Australia Network
Launched	1 January 1993 as Australia Television International 1 January 2002 as ABC Asia Pacific 17 August 2006 as Australia Network
Network	ABC Television
Owned by	Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Australian Government
Picture format	480i (SDTV), 576i (SDTV)
Slogan	from our world to yours
Country	Australia
Headquarters	Sydney, Melbourne
Formerly called	Australia Television International (1 January 1993-1 January 2002) ABC Asia Pacific (1 January 2002-7 August 2006) [1]
Replaced	Australia Television International
Website	australianetwork.com
Availability
Satellite
Astro Malaysia	Channel 521
bbTV Hong Kong	Channel 505
Dream Satellite TV Philippines	Coming Soon
Indovision Indonesia	Channel 350
Intelsat 2	Transponder 8L
Intelsat 8	Transponder 6
TelkomVision Indonesia	Channel ??
Dialog TV Sri Lanka	Transponder 6
DishHD Taiwan	Channel 6650
Cignal Digital TV Philippines	Channel 86
Cable
Cable TV Hong Kong Hong Kong	Channel 153
Cablelink Philippines	Channel 73
First Media Indonesia	Channel 251
Hathway India	Channel 29
Macau Cable	Channel 92
StarHub TV Singapore	Channel 447
Cable Star Iloilo Philippines	Channel 56
Parasat Cable TV Philippines	Channel 97
SkyCable Philippines	Channel 151 (Digital)
C&M Cable TV Korea	Channel 544
Destiny Cable Philippines	Channel 87
MCV Broadband Guam	Channel 64
IPTV
now TV Hong Kong	Channel 541
True IPTV Thailand	Channel 10
mio TV Singapore	Channel 251
SK Broadband TV Korea	Channel 549
UniFi Malaysia	Channel 124
PeoTV Sri Lanka	Channel 83
CHT MOD (Taiwan)	Channel 110
GUdTV Guam	Channel 200

Australia Network, originally Australia Television International and later ABC Asia Pacific, is a free-to-air international satellite television service operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation since 2006.^[2] The television and online service broadcasts 24 hours a day on 7 days a week, to approximately 44 countries in Asia, the Pacific and the Indian sub-continent. The channel broadcasts a mix of programming, including news and current affairs, English-language learning programs, international documentaries, lifestyle, drama, sports and children's programming. The current channel operating rights is due to be opened to a tender, with the incumbent ABC, and private channel operators competing for the rights.^[3]

The international television service's current incarnation launched on 1 January 2002.^[4] It is funded partially by Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, as well as some advertising (unlike the ABC's domestic television services). The channel is targeted at local audiences in 44 countries across parts of Asia, the Pacific and India. Australia network, along with international radio network Radio Australia, is a part of the ABC's International, Corporate Strategy and Governance division.^[5]

History [edit]

Origins [edit]

Australia Television International the forerunner to Australia Network was launched in 1 January 1993. Radio Australia had been operating as part of the ABC since 1939 while the passing of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act in 1983 allowed the Corporation to operate an additional international television service. The channel was originally proposed by directors Mark Armstrong and David Hill, who felt that a television channel would further heighten Australia's presence in the Asia-Pacific region and demonstrate the ABC's technical abilities.^[6]

The new channel was to be funded by a combination of government subsidies and commercial sponsorship.^[6] The presence of commercials, not previously seen or heard on the ABC, resulted in the creation of an updated edition of the ABC Editorial and Programme Practices stipulating that the 'Australia Television service will retain editorial control and independence in all programming'.^[6] Paul Keating launched Australia Television International on 1 January 1993 - televised live to 50 countries in the southeast Asian region, from the ABC's television studios in Gore Hill.

Funding cuts made in the 1997-1998 federal budget, and recommendations made in the Mansfield Report, meant that control of Australia Television was handed over to the Seven Network in 1998.^[7] Under Seven's direction the channel continued to receive federal funding, and carry some ABC News.^[7]

2002-2006 - As ABC Asia Pacific [edit]

Despite efforts made by Seven to expand into Asia using the service, it continued to lose money. In 2002, the government announced a five-year, $50 million tender for the service^[7] - at the time watched primarily by Australian expats for its news programmes, football coverage, and children's programming.^[7] Seven chose not to bid, while Imparja Television's application was unsuccessful. The ABC won the contract and launched ABC Asia Pacific on 1 January 2002, with content from the Seven Network, Nine Network, Network Ten, and the ABC's own original content, as well as news bulletins produced by Sky News Australia.^[1][4]

The tender was renewed in 2005 however the ABC was re-awarded control of the service, over other applicants including Sky News Australia.^[8][9] Soon after, the network stopped showing content from Sky News Australia, replaced with bulletins produced by the ABC's own news and current affairs division from its Southbank studios in Melbourne.

2006-present - As Australia Network [edit]

ABC Asia Pacific changed its name to Australia Network on 7 August 2006,^[1] at the same time introducing a number of new programs, as well as the expansion of its existing news programs and English-language learning programs.^[1] Following a restructure of the ABC in early 2007, Australia Network became a part of the Corporation's International, Corporate Strategy and Governance division.^[5]

The channel is not available in Australia or New Zealand, owing to rights restrictions, although ABC News for Australia Network bulletins are carried overnight on ABC News 24 in Australia and on Stratos TV in New Zealand. Several Australia Network programmes are also available online in Australia on the ABC's iview platform. Australia Network became available in Malaysia on Astro (Channel 514) in December 2008.

Programming [edit]

Australia network shows a range of programming targeted at audiences within the region,^[1] including evening news bulletins at two-hour intervals targeted at different parts of the region, and a number of English-language educational programs produced by the Network including Study English, Living English, English Bites and The Business of English.^[10] Popular soap operas Home and Away (both new and classic episodes) and Sons And Daughters is also shown on the channel, with a recap program on Sundays. Other drama series include hospital drama All Saints, police series Rescue Special Ops, Stingers, Blue Heelers, City Homicide, and East of Everything. The Nine Network's travel program Getaway & the children's show Play School is also shown.

News and current affairs [edit]

Three news bulletins are shown at two hour intervals throughout the evening, in order to provide a fairly constant timeslot for the range of timezones within the channel's coverage area. ABC Asia Pacific News is presented from the ABC's Southbank studios in Melbourne by Beverley O'Connor, with stories from ABC reporters based in and around the region. Following the channel's relaunch in 2006, four new correspondents based in New Delhi, Beijing, the South Pacific and Jakarta were added to report exclusively for the bulletins.^[10]

Current affairs program Asia Pacific Focus, hosted by Edmond Roy and Helen Vatsikopoulos is also shown after the network's 9.00pm HKT bulletin.^[10]

Some programs from ABC TV news & current affairs programs.

Sport [edit]

The Australia Network broadcasts a number of Australian sporting events, such as the Melbourne Cup and V8 Supercars, as well as the National Rugby League and Australian Football League seasons and their respective Finals Series. At present there is no cricket shown.^[10]

Logo History [edit]

ABC Asia Pacific Logo from 2002 to 2006

In 2002, ABC Asia Pacific used the same logo as ABC in Australia. The station idents also feature the same silver ring and elements as ABC Television's 2002 idents.

In 2003, generic break bumpers are used between commercial breaks, using a simple background and a simple ring animation.

In 2004, the channel used the new slogan Everyone's ABC Asia Pacific, with new idents using the same ribbon package of ABC TV Australia, but usually keeping the 2002 idents.

In 2006, ABC Asia Pacific rebranded as Australia Network, using a new logo as a stylized lower-cased 'a'. In 2009, the logo's color simplified from gold to simple white, with new idents using the new logo in guise of a balloon.

See also [edit]

• Australian Broadcasting Corporation
• Radio Australia

References [edit]

External links [edit]

• Official website

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