Prime Minister Kevin Rudd today pressed a giant remote control button to officially launch ABC3. Rudd’s impending arrival was pumped like a rock star to an audience of kids, with comedic updates on the progress of his official car stopping at a McDonald’s drive-thru, complete with a surfboard strapped to the roof.
Upon his arrival he high-fived kids in the crowd, took SMS questions from child viewers and even sang the Play School theme. “It was on when I was your age.. . a hundred years ago,” he said.
“It’s a really good channel, isn’t it guys?”
The one hour launch, screened on ABC1, included dancers from the upcoming Dance Academy, skateboarders, BMX, motorbikes, Cassie Davis, Short Stack and more.
The live Countdown to 3 took place on a stage designed as a giant 3, highlighting the upcomingtitles in a 20 to 1 style countdown of the 10 top shows hosted by Amberley Lobo and Kayne Tremills.
Top Gear’s Richard Hammond appeared in a video reel especially recorded for ABC3 for his show Richard Hammond’s Blast Lab.
Dance Academy includes familiar faces including Home and Away’s Jordan Rodrigues, Marco from the first season of So You Think You Can Dance Australia and Tara Morice.
As many of the new ABC3 presenters kept reminding us…. ABC3 is “awesome.”
The channel airs from 6am – 9PM daily on Channel 23 and 723 on Foxtel / Austar.
Although the watermatk is bit big, I love ABC3′s idents.
@AA, I asked Austar if in the time being (when non-NSW ABC1 is not available) If they could enabled MyStar subscribers to receive ABC1 on 002 terrestrially. They responded with “Change the AV”, thinking that I have another stb or receive an adequate analogue signal. It is ridiculous, I have a great digital signal but a very poor analogue signal (don’t know how that happened). But wouldn’t it make sense as a backup?
Well done ABC. I have to agree that the presenters seemed just a little hyperactive and patronising, but compared to Elliot Spencer they are a big improvement. The highlight for me was Richard Hammond’s Blast lab – educational and entertaining, closely followed by News on 3 and My Place, and the idents are pretty good too. The enormous watermark will have to take a little getting used to though.
@vinny, I think it’s the radio channels (Dig Music and ABC Jazz) that get downgraded, not ABC HD.
There was too many dancers on that launch, it really bored me, sadly! Good Game should of definitely got more of a praise, it is the most popular show out of th them, but they’re kids after all.
but later that night i was definitely happy to see Heartbreak High on again.
I thought it was pretty well produced, got me a bit excited about the channel and I’m in my 20s. The ‘McDonalds’ moment wasn’t product placement at all, the type of drive though wasn’t mentioned, no signs were shown, and they even went to the trouble of blurring some advertising you could see across from the car as it pulled in.
Just been watching my recording of this, and… okay, I’m very very far away from being a “kid” but…. is all the shouting and hyperactivity and go-go-go really what “kids” (especially the age group targeted by this channel) really want?
It all seemed, well, quite patronising.
The regular Good Game – yes, even the recent episodes with Stephanie – talk games to a wide age group without any sense of condescension. The preview of GGSP on this launch special was embarrassing to watch. Steph was fine, but Bajo was a nervous wreck, and the whole thing was kind of like watching your parents getting all excited about the new-fangled game-thingy they’re just bought for you for Xmas. “Yeah kids!! It’s got bolts and crates and you can get tutorials and upgrades and stuff that the old version didn’t have and wow check out Mario we all know Mario kids don’t we of course we do and wow…”
I’m pretty sure that if I was a kid, unless I was a really, really ADD-afflicted kid with little interest in television, I’d be pretty offended. But perhaps I’ve just turned into my parents.
Looks very cheap and community TV like from those caps.
If ABC3 wants the kids – they are going to have to do better than that
Kids are cynical. Look at the Nick Kids Choice Awards. That’s how things should look.
Austar still hasn’t renabled the localABC1 channels-and ABC3 hasn’t appeared and they refused to say to me via email if these will be available soon.
i haven’t got this channel on austar yet, either :\
God yes, bring back Fly!!!
How come its not on Austar yet?
Great! The kids will have their own news show too. Great idea to get kids aware of the world around them and its current issues of the day.
Great!
and yes a news channel would be good too…..
CatFan,
So, ABC can’t *even* mention corporate names now? That would cut programs like Lateline Business down to two minutes, wouldn’t it? Making fun of Rudd is hardly “commercial placements.”
For once I agree with Kuttyswood. Bring back Fly from 9pm-6am. Anything is better than a static slide with that awful Dig Radio music.
Is it just me or is this channel not on Austar yet. They advertised it would be on 723 but I haven’t got it. Nor have I got it on 023 on Mystar.
And on the news tonight a new study finds kids are watching more TV than every… good timing LOL
Maybe what they need is a TV powered by a treadmill, if you want to watch it you have to walk!
Excellent, now a news channel please ABC.
My daughter was in the audience with many kids from her school.
They all came back very excited.
The highlight for her was hi-fiving the Prime Minister.
At home we enjoyed watching the moment in slo-mo on our PVR.
You know it’d be more awesome if they revived Fly (the ABC’s original digi channel), for ABC3′s downtime!
Very good. Now can we please have a 24hr free-to-air news channel?
The description of KRudd sounds soooooo cringe worthy…glad I missed it. Whatever happened to the ABC rules about commercial placements? Going through a McChucks drive thru is pretty blatant.
Will ABC HD still be in HD now that there are essentially 4 channels ?
I will have to wait another hour and 10 mins to see this and 2 hrs 10 minutes till I can see the channel here in Perth.