ABC TV - Programs and Schedules

Flagship ABC Regional series back on the road

ABC TV is pleased to announce the break-out summer hit program Back Roads will return for a second series.

Created by the ABC’s regional division, and presented by Heather Ewart, Back Roads transported audiences to some of the nation’s most remote and inspiring communities, and highlighted regional Australia’s trademark grit, generosity, humour and innovation.

Series one travelled to Ceduna in South Australia, Derby in Western Australia, Birchip and Yackandandah in Victoria, Winton and Karumba in Queensland, the Clarence River region in New South Wales and Queenstown in Tasmania.

The series completed a highly-successful eight-week run, achieving a combined metro and regional average audience of 1.2million on Monday evenings at 8pm on ABC.

In addition, there have been a total of 120,000 plays for the series so far on ABC iview.

Richard Finlayson, Director of ABC Television, said the success proved there is an unmet need for Australians to hear the stories of the bush.

“Our goal is to be the home of Australian conversations and stories and our heartland audience will be delighted that Back Roads is on the road for season two”, he said.

Fiona Reynolds, ABC Regional Director, said, “We’ve been overwhelmed with the response to the show, not only from regional Australians but our city cousins too.

“The ABC and its teams are committed to sharing regional stories, locally as well as nationally. We’ll never run out of tales to tell. There are just so many back roads to explore!”

Heather Ewart said, “It’s been a privilege and a pleasure to shine a light on the resilience of country towns and their characters. I look forward to continuing the journey with the Back Roads team this year”.

The 2016 season will air on ABC later this year.

Why aren’t they streaming ABC 2 and 3 and news 24 on the Iview site ?

ABC News 24 is being streamed on its own website.

Yes I know but the picture quality isn’t very good at times.

###Call the Midwife - Series Return

Sunday 28 February at 8:30pm

###Week commencing 21 February 2016


Sunday 21 February
7:40pm Doc Martin
8:30pm Call The Midwife Premiere
9:45pm Joanna Lumley’s Nile Series Premiere
10:35pm The Weekly With Charlie Pickering
11.05pm Redfern Now

Monday 22 February
8:00pm Australian Story
8:30pm Four Corners
9:20pm Media Watch
9:35pm Q&A

Tuesday 23 February
8:00pm Catalyst
8:30pm Afghanistan: Inside Australia’s War: Acts Of War Series Premiere
9:30pm New Series Fake or Fortune?: Renoir

Wednesday 24 February
8:00pm Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery: Stan Grant
8:30pm The Weekly With Charlie Pickering
9:00pm Black Comedy
9:30pm Adam Hills: The Last Leg

Thursday 25 February
8:00pm Hatch, Match And Dispatch
8:30pm Jack Irish
9:30pm No Offence

Friday 26 February
8:00pm Griff’s Great Britain
8:30pm The Doctor Blake Mysteries: Against The Odds
9:30pm Silent Witness: Trust: Part 2

Saturday 27 February
7:30pm Death In Paradise
8:30pm Cuffs
9:30pm Jack Irish Rpt

###Week commencing 28 February 2016


Sunday 28 February
6:30pm Compass: Pope Francis The Sinner (Part 1) Series Return
7:00pm ABC News Sunday
7:40pm Doc Martin
8:30pm Call The Midwife Series Return
9:30pm Joanna Lumley’s Nile
10:20pm The Weekly With Charlie Pickering

Monday 29 February
8:00pm Australian Story
8:30pm Four Corners
9:20pm Media Watch
9:35pm Q&A

Tuesday 1 March
8:00pm Catalyst
8:30pm Afghanistan: Inside Australia’s War: Hearts And Minds
9:30pm Fake or Fortune?: Munnings and Churchill

Wednesday 2 March
8:00pm Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery: Denise Scott
One of our favourite performers, Denise Scott, takes Julia home to Melbourne’s Greensborough where she reveals a thoroughly suburban childhood that blossomed into an extraordinary gift for comedy & storytelling.
8:30pm The Weekly With Charlie Pickering
9:00pm Black Comedy
9:30pm Adam Hills: The Last Leg

