ABC News (Australia)

ABC News

Company type	Division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Industry	Broadcast media
Founded	1 June 1947; 76 years ago (1947-06-01)
Headquarters	ABC Ultimo Centre 700 Harris Street, Parent	Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Website	abc.net.au/news

ABC News, also known as ABC News and Current Affairs and overseas as ABC Australia, is a public news service produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Broadcasting within Australia and the rest of the world, the service covers both local and world affairs.

The division of the organisation ABC News, Analysis and Investigations is responsible for all news-gathering and coverage across the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's various

Justin Stevens was appointed director of the division on 31 March 2022. The ABC is statutorily required to deliver news impartially, editorially, and presents opinions from all sides of Australian politics. Its flagship national current affairs programs hosted for many years by journalists with strong Australian Labor Party connections, such as former Labor staffers Kerry O'Brien and Barrie Cassidy, Labor MP Maxine McKew, and newsreader Juanita Phillips (partner of Labor Cabinet Minister Greg Combet). Chief Political Correspondent Laura Tingle is a strident critic of conservative politics in Australia.

History

ABC News, from its inception in 1932, with ABC radio sourced its news from multiple sources, including cable news from London,^[2] its own bureaus in Europe, the Middle East, Greece and the Asia-Pacific,^[3] and in a fashion similar to commercial radio stations from local newspapers around Australia. ^{[citation needed]}

Censorship was rife during the war, particularly after the U.S. entered the conflict on 7 December 1941. After General Douglas MacArthur set up his headquarters in Australia, he wielded enormous power, including on matters of censorship. Inter alia, he declared that every Australian radio station would only broadcast three news bulletins per day and that these would be simultaneous on all stations (ABC and commercial) at 7.45 a.m., midday, and 7.00 p.m.^[4] Weather forecasts were banned because it was felt that these may assist the enemy.^[5]

The 7:45 a.m. bulletin was the only one that did not commence on the hour or the half-hour. Incredibly, this 7.45 bulletin continued to be heard on ABC Local Radio stations until as late as 19 September 2020. Therefore, it would not be unreasonable to suggest that the effects of war-time censorship were still felt in Australia until 2020.^[6][7][8]

Notices^[9] were issued banning radio stations from broadcasting some major wartime events, but as the federal government did not have the same power over the printed press as it did over the radio, newspapers usually reported events that radio was not permitted to mention.^[5][10]

The ABC launched its first independent news bulletin on 1 June 1947 after years of negotiations with the Australian Government.^[11]

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983 mandates that the ABC "shall develop and maintain an independent service for the broadcasting of news and information" both within Australia on a daily basis, and also to countries outside Australia.^[12]

The name of the division and director responsible has changed over the years. In 2004 it was the News and Current Affairs Division when John Cameron took over as Director from Max Uechtritz as Director.^[13][14] The financial year 2008–2009 saw a lot of changes, both in the way that television content was produced as well as an "expansion of international news programming and continuous news across platforms, new programs and a range of appointments to senior positions". Kate Torney became director of the News Division in April 2009.^[15]

In November 2014, a cut of A$254 million to funding over the following five years meant that the ABC would have to shed about 10% of its total staff, around 400 people. There were several programming changes, with regional and local programming losing out to national programs, and the Adelaide TV production studio had to close apart from the news and current affairs section.^[16][17]

In late 2015^[18] Gaven Morris was appointed Director of the News Division.^[19]

The ABC announced in November 2016 that their 24-hour television news service

The Director's role changed its name to Director, News, Analysis & Investigations in 2017–2018,[22] and as of June 2021^[update] Morris is still in the role.^[23][24] During the 2017 to 2018 financial year, the ABC launched "Regional Connecting Communities" program, which provided funding for increased jobs in the regions, as well as more resources for local news, weather and live reporting.^[22]

Justin Stevens was appointed director of the division of ABC News, Analysis and Investigations on 31 March 2022.^[25]

Functions

The division is responsible for all news-gathering and production of news output for

The news theme used from the first days of ABC television from November 1956 to 1985 was "Majestic Fanfare", composed by Charles Williams. From 1956 until the early 1980s the version used was the abridged version performed by the Queen's Hall Light Orchestra, from a recording made in 1943. Each bulletin opened with a clip from the top story of the day, with the title "ABC News" superimposed over the footage. Later, this on-screen approach was replaced by a generic graphic title sequence. In 1982, to celebrate the ABC's 50th anniversary, a new version of the theme was commissioned, which incorporated both orchestral and new electronic elements.^{[citation needed]}

With the exception of a period in the mid-1980s, during which a synthesised theme ("Best Endeavours", written by Alan Hawkshaw, which was the theme for Channel 4 News in the UK) was used for around a year, this was used on radio until August 1988, and on television until early 1985. A reworking of "Majestic Fanfare" (essentially the original orchestration up one tone) was arranged by Richard Mills and recorded in 1988 by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.^{[citation needed]}

From 1985, a theme composed by Tony Ansell and Peter Wall was used for 20 years, even after the 1998 brand refresh. In 2010, it was sampled and remixed by the group Pendulum and this revised work went on to be placed #11 on the Triple J Hottest 100 chart on Australia Day 2011.^{[clarification needed]}

The theme for ABC News changed on Australia Day (26 January) 2005, to a piece written by Martin Armiger and John Gray, and for a couple of years it bore a resemblance to the original Peter Wall / Tony Ansell work in the opening signature notes. Wall challenged the ABC and was successful in reaching an agreement. The opening notes were removed and the work was re-arranged in 2010. The theme music from the 2005–2010 era was remixed by Armiger, giving it a more upbeat, synthesised feel.^{[citation needed]}

On 1 July 2022, ABC News used the 1985–2005 theme during the ABC's 90th Anniversary.

Television

History

In March 1985, the ABC refreshed its structure and look, when the 7 o'clock news and the following current affairs program (at that time, Nationwide) were combined to form The National, and moved to 6:30 pm.^[27] After The National was deemed unsuccessful,^[28] that same year the news was refreshed again with a new set, graphics, and theme.^{[citation needed]}

In 1998, the set was updated, a new opener featuring a light blue globe and the ABC logo was introduced, and the theme remained the same but was tweaked. The graphics also changed to match the new look.^{[citation needed]}

In 2005, a new look (along with theme music) was introduced. The new look made use of an orange and blue globe motif. At the same time the set and graphics received a major overhaul to fit in with this look. This package was used until 21 July 2010, a day before the launch of

With the launch of ABC News on 22 July 2010, all 7 pm bulletins across Australia had a graphics overhaul to match the look of the new channel. The blue/orange globe style opener was replaced with a series of sliding panels, featuring images specific to each state. New sets were built in each capital city studio to match the ABC News 24 set and graphics were changed to match.^{[citation needed]}

ABC News channel

The news bulletins such as ABC News Mornings, ABC News Afternoons,

National news updates are presented on ABC TV throughout the day, with evening updates at 7 pm presented live in most states by the respective state news presenters. 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. A national financial bulletin is presented on weeknights by Alan Kohler in Melbourne. The ABC's Ultimo studios produces the 8:30 pm weeknight update presented by Karina Carvalho.