ABC HD (Australian TV channel)

ABC TV
Company type	Public broadcasting
Industry	Television broadcasting
Predecessor	ABC National Television Service
Founded	November 5, 1956; 70 years ago in Sydney, Australia
Headquarters	Ultimo, Sydney, Australia
Area served	Australia
Products	Television channel, programming, news, sports coverage
Owner	Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Website	abc.net.au/tv

ABC TV, previously known as ABC1, is a national public broadcasting channel in Australia, owned and managed by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It operates as the premier channel of ABC Television, with its main offices located in Ultimo, Sydney.

The channel first commenced broadcasting on 5 November 1956 under the name ABC National Television Service in Sydney, subsequently expanding to Melbourne and other major cities over the following years. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, it was commonly referred to as ABC National Television or simply ABC Television. Prior to the arrival of digital television in 2001, this was ABC's only domestic television outlet. The network adopted the ABC1 name on 8 February 2008 before undergoing a rebranding to ABC TV on 20 July 2014.

By 2024, ABC TV holds the position of Australia's third most-watched television network and serves as ABC's flagship channel, ranking behind the Seven Network and Nine Network but ahead of Network 10 and SBS TV.

Origins

The regulatory foundation for ABC Television and commercial broadcasters was established by the Television Act in 1953. The ABC's Annual Report from 1956 highlighted the goal of developing a "television service as truly national in character as its resources will permit."

The inaugural ABC station, ABN-2 in Sydney, began transmission on 5 November 1956, officially opened by Prime Minister Robert Menzies. Two weeks later, ABV-2 launched in Melbourne to provide coverage of the 1956 Summer Olympics. A dedicated studio facility in Sydney replaced earlier temporary setups in January 1958. By 1957–58, primary transmitters were installed in both Melbourne and Sydney, with services extending to all other states by mid-1960.

1960s to the 1990s

In 1961, direct television relays connecting Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra commenced; by 1963, microwave transmission technology enabled Adelaide to broadcast simultaneously across four eastern capital cities. By 1962, videotape equipment was available in each state capital, enhancing the ability to share recorded material.

Teletext services were introduced in 1983 to offer closed captioning for viewers with hearing impairments. Programming underwent changes during this period: Nationwide was replaced by The National, a national news program that ultimately did not succeed and was replaced by state-specific ABC News bulletins airing at 7:00 pm, followed by regional editions of The 7.30 Report. The decade also saw the debut of significant programs such as Lateline and Media Watch.

2000s

To mark the launch of digital terrestrial television in Australia on 1 January 2001, ABC unveiled a new three-dimensional metallic logo. This period also saw a gradual introduction of widescreen and high-definition content. On 1 August 2001, ABC Kids launched on channel 21 as the first digital multi-channel service; it was soon followed by Fly TV. However, both channels had limited coverage and were discontinued in 2003 due to budget reductions.

2005–2008: Change of status and rebranding

On 7 March 2005, ABC introduced a new digital channel called ABC2 (currently known as ABC Family), designed as a "younger sibling" to the primary channel with a low-cost operating model. Its programming schedule placed strong emphasis on regional content, featuring shows such as Australia Wide, Landline, and Stateline.

On 8 February 2008, the main channel was rebranded from ABC TV to ABC1, with its standard-definition broadcast moving from LCN22 to LCN2. The branding slogan shifted from There's more to television to It begins with 1, reinforcing this updated identity. Although there were apprehensions regarding retiring the iconic Lissajous curve logo that had been used for over four decades, ABC executives confirmed that it would remain part of the corporation’s visual assets.

2010–present: Renaming and Brand Evolution

In May 2010, ABC1 appointed Brendan Dahill, formerly of BBC Worldwide, as its inaugural channel controller, with his tenure commencing in August 2010.

During Australia's transition to digital television, ABC gradually discontinued analogue broadcasts starting in July 2010, finalizing the complete analogue shutdown by 10 December 2013 in Melbourne and remote regions.