Thursday 3 March
8:00pm Hatch, Match And Dispatch
8:30pm Jack Irish
9:30pm No Offence

Friday 4 March
8:00pm Griff’s Great Britain: Coasts
8:30pm The Doctor Blake Mysteries: The Price Of Love
9:30pm Silent Witness: True Love Waits (Part 1)

Saturday 5 March
10:30am rage Mardi Gras Special
Wall-to-wall music videos, from new releases to classics and the long-forgotten. Also featuring special guests who program their favourites.

7:30pm Death In Paradise
8:30pm Cuffs
9:30pm Jack Irish

11:45pm rage Mardi Gras Special

From March 15, ABC Arts will roll out an exciting line-up of programs on Tuesdays at 10pm on ABC TV and ABC iview

ABC Arts will present two new series – CREATIVES and MEET THE MAVERICKS - along with the return of much-loved THE BOOK CLUB, hosted by Jennifer Byrne, celebrating its 10th anniversary…

CREATIVES

Creatives is a 4 x 30min biographical series about four highly talented Australian artists from the fields of theatre, music, art and dance, who have each made significant contributions to the cultural life of this country.

MEET THE MAVERICKS

The CREATIVES season is followed by MEET THE MAVERICKS, a new 5 x 30min interview series featuring some of our most iconic artists, performers, cultural leaders and all around troublemakers, in conversation about their work, passions, shared experiences and takes on the world. The series provides a deeper look at Australians who challenge and shape our cultural landscape. MEET THE MAVERICKS pairs guests from different generations and fields who have aspects of their work or areas of interest in common:
•Archibald prize winning painter and activist Ben Quilty, with indigenous filmmaker and visual artist Warwick Thornton
•Turner Prize winning sculptor, TV presenter and cross-dresser Grayson Perry, with comedian and author Magda Szubanski
•Award winning actor, Miranda Tapsell, with mentor and fellow actor/director Leah Purcell
•Cultural commentator and Radio National host Phillip Adams, with musician, actor, and composer Tim Minchin
•Triple j host, satirist, documentary maker and author John Safran, with his British counterpart and fellow gonzo journalist Jon Ronson

THE BOOK CLUB

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, THE BOOK CLUB will return in May and will screen weekly for 13 weeks.
Jennifer Byrne will again be joined by fellow book-lovers, and long-time club members, Marieke Hardy and Jason Steger, plus show favourites Michael Williams, Michael Robotham, Leigh Sales, Adam Liaw, Virginia Gay and Ben Law to name a few.
The season kicks off with a special episode - Jennifer Byrne Presents: Andy Griffiths - an intimate interview with Australia’s best-selling author and king of the kids, Andy Griffiths.
THE BOOK CLUB will also return for its annual hour-long end of year special in December.
For those viewers itching to get some BOOK CLUB action before May, stay tuned for BOOKISH – a fun new weekly short-form program exploring all aspects of books, writing and the world of publishing, available exclusively on ABC Arts on iview.

A post was merged into an existing topic: HD Broadcasting

###Week commencing 6 March 2016


Sunday 6 March
6:30pm Compass: Pope Francis The Sinner (Part 2)
7:00pm ABC News Sunday
7:40pm Doc Martin
8:30pm Call The Midwife
9:30pm Joanna Lumley’s Nile
10:20pm The Weekly With Charlie Pickering Rpt

Monday 7 March
8:00pm Australian Story
8:30pm Four Corners
9:20pm Media Watch
9:35pm Q&A

Tuesday 8 March
8:00pm Catalyst
8:30pm Afghanistan: Inside Australia’s War: We All Have To Get Home
9:30pm Fake or Fortune?: Mystery Old Master

