The on air change sounds pretty good. Local Radio certainly needed it, it sounded a little dated at times.
They’ve changed the slideshow again! Although it’s been like this for a few days now, so I think it’s settled.
They also fixed the dynamic label.
The current DAB+ slideshow image for ABC Radio Sydney:
I’d imagine that every market has something similar.
Although personally, I would’ve liked to have seen the Local Radio branding made a bit more…well, local. How about sky blue (a much more Sydney/NSW colour!) instead of red for the ABC Radio Sydney logo? Maybe even incorporating the skyline somehow?
I get that they’re going for standardised branding, but a bit of customisation for individual local markets would’ve been appreciated from our ABC!
Bland One-size-fits-all branding seems to be the standard these days… see also Hit, Triple M, Kiis…
No individuality or local identity allowed anymore. Boring as bats poop.
I heard it this morning (car horn beeping out “ABC” then a voiceover “ABC Radio Melbourne - traffic”). Quite funny.
Since the rebrand there has been a bigger push on social media which is great to see.
Fox Sports and The Project regular Jules Schiller has been named ABC Radio’s new drive presenter in Adelaide. He was most recently heard on Triple M’s test cricket coverage. He will host the 4pm-6pm shift on Mondays to Thursdays from early February. Fridays will be presented by Peter Goers.
On the ABC Adelaide situation, according to the ABC’s take on the matter, it appears they and Radio Adelaide didn’t come to an agreement - the actual trial doesn’t happen until April, with the ABC’s statement calling the ABC Adelaide name “temporary” in light of the injunction.
Jon Faine being heard on ABC Radio Hobart and ABC Northern Tasmania this morning due to “technical difficulties”
Edit: was due to an evacuation at the Hobart studios, according to Facebook.
Yes, was a bit strange, it was about 10 to 10 and they were around 20 seconds into a track and then broke in saying that they were cutting us across to Melbourne as there had been an evacuation of the building and apologising. I’m not sure when it switched back, it was about 10:30 when I stopped listening and we were still on the Melbourne feed then.
Wonder if TDT and WIN TV also had to evacuate as they share the same building.
NEW HOST, NEW SOUND FOR AM IN ITS 50TH YEAR
As it marks its 50th year of broadcasting, ABC radio current affairs flagship AM continues to set the agenda in 2017.
Sabra Lane, one of Australia’s most experienced and respected political journalists, takes over the host’s chair on Monday, January 30. She replaces Michael Brissenden, who is moving to Four Corners after two years with AM.
Also new this year is the theme music for radio current affairs programs AM, The World Today and PM, which from Monday will all have a fresh, contemporary sound, in line with the updated identity rolled out this year for the ABC Radio network.
AM’s 50th anniversary is on September 4. It first went to air on that date in 1967 with presenter Robert Peach in the chair.
Director of News Gaven Morris said: “To reach a half-century of broadcasting is an incredible achievement. AM is an institution of Australian journalism and after 50 years it’s as relevant and important to audiences as ever as a starting point for the nation’s news day.”
AM can be heard from Monday to Saturday at 8.00am-8.30am on ABC Radio and at 7.10am on ABC Radio National.
Sabra Lane
Sabra Lane is regarded as one of the best political interviewers and most astute journalists in the country. She has been covering federal politics in Canberra since 2008 and has been Chief Political Correspondent on nightly TV current affairs flagship 7.30 since September 2013, when she replaced Chris Uhlmann in the role.
Prior to that she was Chief Political Correspondent for Radio Current Affairs from July 2011, leading federal politics coverage for AM, The World Today and PM.
Before going to Canberra Sabra was a reporter for ABC Radio Current Affairs in Sydney, as well as regular fill-in Executive Producer on AM, The World Today and PM.
Prior to joining the ABC she was EP of the Seven Network’s weekly national news and public affairs program Sunday Sunrise for more than four years. She also helped produce Seven News’s coverage of the Sydney Olympics. Sabra began her journalism career in 1989 in Adelaide as a reporter/producer for the Ten Network.
But do you think it means Brisbane receives any further local shifts to fill the hole of commercial market failure?
No. Local shifts ended 7:45am today with public holiday programming dross to fill the rest of the day.
AM had a new theme this morning to welcome Sabra Lane into the hosting chair. First update in 20 years of more I’d reckon.
^ Well overdue.
What did Mediaspy contributors think of Craig Zonca’s first breakfast show on Brisbane’s ABC?
The 1993 documentary Labor in Power contained a brief excerpt from the beginning of PM on the day that Keating challenged Hawke for the leadership in December 1991 and the theme was the same. If that’s anything to go off, today’s theme changes are the first in at least 25 years.
Chris Bath starts on ABC Radio Sydney, NSW & ACT tonight.
Craig Zonca’s first breakfast on ABC Brisbane this morning. Probably had a younger feel to predecessor Spencer Howson. Spend quite some time on trending topics on twitter even including mention of commercial TV programs (I’m a Celebrity) something that would be very rare before.
PM and The Word Today also updated.
ABC shut down the three shortwave transmitters in Northern Territory today, despite protests from local residents, fishermen, truck drivers and pastoralists. Senator Nick Xenophon has drafted new legislation which will be introduced to Federal Parliament, and if passed will force the broadcaster to reopen the transmitters.
I liked the old theme, but I agree, it’s probably due for a revamp.
…In an age of unpredictability, little things like this are a comfort to me, though.
Just wondering if our techy experts on here (eg RFBurns) could provide a comment on how practical and effective the following would be in compensating for the loss of the ABC shortwave transmitters in the NT:
Logic is as follows:
With my limited knowledge, this might require Day/Night switching to be installed along with Directional Antenna. 4LM in Mt Isa QLD on 666AM would appear to be the nearest station on an adjacent frequency impacted. (My assumption is that 9khz either side of the frequency needs to be clear in the “immediate” area).