On 6 February 2011, ABC1 introduced refreshed branding featuring idents that highlighted figures such as Adam Hills, accompanied by the slogan "Think Entertainment." This new visual identity was developed by design firm The Lab. Additionally, the classic Lissajous curve logo was modernized with the addition of a "1."

Brendan Dahill was promoted to Head of Programming for ABC1/ABC2 effective 1 January 2014.

On 20 July 2014, ABC1 simplified its name to "ABC," unveiling idents that incorporated the original 1975 Lissajous curve logo alongside contributions from ABC Open’s user-generated content. These idents carried the hashtag "#OurABC," which later changed to "Yours" on 31 December 2017. The initial 1975 logo was fully reinstated in February 2019.

Programming

Under its charter obligations, ABC delivers a diverse programming slate. While prioritizing news and current affairs, its offerings also include documentaries, educational series, drama, comedy, variety shows, and sports coverage. Unlike commercial Australian broadcasters, ABC does not secure exclusive agreements with major American studios. Instead, it acquires programs from producers in the UK, Canada, Western Europe, Asia, and select US companies. Its programming roster has featured content from BBC, Channel 5, Teletoon, YTV, Nelvana, Treehouse (subsidiaries of Corus Entertainment), Nickelodeon/Paramount (dating back to the early 1990s), Disney Channel/Disney XD (often aired on Seven Network), NBCUniversal, DreamWorks Animation/Classics, PBS/WGBH, Decode Entertainment, Cookie Jar Group/Cinar, Ragdoll Productions, DiC (now WildBrain), Sesame Workshop, The Jim Henson Company, 20th Television/FX Networks, Toei Animation, HiT Entertainment, Warner Bros. and its divisions (including Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network/Warner Bros. Discovery Global Networks), as well as Sony Pictures Television.

News, Analysis and Investigative Reporting

Produced by ABC’s News, Analysis & Investigations unit, ABC News provides a comprehensive national news service through multiple daily bulletins. Key programs include state-specific evening bulletins airing at 7:00 pm that cover news from local to international levels tailored to each state or territory. News Breakfast broadcasts weekdays at 6:00 am on both the main channel and the ABC News channel. A live national news edition is aired at noon from Ultimo studios in Sydney. Throughout the day, national updates are delivered on both channels; evening bulletins feature presenters dedicated to specific states.

Prime-time flagship shows include 7.30, Four Corners, Australian Story, and Foreign Correspondent. Specialized programs such as Landline, Insiders, Offsiders, and Media Watch focus respectively on rural affairs, politics and business analysis, sports commentary, and media scrutiny.

Sports Coverage

ABC Television alongside its Radio, News services and Online platforms provides extensive sports coverage. It was the inaugural broadcaster for the W-League (football) from 2008 until 2017. Beginning in October 2019, ABC secured an official free-to-air partnership for the A-League while also resuming W-League coverage under a two-year agreement which included Socceroos and Matildas matches. ABC TV aired one live A-League match each weekend plus delayed broadcasts of selected finals and the Grand Final. This arrangement encompassed 14 rounds of the 2019/20 W-League season, the entire W-League Finals Series in 2020, along with numerous Socceroos and Matildas fixtures. However, from August 2021 onward, broadcast rights for both leagues transitioned to Network 10 following a five-year deal with ViacomCBS.

Availability

ABC's broadcast content differs across states and territories, influencing local news segments, regional versions of 7.30, and promotional materials. National programming can be temporarily replaced to cover state elections. Each state's broadcast station operates from its respective capital city, with Victoria's programming originating from either Melbourne or Sydney. ABC is transmitted throughout the country using standard definition transmitters.

ABC HD

The ABC HD channel debuted on 1 January 2008 as a nationwide 720p simulcast of ABN Sydney. It ceased operations on 22 July 2010 to allocate bandwidth for the ABC News channel. On 6 December 2016, ABC HD was reintroduced, providing state-specific simulcasts while downgrading the news channel to standard definition.

After the government lifted restrictions on primary channels broadcasting in standard definition, ABC Director Richard Finlayson announced in November 2015 that HD simulcasting would recommence in June 2016. However, technical delays postponed the launch until 6 December 2016. Unlike its previous iteration, the relaunched ABC HD delivers localized state simulcasts and utilizes MPEG-4 encoding instead of MPEG-2. Consequently, the ABC News channel was shifted to standard definition.

ABC iview

A majority of ABC TV’s programs are accessible on demand through ABC iview, a video-on-demand and catch-up TV platform that began service on 24 July 2008.

Logo history

In its early days, ABC TV’s branding incorporated Lissajous curves combined with its initials, symbolizing waveform patterns used by broadcast engineers for tuning radio and television signals. The chosen 3:1 ratio distinguished it from the University of Sydney’s 2:1 ratio version. Space engineer Doug Rickard credits himself with proposing this waveform during the early 1960s.

A staff design competition in July 1963 resulted in Bill Kennard, a senior graphic designer at ABC, creating the now-iconic logo, which was officially adopted on 1 May 1964. It was acclaimed for being "crisp, functional and representative of its era."

The logo has undergone various transformations aligned with key moments in ABC’s history:

19 October 1974: Redesigned with a thicker crossover pattern coinciding with colour television test broadcasts.
26 January 1988: Updated idents created for the Australian Bicentenary celebrations.
1996: Introduced idents showing the logo being drawn in mid-air alongside the slogan It's your ABC.
1 January 2001: Transitioned to a large silver three-dimensional design, removing the "over and under" element.
1 January 2002: Reinstated the "over and under" design in a silver 3D style for ABC’s seventieth anniversary; idents featured fire, leaf, and ice motifs with the slogan "Everyone's ABC," also used by ABC Asia Pacific.
2003: Idents showcased everyday Australians.
19 December 2005: The logo was stylized as a television icon within promotional idents.
8 February 2008: Rebranded as ABC1 featuring a blue-themed logo alongside ABC2’s yellow branding; slogan changed from There's more to Television to It begins with 1. Despite media speculation, management confirmed retention of the classic Lissajous curve emblem.
6 February 2011: Introduced new idents and adopted the slogan "Think Entertainment."
20 July 2014: Reverted to the ABC TV name with refreshed presentation incorporating the original 1975 Lissajous curve logo and the hashtag "#ourABC."
4 February 2019: Rolled out an updated on-air look while preserving the Lissajous curve symbol.

These branding adjustments demonstrate ABC’s dedication to honoring its legacy while evolving alongside shifts in the media environment.

Slogans

1965–1970s: Australian Broadcasting Commission, National Television Service.
1971: This is National Television ABC.
1972–1975: This is ABC Television, The Good Looking Australian.
1972–1973: Around Australia, You're in Tune with the National Network – ABC Television.
1974: This is ABC National Television.
Christmas 1974: Wishing You a Merry Christmas From ABC National Television.
1975 (Jan–Feb): Come on Home to ABC.
1975: Come to Colour on ABC National Television.
1977: You're at Home with ABC.
1978–82: ABC-TV.
Summer 1980/81: Summer '80.
Summer 1981/82: ABC Summer.
1982–83: ABC – Your National Network.
1982: The Games Station.
1985–94: You're Watching ABC, Your Australian Network.
1986: This is ABC Television, Coming to You via Domestic Satellite Throughout Australia.
1988–96: Natural Textures of Australia.
1990–95: Man-Made Textures.
1992: 8 Cents a Day.
1993–2000: It's Your ABC.
1994: Seeing is Believing on Your ABC.
1 January 1999 – January 2002: You're Watching ABC, Your Australian Network – First in Australia.
2002–2005: Everyone's ABC.
2005–2008: There's More to Television.
2008–2011: It Begins with 1.
Summer 2010/11: Colour Your Summer with ABC.
2011–2014: Think Entertainment.
Summer 2011/12: Happy Summer.
20 July 2014 – 31 December 2017: #ourABC.
Since December 2016: ABC: Original. (secondary slogan)
Since 31 December 2017: Yours.

External links