Wednesday 9 March
8:00pm Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery: Geoffrey Robertson
Lawyer Geoffrey Robertson takes Julia back to the home he grew up in, and together they visit the school and university that set the Epping Public schoolboy on his way to fight for justice and human rights around the world.
8:30pm The Weekly With Charlie Pickering
9:00pm Black Comedy Final
9:30pm Adam Hills: The Last Leg

Thursday 10 March
8:00pm Hatch, Match And Dispatch
8:30pm Jack Irish
9:30pm No Offence

Friday 11 March
8:00pm Griff’s Great Britain: Lakes
8:30pm The Doctor Blake Mysteries: A Difficult Lie
9:30pm Silent Witness: True Love Waits (Part 2)

Saturday 12 March
7:30pm Death In Paradise
8:30pm Cuffs
9:30pm Jack Irish Rpt

###Janet King

Thursday 24 March at 8.30pm

Marta Dusseldorp stars in Series 2 of Janet King

With gun crime exploding in the suburbs, Janet King (Marta Dusseldorp) is handpicked by a nervous government to head a Royal Commission into the surge of recent shootings.

Unlike the world of the DPP, the Royal Commission allows Janet and her team to become the investigators – they can raid, interrogate and have police seconded to them.
Conscripting solicitors Lina Badir (Andrea Demetriades), Richard Stirling (Hamish Michael), as well as the ambitious Owen Mitchell (Damian Walshe-Howling) as Counsel Assisting, with Detective Inspector Andy Campbell (Christopher Morris) as Police Liaison, Janet and her team peel back the complex layers of intrigue underpinning the illicit trade in weapons.

As Janet exercises her powers and begins uncovering the truth, criminal and political forces begin to stir, bent on shutting down the Royal Commission, even if it means destroying Janet in the process. A shocking reveal brings Janet’s world crashing in on her as she faces legal proceedings of a deeply personal nature.

Also starring are Peter Kowitz, Leah Purcell, Anita Hegh.
Guest stars: Aaron Jeffery, Ewen Leslie, Genevieve Hegney, Philip Quast, Nicholas Hope, Leeanna Walsman, Gary Sweet.

Looking forward to it but I wonder if it would have been better to have a break between series starring Marta Dusseldorp.

360 Vision – ABC and Screen NSW announce virtual reality initiative

ABC and Screen NSW are pleased to announce that they will partner on Australia’s first ever Virtual Reality development initiative – 360 Vision.

ABC and Screen NSW announced today at the Australian International Documentary Conference that they will create an opportunity for leading Australian producers, directors and writers across all genres - including drama, factual, children’s and entertainment - to move into more immersive storytelling experiences.

360 Vision will begin with an intensive one-day invitation-only lab at Carriageworks, the venue partner, to be held during Vivid Sydney in June. The lab will bring together screen content creators to experience the latest Virtual Reality content and technology. There will be panel discussions, screenings and networking opportunities with leading Virtual Reality storytellers and technical experts from around the world.

Presenting at the lab and participating in the initiative as a mentor, is Australia’s Lynette Wallworth, the first artist ever selected for the Sundance Institute New Frontier/Jaunt VR Residency Program. Ms Wallworth’s groundbreaking project Collisions, supported by the Adelaide Film Festival, premiered in January at the World Economic Forum, Davos, and at the Sundance Film Festival.

Following the lab, submissions will be sought for Virtual Reality content across all genres, with up to six projects for further development.

Richard Finlayson, ABC Director of Television, said: “ABC has a proud tradition of innovation in both content and platforms. This is a pioneering opportunity, in partnership with Screen NSW, to create a pathway for Australia’s most innovative screen content creators to move into the new frontier of Virtual Reality.”

Courtney Gibson, Chief Executive of Screen NSW, said: “Virtual Reality is a space in which the world’s biggest technology and entertainment companies are starting to seriously play. The time feels right for Australian producers, writers and directors of screen content to come together with technical experts from the VR world to explore the possibilities of 360 degree storytelling for Australian audiences.”

Screen NSW is developing its own Virtual Reality platform for iOS, Android, Gear VR and the web and this will be powered by Triggar VR. Audiences will be able download the app to experience Virtual Reality content. Triggar has developed Virtual Reality apps for clients including Airbus and the United Nations and is working closely with Google now.

###Gardening Australia

Returns for 2016

Saturday 2 April at 6:30pm

First Episode:

April Alliums - Tino Carnevale
Tino shows us how to cultivate a range of awesome alliums, including spring onions,
chives and garlic.

Vauclause House - Costa Geogiadis
Costa explores this 19th century Sydney mansion that is still surrounded by original
gardens and woods.

Dahlia Garden - Sophie Thomson
Sophie meets an Adelaide couple who inherited a dahlia collection that they cleverly
incorporated into their terraced cottage-style garden.

My Garden Path
We watch tattoo artist Amy Duncan at work as she crea

###Week commencing 13 March 2016


Sunday 13 March
6:30pm Compass: Melany’s Remedy
7:00pm ABC News Sunday
7:40pm Doc Martin
8:30pm Call The Midwife
9:30pm Joanna Lumley’s Nile
10:20pm The Weekly With Charlie Pickering Rpt

Monday 14 March
8:00pm Australian Story
8:30pm Four Corners
9:20pm Media Watch
9:35pm Q&A

Tuesday 15 March
8:00pm Catalyst
8:30pm Keeping Australia Alive Series Premiere
9:30pm Foreign Correspondent Series Return
10:00pm Creatives: Kev Carmody Series Premiere

Wednesday 16 March
8:00pm Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery: Miranda Tapsell
8:30pm The Weekly With Charlie Pickering
9:00pm Luke Warm Sex Series Premiere
9:30pm Adam Hills: The Last Leg

Thursday 17 March
8:00pm Hatch, Match And Dispatch
8:30pm Jack Irish
9:30pm No Offence

Friday 18 March
8:00pm Griff’s Great Britain: Cotswolds
8:30pm The Doctor Blake Mysteries: For Whom The Bell Tolls
9:30pm Silent Witness: Legacy (Part 1)

Saturday 19 March
7:30pm Death In Paradise
8:30pm Cuffs
9:30pm Jack Irish Rpt

###Week commencing 20 March 2016


Sunday 20 March
6:30pm Compass: Salvado’s Letters
7:00pm ABC News Sunday
7:40pm Doc Martin
8:30pm Call The Midwife
9:30pm Joanna Lumley’s Trans-Siberian Adventure Rpt
10:20pm The Weekly With Charlie Pickering Rpt

Monday 21 March
8:00pm Australian Story
8:30pm Four Corners
9:20pm Media Watch
9:35pm Q&A

Tuesday 22 March
8:00pm Catalyst
8:30pm Keeping Australia Alive
9:30pm Foreign Correspondent
10:00pm Creatives: Michelle Ryan

Wednesday 23 March
8:00pm Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery: Greig Pickhaver
8:30pm The Weekly With Charlie Pickering
9:00pm Luke Warm Sex
9:30pm Adam Hills: The Last Leg

Thursday 24 March
8:00pm Hatch, Match And Dispatch
8:30pm Janet King Series Return
9:30pm No Offence

Friday 25 March
8:00pm Griff’s Great Britain: Cotswolds
8:30pm The Doctor Blake Mysteries: For Whom The Bell Tolls
9:30pm Silent Witness: Legacy (Part 1)

Saturday 26 March
7:30pm Death In Paradise
8:30pm Cuffs
9:30pm Janet King Rpt

Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery for 16 March that was to feature Kerri-Anne Kennerley has been pulled most likely because of her husband’s very serious injury.

Wednesday March 16 will now feature Miranda Tapsell and March 23 will feature Greig Pickhaver

###Matilda and Me: The story of Tim Minchin and the making of a smash hit musical

Sunday 3 April at 7:40pm

Matilda and Me tells the story of the Australian debut of global smash hit stage show Matilda the Musical and its composer Tim Minchin.

