, ABC Television closed ABC Kids and Fly TV.cite press release |title=Government digital disaster as ABC cuts ABC Kids and Fly TV |publisher=Lindsay Tanner MP, Shadow Minister for Communications |date=2003-05-26 |url=http://www.dcita.gov.au/Article/0,,0_4-2_4008-4_15900,00.html |accessdate=2007-08-19]

Unlike its predecessors, ABC2 launched on 7 March 2005, on channel 21, independent of government funding, instead running on a budget of AUD$3 million per year.cite book |last=Inglis |first=Kenneth Stanley |title=Whose ABC? The Australian Broadcasting Corporation 1983-2006 |year=2006 |publisher=Black Inc. |location=Melbourne, Victoria |isbn=1-86395-189-X ] The first program in the launch schedule was an episode of "Landline" - although scheduled to begin at 6.25am, the program was delayed ten minutes. The channel was officially inaugurated by former Minister for Communications, Senator Helen Coonan, at the Australian Parliament House in Canberra on 10 March 2005. [ cite web
url = http://www.dba.org.au/index.asp?sectionID=74&newsID=641&display=news
title = ABC2 launched at Parliament House
accessdate = 2007-03-31
date = 2005-03-11
work = ABC New Media & Digital Services
publisher = dba.org.au ]

Late 2000s

Weekly video gaming and technology program "Good Game" was launched on 19 September 2006, becoming one the first programs in its genre to be broadcast on free-to-air television in Australia.cite news | title = The ABC's digital evolution | publisher = The Australian | date = 2006-10-19 | url = http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20605312-7582,00.html | accessdate = 2008-02-07 ] Similarly in the same year, programs produced included "Australia Wide", "Short and Curly", "dig tv" and "Late Night Legends".

Genre restrictions imposed by the Australian government on digital multichanneling were lifted along with the media ownership laws passed through the Australian parliament on 18 October 2006. [ cite web
url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/australia/story/0,,1925263,00.html
title = Australia opens up media investment
accessdate = 2007-03-31
date = 2006-10-18
work = MediaGuardian.co.uk
publisher = guardian.co.uk ] Previously limited in the subjects it could cover, ABC2 was henceforth able to carry shows identified as comedy, drama, national news, sport or entertainment.

On 6 February 2008, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation announced the introduction of live coverage and program content on ABC2 from the Australian Film Commission, Opera Australia, and the Australian Ballet.cite news | title = Live interactive role for Jones | publisher = The Australian | date = 2008-02-07 | url = http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23171481-30540,00.html | accessdate = 2008-02-07 ]

At 12:00pm on 8 February 2008, ABC2 was rebranded with a new slogan [http://www.abc.net.au/tv/newtv/ ABC Redefining Television] ] and yellow-coloured logo, complementing the new ABC TV logo, which was concurrently revamped as ABC1.cite news | title = ABC promises more content choice | publisher = The Australian | date = 2008-02-06 | url = http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23171159-12377,00.html | accessdate = 2008-02-06 ] cite news | title = ABC gets squiggle on for new channels | publisher = The Australian | date = 2008-02-07 | url = http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23171486-30540,00.html | accessdate = 2008-02-07 ] The channel also moved from channel 21 to channel 22. [ [http://www.abc.net.au/tv/abc2/about.htm ABC Television Contact Us ] ] 11 February 2008,

Programming

ABC2 is required by charter to meet certain programming obligations. cite web
url = http://www.abc.net.au/corp/pubs/ABCcharter.htm
title = Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983
accessdate = 2007-12-06
date = 1983
work = Australian Broadcasting Corporation ] Although it has a strong focus on comedic and lifestyle programming, it also presents documentaries and educational programmes, news and current affairs, children's shows, drama, and sports and commedy.

ABC2's programming consists primarily of repeated programs from ABC1, and classic content from the ABC archives, in addition to original exclusive content, which include "Good Game", "triple j tv", "triple j tv presents", "Australia Wide", "Short and Curly", "dig tv" and "Late Night Legends". Overseas programs exclusive to the channel, include "Scrapheap Challenge", "Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights", "Cowboy Bebop", "London Live", "Ergo Proxy", "Noein", "Death Note", "Monkey Dust", "Ideal", and "Peep Show] ". [ cite web
url = http://abc.net.au/corp/pubs/media/s1768050.htm
title = Genre Restrictions Lifted
accessdate = 2006-10-18
date = 2006-10-18
work = ABC New Media & Digital Services
publisher = abc.net.au ]

ABC2's timeshifted and archival drama line-up consists of both imported and local content including "The Bill", "Something in the Air" and "MDA". Timeshifted comedy on the channel is primarily locally-produced but also includes foreign series such as "Little Britain" and "That Mitchell and Webb Look". ABC2's current timeshifted and archival comedy shows include "Spicks and Specks", "The Chaser's War on Everything" and "The Sideshow".

The remainder of ABC2's schedule consists of timeshifted lifestyle, movies, music, game and talk shows. Lifestyle programs include cooking shows such as "Surfing The Menu" and "The Cook and the Chef" or travel related programs, such as "Pilot Guides", but also include programmes such as "Gardening Australia", "Compass" and "Collectors". Game shows include quiz shows "The Einstein Factor", and competition based programs, which include "The New Inventors". In addition to this, ABC2 also broadcasts arts discussion shows "At the Movies" and "Sunday Arts". Factual programs include "Catalyst", "Australian Story" and "Foreign Correspondent". Every Saturday night at 8:30pm ABC2 broadcasts 2 'Classic' Movies often favouring monthly film festivals such as "Audrey Hepburn Movies" and "Classics of Cannes".

News & Current Affairs

In order to allow automated operation of the channel without the complications of variable length live news broadcasts, ABC2 broadcasts hourly ABC News updates produced for ABC Online.

"Australia Wide" is a public and current affairs program that is produced and broadcast exclusively for ABC2. The program is broadcast at 5pm on weekdays and contains content relating to regional Australia. Different segments include "Earth Works", "Gen Next", "Video Lives", "Arts About", and "Outta Here" which are broadcast each day of the week respectively. The channel also broadcasts "ABC Asia Pacific News", which is originally produced for the Australia Network.

All eight editions of "Stateline", which includes one for every state and territory of Australia, are broadcast throughout the week, allowing national access to state-level current affairs. In addition to these news programs, various ABC1 news and current affairs programs, which include "Lateline", "Lateline Business", "Four Corners", "Australian Story", and "Foreign Correspondent", are timeshifted onto the channel.

port

ABC2 broadcasts exclusive national coverage of many sporting competitions, which include the New South Wales Rugby Union, Queensland Rugby League, Victorian Football League, South Australian National Football League, West Australian Football League and the Northern Territory Football League. The Women's National Basketball League is broadcast live on ABC2 every week, the first time that domestic netball has been shown live on Australian television. In addition to this ABC2 also broadcasts four games of the Commonwealth Bank Trophy, the Fed Cup and the Tiwi Islands Football League Grand Final annually. "Late Night Legends", an exclusive program on ABC2 hosted by Lex Marinos, also broadcasts major sporting events from the ABC archives.

Children

ABC2's children's programming, combined with ABC1's, is more extensive than any other network in Australia. cite web
url = http://www.abc.net.au/corp/annual_reports/ar07/pdf/ABC_annual_report_2006-2007.pdf
title = Annual Report 2006-07
accessdate = 2007-12-06
date = 2007-11-01
work = Australian Broadcasting Corporation ] Children's programmes are broadcast under the ABC Kids brand in one block from nowrap|10:00am to nowrap|4:00pm weekdays, from nowrap|7:00am to nowrap|3:00pm Saturdays and no children's programmes on Sundays.

ABC Kids on the channel consists of a mixture of both in-house and out-sourced children's television programs that is either timeshifted or archival, however exclusive children's programming such as "6Teen", "Kaput and Zosky", and "P.E.T detectives", are also broadcast. International programs which are regularly broadcast include "Sesame Street", "Bob the Builder", "Pingu", "Arthur", "Fireman Sam" and older-years shows "Degrassi", "Lizzie McGuire", "Freaky Stories" and "Daria".

Availability

ABC2 is available on all of ABC Television's digital television transmitters in 576i 2008 changes to 576p SD Digital, as well on most satellite and cable services.

ABC2 does not broadcast 24 hours a day. ABC2 usually closes sometime between midnight and 3am and opens at 6.30am. During this time the ABC Guide and ABC DiG, is broadcast.

Logos

The channel launched with a three-dimensional logo of the numeral two. The previous idents were produced in part by Amanda Dennis (known for her work on "Australia Wide", and "Good Game"), and were used in some form since the channel's launch, until the 2008 rebrand. ABC2's previous slogan was "More Choice, More Often". All promos featured the "Big 2" placed in famous, and iconic Australian locations, such as Port Jackson, the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre and the Northern Territory. The "Big 2" was somewhat similar to the on air mascot of BBC Two in appearance. ABC2's logo was modified for the promotion of the channels launch, and for various sporting events, notably the channel's launch, where the logo appeared under-construction, and during the promotion of Australians Women's Netball where it took on the appearance of a netball.

On 8 February 2008, ABC2 updated to a yellow logo, and slogan to "Connecting 2", as well as moving its digital terrestrial broadcast from Channel 21 to Channel 22. In addition to this, the slogan "More Choice, More Often" was changed to "Connecting 2". After concerns in some sections of the media that the 43-year-old Lissajous curve brand was to disappear completely, ABC management reaffirmed that it would remain in use by the corporation.cite news | last = Welch | first = Dylan | title = ABC squiggle to stay | publisher = Brisbane Times | date = 30 January 2008 | url = http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/articles/2008/01/30/1201369172600.html | accessdate = 2008-01-30 ] cite news | last = | first = | title = ABC revamps squiggle logo | publisher = ABC Online | date = 30 January 2008 | url = http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/01/30/2149528.htm | accessdate = 2008-01-30 ]

References

External links

* [http://www.abc.net.au/tv/abc2/ Official Site]
* [http://www.abc.net.au/corp/ Corporate Site]
* [http://www.abc.net.au Australian Broadcasting Corporation]