ABC NewsRadio
| Company type | Public broadcaster |
|---|---|
| Industry | Radio broadcasting, News media |
| Predecessor | Parliamentary Broadcasting Network (PBN) |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Headquarters | Australia , Australia |
Area served | Nationwide (Australia) |
| Products | 24-hour news radio service |
| Owner | Australian Broadcasting Corporation |
| Website | www |
ABC NewsRadio, which has operated under the ABC News brand since 2017 and was briefly titled ABC News on Radio, is a continuous 24-hour news radio service managed by the Australian public broadcaster, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). It delivers content nationwide through various channels, including AM/FM radio, online streaming via the web and the ABC Listen app, DAB+ digital radio, free-to-air digital television, as well as selected pay-TV platforms.
The station's roots trace back to the ABC’s legal obligation to provide live coverage of all Australian Parliamentary sessions. Starting in 1946, these parliamentary proceedings were transmitted over the national radio network. The Parliamentary Broadcasting Network (PBN) was launched in 1988 as a dedicated parliamentary radio service. By August 1994, when Parliament was not sitting, PBN frequencies began airing news content under the Parliamentary and News Network (PNN), which later developed into what is now ABC NewsRadio.
Background
The Parliamentary Proceedings Broadcasting Act 1946 required the ABC to broadcast live sessions of the Senate, House of Representatives, or joint sittings on national broadcasting channels. This legal mandate led to the commencement of parliamentary broadcasts on 10 July 1946 during Prime Minister Ben Chifley’s administration, coinciding with Question Time. Initially, these broadcasts were part of the ABC’s sole national radio network but frequently interrupted regular programming, as reflected in ABC annual reports.
1988: PBN
The Parliamentary Broadcast Network (PBN) was created in August 1988 under the National Metropolitan Radio Plan to serve as a dedicated channel for ABC’s compulsory parliamentary broadcasts. It operated on AM transmitters located in each state capital city as well as in Newcastle and Canberra.
1994: PNN
Following an inquiry in May 1994 that endorsed ABC’s proposal to broaden PBN’s scope with news programming, the Parliamentary and News Network (PNN) was launched on 15 August 1994. PNN offered nonstop news coverage on the same frequencies used by PBN during parliamentary recesses. The network extended its reach to Darwin by March 1997, thereby covering all Australian capital cities.
In the 1996–97 financial year, "ABC NewsRadio on the Parliamentary and News Network" recorded the highest growth among ABC networks, boosting its weekly audience by 44.9% to a total of 397,000 listeners nationwide. This extended name was retained for several years before being shortened to ABC NewsRadio in 2010.
While ABC NewsRadio utilizes this network infrastructure, PNN remains an independent entity governed by the Parliamentary Proceedings Broadcasting Act 1946, which mandates parliamentary broadcasts on this designated network.
21st century: expansion to other platforms
Beginning in September 2001, a continuous rolling news format was introduced alongside live audio streaming over the Internet.
In 2002, ABC NewsRadio maintained its news broadcasts online while continuing parliamentary coverage. That year also marked its expansion into the Gold Coast, representing its first new transmission area in five years.
Starting from 2009, ABC NewsRadio broadened its presence into digital radio, initially targeting capital cities before extending services into regional Australia and subscription television platforms. Between 2006 and 2009, FM broadcast coverage was significantly increased with an objective to raise AM/FM reach from 78% to 95% of the population. In 2009, distinct standard and parliamentary audio streams were introduced on digital terrestrial (DAB+) radio across state capitals.
In November 2016, ABC declared that both ABC NewsRadio and ABC News 24 would be rebranded under the unified name ABC News effective from 10 April 2017. This rebranding included new visual identities and consolidated social media accounts. The platforms were differentiated contextually or by descriptors such as "the ABC News channel" for television and "ABC News on radio" for radio broadcasts.
Content and format
ABC NewsRadio provides live broadcasts of sessions from the House of Representatives and the Senate, along with delayed coverage of parliamentary question time aired in the evenings on AM/FM radio; however, these sessions are not available via online streaming or digital radio.
The station maintains a continuous 24-hour news cycle, utilizing all ABC News resources to deliver live broadcasts nationwide without time zone delays. Programming schedules are adapted to accommodate urgent news developments. On AM/FM frequencies, live parliamentary coverage is prioritized, whereas standard programming remains accessible online, through digital radio (DAB+) in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney, as well as on the ABC Listen app.
In addition to its own content, ABC NewsRadio retransmits shows from the BBC World Service.
Weekend broadcasts also include Australian Football League games in selected states.
By 2017, ABC NewsRadio operated an extensive network of approximately 700 transmitters across Australia.