Narrated by Tim’s sister Nel Minchin, and co-directed by Nel and Rhian Skirving, Matilda and Me explores how Tim has evolved from loud-mouthed iconoclastic comedian to being Australia’s most recognized musical theatre export, and shows how an unlikely partnership led to the most successful musical of its generation.

When the Royal Shakespeare Company took a seemingly big risk by asking Tim to compose a musical based on Roald Dahl’s children’s classic Matilda, little did they know he had been preparing for the job his whole life. Through candid interviews, rare archive, glimpses into Tim’s daily life and personal performances at his home piano, the film reveals how the boy from Perth went from WA’s beaches to Broadway and the West End.

'Anyone who has a brother or sister knows what it’s like to grow up so close to someone, and yet still be surprised at who they turn out to be. It was a chance for me to go back in time and piece together how my brother Tim became ‘Tim Minchin’ right before my eyes.’ Nel Minchin, Narrator/Director

Against the backdrop of preparations for the Australian premiere, the high energy of the rehearsal room features the original Aussie cast and songs from the musical, propelling the story towards its star studded opening night climax.

‘When Nel approached me about being involved in a Matilda doco, I was mostly just excited that she (and her co-director, Rhian, who is one of my best mates) had an excuse to come to LA to hang out. But what they’ve created is really lovely and surprising. They have explored my (unremarkable) origin story, and woven it beautifully into the (remarkable) origin story of this musical… celebrating the world-class Aussie theatre industry on the way. Clever sis.’ Tim Minchin

‘This is a story for everyone and the ABC is excited to be airing a new documentary, Matilda and Me - featuring an Australian icon whose musical genius and a 30 year relationship with Roald Dahl’s marvellous novel culminated in a worldwide smash-hit musical.’ Mandy Chang, Head of Arts, ABC

The film will be complemented by additional ‘children’s’ behind the scenes content produced especially for ABC3.

###Father Brown - Season 4

From Saturday 9 April at 7:30pm

Our mystery solving, Catholic priest Father Brown (Mark Williams) is back! Series 4 of Father Brown start Saturday 9 April at 7.30pm. Set in the idyllic English country village of Kembleford in the 1950s, Father Brown’s talent for solving crimes is well known.

In this series Father Brown finds himself at the centre of a number of different murders and mysteries including: the unexpected murder of a B grade movie director, the hunt for a missing corpse, tangled up in a crazy revenge plot and he uncovers the secret life of a murdered pilot.

Other returning characters include, Mrs McCarthy (Sorcha Cusack), Lady Felicia (Nancy Carroll), Inspector Mallory (Jack Deam) and Sergeant Goodfellow (John Burton).

###Week commencing 27 March 2016


Sunday 27 March
6:30pm Compass: Assyrian Priest
7:00pm ABC News Sunday
7:40pm Doc Martin
8:30pm Call The Midwife
9:30pm Joanna Lumley’s Trans-Siberian Adventure Rpt
10:20pm The Weekly With Charlie Pickering Rpt

Monday 28 March
8:00pm Australian Story
8:30pm Four Corners
9:20pm Media Watch
9:35pm Q&A

Tuesday 29 March
8:00pm Catalyst
8:30pm Keeping Australia Alive
9:30pm Foreign Correspondent
10:00pm Creatives: Patricia Piccinini

Wednesday 30 March
8:00pm Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery: Ben Quilty
8:30pm The Weekly With Charlie Pickering
9:00pm Luke Warm Sex
9:30pm Adam Hills: The Last Leg

Thursday 31 March
8:00pm Hatch, Match And Dispatch Series Final
8:30pm Janet King
9:30pm No Offence

Friday 1 April
8:00pm Griff’s Great Britain: Borders
8:30pm Grantchester New Series
9:15pm Silent Witness Rpt

Saturday 2 April
7:30pm Death In Paradise
8:30pm Cuffs
9:30pm Janet King Rpt