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ABC drops HD shows for ABC News 24

High definition drama and entertainment will become another victim of network restructuring when ABC HD becomes ABC News 24.

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High definition drama and entertainment will become another victim of network restructuring when the ABC turns the ABC HD channel into ABC News 24.

The few programmes that aired in HD will be relegated to SD in the same way as TEN’s decision to introduce ONE HD impacted on its entertainment shows.

The good news is that the news channel will air in high definition when it airs in July.

The Sydney Morning Herald notes, in theory, the ABC could have converted one of the existing SD channels to HD, but the ABC’s director of TV, Kim Dalton, said there was a problem in finding enough suitable content.

It could be three years before entertainment shows are restored in true HD.

In 2013, when the digital switchover is complete and when HD was more mature, Dalton said the ABC would review the balance of SD and HD programming.

Networks must air a minimum of 1000 hours of HD content to meet licence requirements, around 3 hours per day. ABC will meet this with ABC News 24 when it launches in July.

The new channel will air content simultaneously around the country regardless of timezones.

The newspaper notes shows like Doctor Who will be one of the shows no longer airing in HD on ABC HD. However, TV Tonight understands the show has not been airing in HD because ABC does not purchase the more expensive HD version.

Source: smh.com.au

43 Responses

  2. Honestly can’t see any advantage in using ABC HD as the news channel, but then again – exactly what HD content have ABC had on the HD channel anyway?

    All seems a bit odd to me.

  3. I think that ABC News HD should be in standard definition, because most of the news content sourced from overseas will probably be in SD anyway, with the exception of the studio and local content such as interviews from politicians and Parliament Question Time. I know I would prefer ABC1 in HD, instead of ABC News.

  4. It doesnt make sense… the networks seem to be hell bent on providing 3D content for a market of about 500 TV sets, but yet HD has been around for 6 or more years but they don’t want to promote HD content!

  6. @Jack – it’s likely they will assign logical channel number (LCN) 24 to ABC News 24 as well as having the existing LCN 20 – both would point to the same stream, in the same way LCNs 3, 33 & 34 point to SBS’ main channel stream.

  7. @ Jack : Yes they could just point the digital “24” channel at the same stream as the “20” channel. They’re not channels anyway, just pointers (like shortcuts in Windows).

    They should probably think about pointing 20 at the same thing as 21, which is pointing at the same thing as 2 already.

  8. I’m looking forward to the ABC’s 24/7 news channel but I’m with others in wondering why on earth they’ve allocated their HD bandwidth to the service.

  9. Would it not make marketing sense to have ABCnews24 on channel 24? As that is the next channel in the line up and ABCnews24 is effectively ACB4? It certainly would be a cool connection – 24hours of news on channel 24…

  10. Exactly, no big deal as there was little to no native HD content on ABC HD anyway. I’m looking forward to a 24 hour news channel, ABC does have some excellent journalists out there who report proper news, unlike 7 and 9 who try to sensationalise everything.
    It’s a shame though that those with only a SD set top box will not be able to receive it.

    Like previous posters have mentioned HD does not seem to be taken seriously here in Australia. Even most of the general entertainment HD channels on Foxtel are just upconverted SD content rather that native HD.

    I’m looking forward to seeing how good a job SBS will do of providing the World Cup in true HD.

  11. I don’t see the big deal, Like the blog said most of the shows on abc HD aren’t even in HD because it’s alot cheaper to just buy the SD versions. Abc HD is only 720p compared to the far surpeior 1080i resolution the 3 commerical networks use. While I may choose to watch seven HD over seven SD I certainly don’t watch abc HD over abc1 because the picture quality really isn’t that much better. I would prefer a completely new channel with seperate programming over a crappy HD similucast. And if that’s your reasoning for switching to foxtel, well all I can say is enjoy the monthly bill 🙂

  12. What’s the big deal? Why is this even an issue? I would rather ABC News 24 then a ABC HD general channel, same one with One HD, better then Ten HD. It’s not like ABC HD has far superior picture quality anyway. I certainly won’t miss it.

  13. What is the point of putting a news channel in HD? Most of what it will show will be people sitting in the studio in HD (exciting!) and reports largely shot in SD, including footage from overseas of appalling quality. It would have been much better to ask for the regulations to be changed so that the channel could be received by more viewers and more bandwidth could be given to the ABC’s other channels.

  14. Pretty sure I recall at the time this was announced as “coming soon” that it was claimed that it wouldn’t adversely impact on their other operations.

    So much for that! 🙁

    It’s great the ABC are moving ahead with a 24-hr news channel, but to dump HD content for it – especially content that is more varied – is not smart. Dalton saying “suitable” (whatever that means) content can’t be found is an odd remark. It’s out there. Even if they refuse to buy it. Hence TT’s observation.

    Does anyone know just how much more expensive are true HD shows compared to their SD counterparts? I’d be very surprised if it’s enormously more. For the BBC at least, I would think the ABC would get something like mate’s rates – we buy so much of their content and they’re both public broadcasters, etc etc. If HD content was priced at poisonous rates, the impetus to buy it would be low for all networks. Yet this doesn’t seem so, from the other channels’ schedules.

    Should a change of government reduce their funding, what then of their claim to see us right in 2013? Seems like another poor trade-off at the ABC…

  15. what a bloody shame. They get you to upgrade your tv and now show even less HD programmes than a year ago. Im pi**ed. Another reason to get Foxtel.

  17. It’s a pity ABC can’t afford the HD version of Doctor Who but I guess it will no longer matter in a few months.

    It is ironic with retailers pushing HD TVs we have fewer entertainment channels in true HD, yes I love my sports in HD but really I can’t wait until there is enough bandwidth in the airwaves for all the SDs to have HD options.

  18. Well, we all knew this was going to happen.

    At least the ABC haven’t completely ruled out other HD programming in the future. It’ll be interesting to see how this goes in 3 years time.

  19. “problem in finding enough suitable content”. They can’t be looking very hard.

    Considering how much news footage is recorded in HD, having the new channel in 720p is a waste IMHO.

  21. High definition news.
    oh the excitement, the tension the 5.1 surround sound
    Why does Australia just not care about HD
    Really this will never rate
    The networks already satuate us with news and factuals because it’s cheap

  23. The last sentence really sums it all up. ABC were showing not much HD content at all (at least as listed in the guides), so it’s no real miss.

    Am looking forward to the news channel though, and not being on a delay.

  24. They could have easily converted abc2 to HD, the weekend and weekday preschool programming to abc 3, and thus retain HD entertainment, rather than giving us HD news.

    Then again, abcHD never really looked like an HD channel due to it’s 720p out put.

  25. who cares – i dont watch much ABC anyway and why would i watch HD news – the same reason i dont watch ONE HD as i dont watch sports and if i did i have the channels on Foxtel

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