ABC NEWS launches new look and features, welcomes back iconic news theme – ABC NEWS, Australia’s most trusted news source, will launch a new design, features and functionality for the ABC NEWS website for all audiences next Monday 19 August as well as unveiling a new on-air look.
The news will also sound different thanks to the return of the much-loved ABC TV News Theme composed by Peter Wall and Tony Ansell, which was in use from 1986 to 2005. Audiences have never forgotten it, and now it’s back in an updated arrangement and remix.
The new theme will make its on-air debut at 9.00am AEST Monday on the ABC NEWS Channel and be heard on every state and territory 7PM bulletin from Monday night. Monday’s News Breakfast will feature a live performance of the theme played by the SA Primary Schools String Orchestra.
Also starting Monday is a new and improved ABC News Mail. In your inbox Monday to Friday, it rounds up the overnight breaking news, key conversation topics and the stories everyone is sharing.
“We’re delighted to introduce an updated look and experience for the public however and whenever they use ABC NEWS across any platform,”
– said ABC Director, News Justin Stevens.
“Every week more than 40 per cent of Australians come to ABC NEWS across digital, TV and radio* and we want to make sure we’re providing all of them the most impactful and contemporary experience, that matches the strength and excellence of our journalism.
“The new design is impactful and appealing for audiences and gives us a consistent look across all platforms. Our audience accesses our journalism across all platforms and mediums and the design needs to reflect that. The upgrade to the web and app improves the experience for users and adds features to let them personalise their news service.
“I’m thrilled to welcome back the iconic ABC NEWS theme. It captures the excitement and passion everyone in ABC NEWS has for news and current affairs.”
New features and functionality for ABC NEWS website and app
ABC NEWS is Australia’s top digital news brand with 12.6 million users in June**. The updated website goes live for all users from 6.00am AEST Monday with upgrades to the ABC NEWS app also to be rolled out soon.
“Our product and technology teams developed the new experience to relate to all Australians and showcase a breadth of content using modern design and engineering practices,”
– said ABC Chief Digital and Information Officer Damian Cronan.
“We’ve modernised the digital experience for ABC News with a strong focus on personalisation so our diverse audiences can now get the breaking news and stories that are most relevant to them.”
Among the new sections and features:
- Top Stories gets you across the key news of the day at a glance
- Everyone’s Talking About helps you jumps you straight into the top-trending news stories
- Local News to you puts news from your local area on your homepage
- A new navigation toggle makes it simple to find news from your home state or territory
- Expanded menu options mean you can easily jump into topics from the top of the page
- Video Shorts are easier to find for those who like watching their news via video
- Videos, images and graphics are better integrated to add depth to our storytelling
Other features will be added for all users in coming weeks, including For You, which personalises your content feeds, and localised emergency warnings.
Fresh look for ABC NEWS programs and platforms
On Monday ABC NEWS will unveil its biggest overhaul in look and feel in eight years, including everything from program opening titles to new weather graphics.
A redesign led by ABC in-house creative teams has created a brighter and more varied audience experience, with an expanded colour palette and a wider range of typefaces creating a more modern and engaging experience for audiences. The new graphic design incorporates shapes that are direct traces of our master logo, the iconic ABC Lissajous.
The ABC NEWS logo changes from black-and-white to a vibrant blue background that is more impactful and appealing on digital as well as broadcast
On television, the new look will be seen on the nightly flagship 7PM state and territory bulletins and across the ABC NEWS channel, including ABC NEWS Breakfast.
The design is consistent across the ABC NEWS website and app and on social platforms, such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, creating a seamless and cohesive experience for all audience members.
No matter where they get their news, Australians will be able to instantly recognise ABC NEWS.
Iconic ABC NEWS theme returns
The ABC TV News Theme was composed by Sydney arranger and keyboard player Tony Ansell and Peter Wall, who worked at the ABC as a radio producer and manager. They collaborated many times and composed the theme during a weekend in NSW’s Hunter Valley. It was in use for 19 years until 2005.
“I’m delighted it’s coming back – I think it’s our best work,”
– Peter said.
“Many people grew up listening to it and it’s wonderful new audiences will now also be able to discover it. Tony’s arrangement and Dick Montz’s piccolo trumpet have really stood the test of time.”
Tony sadly died in 2000, but Peter provided invaluable input to the 21st century version, including finding the original tape of 24 individual music tracks. ABC senior audio creative and sound designer David McDonald worked on the updated arrangement and remix.
“Peter and Tony’s composition is really quite brilliant,”
– David said.
“The genre of ‘news theme’ is highly stylised. It has to have solidity and trustworthiness, suggest something important is coming and give a sense of immediacy and urgency. Their composition is a piece of music that has depth and power very rarely heard in other news themes.”
The remix took account of the huge changes in sound systems – modern TVs and headphones are far more capable than the tiny mono speakers of the 1980s and their frequency range is also huge by comparison. Musical changes included adding drums throughout, augmentation with deep sub bass and incorporating other smaller sounds to add energy. The early beats of the updated theme now say A-B-C in morse code.
“To say that I was anxious not to wreck what I already thought was a thing of beauty would be an understatement,”
– David said.
“Working on bringing this iconic piece of music into the modern era was an absolute privilege.”
* Source: TV; OzTAM Consolidated 28-day metro reach (reach counts 5 consecutive minutes); Radio: GFK Radio Ratings; Owned Digital: Claimed Weekly Usage of ABC Digital Websites / Apps (Net), Third Party Digital: Claimed Weekly Engagement with ABC in Third Party Environments (Net) and News: Claimed Weekly Usage of ABC News (Net) – ABC Corporate Tracking Surveys.
** Source: Ipsos iris Online Audience Measurement Service June 2024, Age 14+, PC/Laptop, Smartphone, Tablet, Text Only, News excluding Weather Subcategory & Aggregators, Brand Group, Audience (000s), Audience Reach %, Total Mins (MM), AVG Mins PP.
Media Release – ABC
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ABC NEWS launches new look and features, welcomes back iconic news theme
