Whoops! Evenings is national at the moment, so it’s possible this went out across other parts of Australia too. From the SMH website (audio also available on there).
Listeners to Melbourne’s 774 evening program on Monday found out how radio is really made – with panel-bashing, exasperated sighs and language that definitely isn’t G-rated.
Shortly after the 7pm news bulletin wrapped up, technical problems pulled the program off air.
Unfortunately, one producer’s microphone was still on and broadcasting straight into people’s cars and loungerooms.
“I don’t know what’s going on,” she said.
“What the f—? I can’t hear anything either.”
The producer then threw to George Michael’s 1987 song Faith, while they could be overhead desperately trying to work through the technical issues.
In the agonising silence that followed, the dead air was interrupted by one of the producers saying “we’re on air apparently”.
Realising what’s happened, the producers then stop talking and mute their microphones.
After about a minute of silence, an automated message was played apologising for the technical difficulties.
Normal programming resumed soon after.
However the 8 o’clock bulletin was broadcast obscenity-free.
First day of 2017 and surprisingly Grandstand will not air this afternoon even though there is a lot of sport happening today. Instead ABC Local Radio is broadcasting New Year’s Day talkback specials. A-League matches will be broadcast as normal from 5.30pm AEDT with Wellington v Adelaide into SA, and Wanderers v Glory in NSW and WA.
Yesterday they were replaying the Sportsperson of the year awards at times so I suspect content may be thin on the ground. Remembering they don’t have rights to Big Bash anymore to help fill the schedules.
If the debacle with Radio Adelaide hasn’t affected the ABC’s plans to rebrand all local state stations and if all the info from the press release is still correct, the new look ABC Radio is expected to commence next Monday, January 9th. A new website is expected to launch eventually with the new look. I’d say when the ABC website updates with the new corporate look and after the ABC News rebrand, that should be the time the new website will launch.
Surprised there hasn’t been any more promotional material since December 1st teaser trailer. I feel the ABC should have done a explanation ad as well for older viewers, as the teaser trailer confused a lot of people.
Are you sure? That website still has the current branding, and the same call sign instead of the new one, ABC Radio Sydney. The new branding features red:
As I said above, nope, you’re right. The website is still using the current ABC Radio branding with the purple colour and current 3D Lissajous logo. The new one will probably feature the new red logo, the oneABC font used across all fronts of the website, and a refreshed design that works well both on computer and mobile. Perhaps this might be a taste of the new website: http://www.about.abc.net.au
I’m glad the ABC are now merging the Radio brand used for various services, into the radio stations now again, as before it would say just the state and call sign.
It’s funny, but not in a haha way, that those in charge at the ABC have NFI what they’re doing.
They dropped the local callsigns (2NC, 2BL, 3LO, 4QR, etc.) because everybody called them by that, but didn’t know the frequency to tune to.
So what do they do, change the names to be specifically the frequency & city, & now they’ve dropped the frequency altogether & just gone with the city.
Why not just bring back the local callsigns as everyone knew them by that & most people know what city they’re listening to the local ABC station in.
On websites & streaming, they could have them listed as 2BL Sydney, 2NC Newcastle, 3LO Melbourne, 4QR Brisbane, etc.
Article reads as if he is looking for a career outside radio annouceing.
"Deep down, all along, this has been about saying, ‘I’m 44, if I want to have a second career, or do something different, it has to be now, not in 10 years’ time’.
“It was flattering that the ABC asked me to reconsider, and then asked me to stay on in another role, but that wouldn’t have achieved the life change that I need right now.”
Howson said he was pursuing a couple of different options regarding his future
The ABC Radio brand has been like that for some time, but the website does look newer. The purple colour scheme and current 2000s logo is a dead giveaway. But then again, Local Perth radio website is using the older ABC website design and is not optimised for mobile! According to the press release, a new website will launch after the rebrand:
Works well. Glad they came to an agreement, though it might look nicer if the the ABC logo was next to the word ‘Adelaide’, but other than that, that still works well.
666 Canberra went live first with the newly designed site as a real time test. Then Sydney. The other markets will get theirs upon launch. This was explained in the PR guff when the new look was released.
I agree, ABC Adelaide sounds more catcher than ABC Radio Adelaide. In terms with the addition of ‘Radio’ in the name, i think the ABC is trying to re-establish the ‘Radio’ brand again like it was previously.
Personally, I don’t think any of the new websites have launched yet, as they are still using the current branding, which doesn’t match up to the new one. As mentioned previously and like you said, the other states will get the new websites during a controlled introduction throughout 2017.
What I am wondering personally, when will the other services like ‘RN’ get rebranded to suit the new look? I guess that will also happen down the road.
According to the press release, a new website will launch after the rebrand:
