In 2020 ABC News channel will celebrate a decade on air as Australia’s leading source of continuous broadcast news.
Launched on 22 July 2010, ABC News channel was Australia’s most-watched 24-hour news channel in 2019 with a metro average weekly reach of 2.1 million viewers on broadcast TV, a monthly average of 735,000 live-streams via ABC iview and 11 million views of the live-stream on YouTube (up 52% YoY).
“Viewers want an accurate, up-to-the-minute news service they know they can trust,” said Director ABC NEWS Gaven Morris. “I was proud to lead the launch of ABC News Channel, and a decade on it continues to demonstrate its value to audiences – delivering factual news coverage and independent analysis, not opinions.
“Having set the standard for live local broadcast news, today ABC News Channel is also leading our strategy to provide the video-on-demand services Australian news consumers are increasingly demanding.”
What’s in store for 2020?
It’s a US election year and Planet America gets promoted to a new timeslot of 10:10pm Wednesday nights on ABC TV, with a second show on Friday nights at 8pm on ABC News Channel. Chas Licciardello and John Barron will bring you the latest from the US campaign trail – and attempt to make sense of it – two nights every week.
The Drumcontinues 6pm weeknights on ABC TV and at the later time of 9pm on the ABC News channel. Hosts Ellen Fanning and Julia Baird lead a panel of experts and opinion-leaders discussing the key issues gripping or confounding Australia. The Drum will also continue to go on the road for in-depth programs from regional Australian communities.
Exclusive to the ABC News Channel, Afternoon Briefing with Patricia Karvelas extends to every weekday from 4pm, delivering coverage of current events and Karvelas trademark sharp political analysis.
New ABC News is a series of segments from Jeremy Fernandez. Across broadcast and digital platforms, these reports will deliver topical stories and useable information on subjects including education, entertainment, health, families, finances, environment, social affairs, the economy, Indigenous affairs, Australia in the Asia Pacific, security and crime.
Barrie Cassidy returns to the hosting chair after signing off from Insiders after 18 years, for a special series of One Plus One focused on leadership on both ABC TV and ABC News Channel. Later in the year Kurt Fearnley takes over the hosting chair to bring more in-depth conversations about excellence.
Throughout the day and night the latest breaking news will be reported by a team featuring: Joe O’Brien, Miriam Corowa, Ros Childs, Kirsten Aiken, Gemma Veness, Karina Karvalho, Andrew Geoghegan and Michael Tetlow; and the presenting team in Canberra led by Greg Jennett, Andrew Probyn and Jane Norman.
Also on the schedule will be returning arts program The Mix, The World with Bev O’Connor each weeknight at 10pm, Weekend Breakfast with Jo Nicholson and Fauziah Ibrahim and The Business with Elysse Morgan (at the new time of 8.45pm on ABC News Channel, and at 10:15pm on Main Channel, as part of the Late News).