250 replies to this topic

[MelbourneTV]

I don't think we've got a thread on this service, so may as well get one started.

Not long ago, I saw the offerings from this channel, and I was disappointed. Very very poor and cheap.
It's good to be able to travel and get some Aussie news and even sports results, but the channel is just crap.
I hope the impending relaunch on August 7 brings some major major changes.

The educational programs are a complete joke.
The news is cheap and nasty.

I really think they need news on the hour every hour. Whether it's a full 30minute bulletin every second hour, with a 5 minute update on the other hours, I'm not fussed.
I also think they should get a real news set. The key they use is so pathetic it makes a joke of the ABC's News and Current Affairs reputation.

I do wonder whether it will get a new look news service with the relaunch. I should hope so, though I'd hate to see what they name it.
"Australia Network News"???

Surely it would just be "ABC News"!

[TGIF]

I do wonder whether it will get a new look news service with the relaunch. I should hope so, though I'd hate to see what they name it.
"Australia Network News"???

Surely it would just be "ABC News"!

It seems to be fairly well respected around the Asia-Pacific; however I agree with your comments on the chroma key.. It looks exactly like the news updates they have on ABC2.. grainy and poor-quality. This is the sort of channel that is shown something like 12 hours a day on TV stations in countries like Fiji.

[anthonysimilion]

For those that don't know, they named it 'ABC News for Australia Network'.

Here's a video of a (partial) bulletin:

Right click here and 'Save As' (~35.8 megabytes).

It's a customised version of the current ABCNews graphics, all orange. Looks okay.

Edited by anthonysimilion, 19 December 2006 - 12:06 AM.

[TGIF]

Sky News plans to tender for the rights to run the service again:

Sky lost out to the ABC in 2005 in its bid to operate the channel, which is funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

"We plan to contest again and we believe it is the best way for government to get best value for taxpayers and for DFAT, regardless of who wins," Mr Frangopoulos said.

The Australia Network aims to promote the nation's interests internationally.

Defending the ABC's role, Mr Scott told The Australian last night there had been "significant growth in investment by governments around the world in broadcasting as part of their diplomatic activity, and it's being delivered by the public broadcasters".

"There is an agreed understanding that you can't outsource your diplomatic activities, and you can't outsource it to Rupert Murdoch's international operations," he said.

http://www.theaustra...5013871,00.html

I don't know if Sky News would necessarily be the best choice, a lot of their programs are quite specific to what the ABC does - English learning for instance. And it could be bad in terms of jobs as well since I would doubt that Sky would employ the same number of people to put it together (whereas ABC have upwards of 60 people in charge).

Having said that they might offer better value for money. Although I don't think the quality of their news output really compares to what the ABC produce at the moment. There would probably be a fair few pissed off expats!

Angelos Frangopolous' speech stating the case is here: http://www.theaustra...ulos-speech.pdf - not a bad read.

EDIT: also Margaret Simons' commentary..

And I would add in passing that given the quality of Foxtel’s public affairs channel A-PAC so far, I would hope that it is possible to do this one a whole lot better, whether with public or private money.

I suspect Scott is playing to the fact that there are plenty of people inside Government with reservations about giving too much control over Australian public affairs to News Limited.

[Gold Coast Guy]

Sky News' version of Australia Network would involve a 4:3 screen with a massive ticker that even a blind person could read. Programs would be repeated immediately after airing.


Evan

[TGIF]

The Australia Sky News Network?

[Travis]

Don`t Know if anyone has noticed, but the ABC Asia Pacific News (From the Australia Network), has had a refresh. It is no Longer Orange, but Blue. Below, are two caps from The Australia Network News Website. Sorry about the bad Quality & Small Images. I hope to get some better quality images next week

Attached Files

•  AN1.jpg   32.43K   79 downloads
•  AN2.jpg   33.89K   88 downloads

[TGIF]

Christ on a bike, still ugly as sin. The backdrop is a minor improvement, though. How exactly is blue supposed to fit in with the rest of the network's bright orange look?

They need to adapt their own version of one of the Sydney keyed backdrops.

New Australia Network website, too: http://www.australianetwork.com/

[Mike]

OTS and background look fine, Super is bad and I still don't like the logo.

[TGIF]

The logo is kind of nice but they don't seem to use it very well. The idents that came along with it look really good:



You can kind of see where the blue palette comes from watching that.

[Reuder7]

The logo is kind of nice but they don't seem to use it very well. The idents that came along with it look really good:
You can kind of see where the blue palette comes from watching that.

It's very asian for an Australian network. I've never seen these sort of international channels adopt a look for a particular region it's broadcasting to.

[TGIF]

I think it's meant to appeal to an Asian audience, but at the same time make Australia looks a bit like that too. Which sort of works - it's a very nicely put together ident.

[Reuder7]

I think it's meant to appeal to an Asian audience, but at the same time make Australia looks a bit like that too. Which sort of works - it's a very nicely put together ident.

I actually don't like it. It's not something I'd associate with an international government channel, nor something with an Australian background. Visually, I don't think it works.

[TGIF]

Better than Catriona Rowntree flicking her hair on a beach! (Or other "personalities"..)

[K]

Just looked at a recording I did of the Australia Network news that appears on ABC2. The new look is a bit messy including a very bad remake of the ABC News titles.

[Brad]

ABC Australia Network News
with Beverley O'Connor


The opener is terrible...

[TGIF]

Oh dear. That's just awful.

[SA TV]

How cheap and tacky...

[BJT]

How cheap and tacky...

mate it is the ABC, it doesnt look that bad, for what they have to work with.. $$$

[Travis]

The Blue looks alot better than the orange