I do have to agree with that statement.
ABC 3 definitely was if I remember well, however the popularity spiralled down with the rebranding to ABC Me, and now, well - nobody watches the channel…
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Streaming. That is all.
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Yes. The point I was trying to get across.
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The ratings did not fall with the rebranding. Having a look at ratings in 2016, ABC3 was normally rating around 0.5-0.7%. I’m seeing in the latest ratings ABC ME is still rating around 0.7%. Considering there are more channels in 2020 like 10 Shake and 9 Rush, you could argue ABC ME is doing better than it did in 2016.
If you go back to 2012-2014 you can see ABC3 was rating around 0.9%, so even then it wasn’t huge.
The main channel doesn’t does not shows “kids shows” when ABC Kids and ABC ME are screening programs aimed at children and youth.
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ABC Kids has the highest rating programs of any of multichannel. So why would you merge it with ABC ME and lose all those youth viewers on ABC ME?
How many potential adult viewers would you actually attract to ABC TV Plus in the afternoon? Will it be at the expense of ABC TV?
I used to think a merger was a good idea but admittedly don’t watch much on either channel so it didn’t bother me. When it was explained to me that ABC Kids and ABC ME bring a lot of viewers to the ABC, I could see the point of sticking to the way things are.
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We definitely know there’s an audience for programs on ABC Kids, since titles on that channel frequently make the Top 20 rated shows for multichannels and often receive higher audience figures than most (if not all) shows on the commercial network multichannels in primetime.
But ABC ME? Programs from that channel rarely if ever make the Top 20. Maybe there are ratings figures out there which suggest that ABC ME rates quite well in their target demographic of 6-15 year olds. In which case, this is great great.
However if the channel rates low even within its target demographic (as I suspect the case is), then I’d probably suggest that the ABC needs to reposition the channel. When it began in 2009-10, somehow I felt that ABC3 was trying too hard to be perceived as cool as Nickelodeon and similar Pay TV channels amongst kids. While I haven’t seen much on LCN-23 since the rebrand to ABC ME, the few bits that I have seen haven’t done much to change that perception.
I actually feel that ABC isn’t trying much to actually cater to the audience anymore, instead just slotting in whatever they can find. I’d rather they try to cater, like in the days of ABC 3.
Well, give them more money.
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ABC Children’s ramps up live-action slate with Parent Up and The PM’s Daughter
ABC and Screen Australia are pleased to announce the commissioning of two exciting new live action series Parent Up and The PM’s Daughter. Both series will go into production this year and join MaveriX, Itch Season 2 and Hardball Season 2 on ABC ME’s action-packed slate of narrative drama.
ABC Head of Children’s Production Libbie Doherty says “Strap in for a very exciting ride on ABC ME. We are turning up the heat with big E for Entertainment – new and returning series purpose fit for iview and the streaming landscape. Audiences will be thrilled with the return of much-loved favourites Hardball S2 and Itch S2 and wonderful new comedy series Parent Up and The PM’s Daughter (both working titles).
Sally Caplan, Head of Content at Screen Australia said, “We were incredibly impressed by these live-action childrens’ dramas, with clever scripts and distinctly Australian stories that reflect our multicultural society on screen. Whether it’s delving into the world of leading a country in PM’s Daughter or exploring a mysterious spy underworld in Sydney in Parent Up , these are two fun, high stakes series that I’m sure will entertain and inspire young viewers.”
From Justine Flynn the creator of The Unlisted comes Parent Up , a comedy action series for 8-13 year-olds. Yu Na and Min Park want more excitement in their lives, but they don’t realise just how crazy their lives will become when they discover their once unremarkable parents are actually international spies and have disappeared in suspicious circumstances!
In The PM’s Daughter , a political comedy-drama series co-created by Tristram Baumber, Catalina Parkes Pérez (Cat to her friends) is like any other teenager who wants to fight the powers that be. There’s just one complication: her mother is the Prime Minister of Australia.
Parent Up
Production Credit: An Aquarius Films production in association with Buster Productions for the ABC, with major production investment from Screen Australia in association with Screen NSW and Cutting Edge and financed with support from ABC Commercial. Directors: Nick Verso, Chase Lee, Hyun Lee, Darlene Johnson, Neil Sharma and Justine Flynn. Producers: Angie Fielder & Polly Staniford. Creator/Executive Producer: Justine Flynn. Series Producer: Naomi Just. ABC Executive Producer: Mary-Ellen Mullane. International Distributor: ABC Commercial.
The PM’s Daughter
Production Credit: A Fremantle Australia production for the ABC, with major production investment from Screen Australia in association with Screen NSW and financed with support from Fremantle International and the ACTF. Directors: Julietta Boscolo, Erin White, Alana Hicks. Producer: Alice Willison. Co-Producer: Kieran Hoyle. Creators: Tristram Baumber, Matthew Allred. Executive Producers: Chris Oliver-Taylor, Tristram Baumber. ABC Executive Producer: Mary-Ellen Mullane.
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NHK will show First Day in June as part of its “Inclusion Week”.
UPDATE 10/4: First Day was a joint winner in the Outstanding Kids & Family Programming category at the GLAAD Media Awards, with She-Ra & The Princesses of Power.
Production of Parent Up has started in Sydney as more details and synopsis are revealed.
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Mikki vs The World
From Sunday 9 May at 5:00am
Fresh out of psychology school, Mikki is ready to do business. She’s set up a very cool practice, hired a mostly cool assistant Mo and has ALL her new knowledge to share. On the downside, she’s a little short on experience, so she can’t seem to land a single client. That’s not a problem though - Mikki’s ‘no shame’ HQ is rarely short on drama giving her and Mo ample opportunity to test the odd theory, ask embarrassing questions and get to the bottom of some pretty tricky situations.
Together, Mikki and Mo are the quintessential odd couple. She’s messy, disorganised and prone to making snap decisions while Mo is the polar opposite - rigidly organised, logical and risk averse (but always ready with a breakfast burrito). They support each other, with their differences becoming their combined strength
No two days are ever the same at the ‘heart and brain’ HQ and at times they’re out right strange. Some days, it’s the dogged presence of a giant Sad Panda. Others, it’s having to cope with the tyrannical Shame Paparazzi…Or how about that time Mikki developed a weird crush on Mo? That’s like super weird.In every episode, our intrepid and newly graduated psychologist Dr M will unpack the mental health issues teenagers face, with a big dose of surreal comedy. The series cleverly uses creative analogies and carefully crafted characters to keep the mental health content entertaining and digestible for young audiences. Mikki also calls on ‘real life’ input from local teenagers, musicians, sporting heroes, comedians and experts to help her solve whatever life puzzle she is facing.
Mikki vs The World is more than just a journey of discovery – it’s a bizarre, surprising, hilarious, fact-finding rollercoaster. Are you ready to take the ride?
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‘Glaad’ tidings for ABC ME’s award-winning series First Day
ABC ME series First Day has won an international award celebrating programs for their fair, accurate and inclusive representation of LGBTQ people and the issues that affect their lives.
The series about a transgender girl starting high school was joint winner of the award for Outstanding Kids & Family Programming at the 2021 GLAAD Media Awards, announced last week.
First Day was the only Australian program recognised at the annual awards, which promote diverse and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community, sending powerful messages of acceptance to audiences globally.
ABC Children’s Head Libbie Doherty said the multi award-winning First Day resonated strongly with young people and the international transgender community. “GLAAD is an incredibly respected organisation in the LGBTQI community and to have the nod from them in a very strong field is really exciting,” she said.
“Congratulations to the ABC ME team, along with writer-director Julie Kalceff, producers Kirsty Stark and Kate Croser, Epic Films and the talented transgender actor Evie Macdonald. The nuance and tenderness that Evie brings to the role are why it continues to win awards all over the world.”
Actor Evie MacDonald, the first transgender actor to play the lead role in an Australian scripted drama, said: “This honestly means the world to me and thank you so much to everyone for just being so amazing and showing love and support.”
Writer/director Julie Kalceff said: “Thank you to everyone who’s watched First Day and thank you to GLAAD for the work they do to ensure diverse and accurate representation of LGBTQ people on screen.”
First Day , produced by Epic Films for the ABC and subsequently broadcast on Hulu in the United States, has won multiple international awards for its powerful story about a transgender girl finding the courage to live as her most authentic self.
In 2019, the series won the prestigious Rose d’Or Award for best Children and Youth program, which celebrates screen excellence and achievement from around the world.
The 2019 series and the 2017 stand-alone film on which it is based – which was commissioned through an ABC and Screen Australia joint initiative to celebrate International Day of the Girl – have also won the inaugural prize for outstanding children’s programming at the MIPCOM Diversify TV Excellence Awards and the Prix Jeunesse Gender Equity Prize, voted on by 550 children’s television experts from 65 countries.
The full list of the 2021 GLAAD Award winners is available here.
I notice that ABC ME is broadcasting a program right now (a kids show, not Rage), despite the fact that it is closedown time. Surely this is unusual?
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Was it Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (which aired at 9.33pm according to ABC’s online guide)?
ABC Me has randomly aired shows around the midnight mark over the years. I dont know the reasoning behind this though. And i wonder why they dont put these shows on the EPG? Always says “closed. Resumes programming at #am”. Or along those lines.
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Nine aired the series first. It debuted on 9GO! on March 5 this year, followed by ABC ME on April 2.
The entire series is available on iView but not on 9Now.
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