Apparently, but only if you book. I’d say there’s money in them. Our school did book a tour for some of our kids once.
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ABC Radio Brisbane had to temporarily suspend normal programming for a brief period this afternoon, due to fire alarm evacuating the ABCs South Bank building. Part of the 3pm hour was taken from the Gold Coast drive program. Normal programming resumed in time for the 4pm news and Steve Austin’s local Drive program.
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Here’s a behind the scenes look at the ABC Hobart building from their Facebook page today in the lead up to tomorrow’s Open Day to coincide with the launch and lighting up of the ABC Giving Tree which is also having its 30th anniversary.
On another ABC Tasmania note, not sure how long she’s been there for but I heard former WIN News weekend newsreader Alison Costelloe reading the news on the radio today and former Southern Cross newsreader Kim Millar is still filling in for drive on ABC Northern Tasmania and will be for the rest of the month I believe.
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Some ABC Radio outlets in Queensland are in emergency broadcasting mode. Currently it is ABC Tropical North, Capricornia and Wide Bay due to multiple bush fires now having evacuation and emergency alerts.
Sunshine Coast breakfast presenter Rob Blackmore has been anchoring coverage since 6pm from the Sunshine Coast studios. Mackay presenter Tegan Philpott is taking over after 10pm until 2am.
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Just heard on ABC Capricornia that it will be simulcast on ABC News Radio in Rockhampton
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Good to see that they have the capacity to switch those national feeds to a local one.
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ABC is drawing on resources from around the country to keep emergency mode going in Queensland… Staff from ABC Western Plains at Dubbo in NSW were on air in Queensland broadcasting emergency information overnight (from 0100 Qld time) allowing local teams to take a break.
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With the little budget they have now, well done to the ABC 
. This is why it is so important for the Government to keep on funding these local services.
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Any reason given? Becasue there is no FM coverage for local radio? or transmitter site for 4RK is in danger?
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The big scandal of the day for the ABC was the Bald Hills site off air for over thirty minutes during drive today 1645 to about 1720.
612 failed and the generator/s attempted to get on air three times when supply failed but to no avail.
612, RN and News Radio were all out.
The on air message via digital and online was to keep listening via those methods, no quick switch over of Classic FM to the 612 program.
Broadcast Australia have a lot to answer for.
It’s lucky the fires weren’t more intense within the 612 area otherwise they would’ve had a real embarrassment on their hands.
Now it seems it’s not just the BoM radar that fails when we need it most but also BA’s sites for the ABC.
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They just said so there are more ways to listen
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Probably a redundancy measure.
Gracemere, where the 4RK transmitter is located, was evacuated earlier this afternoon. The Rockhampton NewsRadio transmitter is co-located with 4ABCFM, 4ABCRN and 4JJJ on Mount Hopeful (along with RTQ/STQ/TNQ/SBS), which as far as I’m aware is out of the way of the fire
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Makes sense, as not everyone has an AM radio, or can get better FM reception than AM.
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Especially in bushfires where the fires create their own electrical noise that lessens the usefulness of AM signal, FM is also diminished but not as much.
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Cranky, was it a fire related power outage? I’m guessing not in that area.
Correct, not in that area
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Rockhampton seem to be struggling this afternoon. A few problems with live crosses, and just then forgetting to fire off the SEWS before reading out an emergency warning
Clearly it’s not something they’re used to - others may attest to this, but information on bushfires tend to change more quickly than, say, a cyclone which can be drawn out over a number of hours as it approaches.
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To be fair, as you point out, bush fires are a moving feast of information - and some of the presenters / producers likely haven’t been involved in an event like this before.
Most programs would likely be manned by just the one presenter and one producer - maybe an extra support person if they are lucky. So it would be a very busy job in these sorts of situations.
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Most definitely. It’s hardly the fault of individuals, it’s a resource and training issue that will hopefully be adressed as these events become more frequent
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