0/5

Countdown to ABC3

Australia gets a new TV channel when ABC3 hits the airwaves with a flick of the switch from Kevin Rudd.

32Australia gets a new TV channel from today when ABC3 hits the airwaves at 6pm tonight.

The festivities get underway at 5pm on ABC1 with Countdown to 3, a live launch from ABC’s Studio 22 in Ultimo.  Short Stack, Cassie Davis, ABC3 presenters, CJ the DJ, dancers from Dance Academy, BMX and motor bike tricks will entertain invited guests.

The show will be hosted by Amberley Lobo and Kayne Tremills (pictured left), presenters from Studio 3.

It ends when Prime Minister Kevin Rudd flicks the switch to declare the channel officially on the air.

Tonight’s line-up includes Prank Patrol, CJ the DJ, Richard Hammond’s Blast Lab, My Place and classic reruns of Heartbreak High. It ends at 9pm tonight before resuming tomorrow at 6AM.

“First and foremost ABC3 will be a destination. A place and space to go to,” says Kim Dalton. “To be entertained, to play, to discover, to create, meet friends and be part of the community. It will be the first and only truly multi-platform children’s service existing across television. Online streaming, download and mobile platforms. It will be exciting, innovative and it will be interactive.”

The ABC3 website is also ready for a full launch to complement the broadcast channel.

The Countdown to 3 is repeated on ABC3, – 7:35am, 3:30pm Saturday and 6:30am Sunday, and 9:55am Monday.

ABC3 is available on digital channel 23 via a digital television or set top box, and on Foxtel satellite and cable, Austar and Optus nationwide on Channel 723 alongside other children’s channels.

Meanwhile ABC for Kids, the new brand on ABC2, kicks off at 9AM today with Fifi and the Flowertots. Aimed at preschoolers, the channel’s highlight today is the premiere of animated series, dirtgirlworld.

ABC3 is the 5th new channel to join the Freeview suite in 2009.

16 Responses

  1. Does anyone know which show is “Ben C” or something similar to that name will host?, i got interviewed at this year’s Schools Spectacular by Ben and was hoping to see if the interview would be shown.

  2. Good too see the 1994/95 Aussie/Polish TV Series Spellbinder get a run Mon to Fri, have already set the PVR up to record it each afternoon, whether it stands up after 15 years is another story, however I loved the show back then (sort of a Sci-Fi meets Medieval type show) and this will fill in those blank days of not much on well I hope.

    Now 7Two or 99Go bring back Quantum Leap and Sliders into repeats and I will be happy.

  3. ABC For Kids On 2’s watermark is officially the worst to date on Australian free to air TV. And the name sounds utterly stupid on the promos, given its length. Hopefully ABC 3 will be much more impressive, which I’m sure it will. Now all we have to wait for is ABC 1 to drop its childrens programming.

    @Belinda, I also find Dirt Girl World creepy. Sorry, dirtgirlworld, that is.

  4. What is with the new watermark on ABC2kids. Yuck! They have moved Play School to 4.30 on ABC2. Can’t they bring back the 90s repeats of Play School that they ran at lunchtime a few years ago? Plus Dirtgirl World is creepy.

  5. @SAM: Do a Wiki search on T-Bag, it will tell you about each season (not the prison break character!!). I loved that show when I was a kid. and I was only talking about the Sooty show the other day too. Most of the shows on this new channel I have never heard of except for a few of the classics.
    I am still annoyed that childrens programming (no matter the age group) is still on ABC2.

  6. there is somekind of coming soon type image for 723 on foxtel cable for this new abc channel, as of this morning- starts at 6pm tonight is the message with a huge 3 all in red.

  7. It’s almost a shame the ABC isn’t a commercial business per se. For what has been for years a poorly funded Government project is now a powerhouse in the world of TV.

  8. Where is the Sooty show? I used to love that show!!

    They should show old kids shows from 9pm – 6am. Shows like Captain Planet, Ghostwriter, Sooty etc. There was also a T-bag show – can’t remember the name.

    It would be awesome for Gen Y. It would be Awesome!!

    Please ABC listen.

  9. That’s great news that ABC3 is launching & will appear on Foxtel straight away – fantastic.
    I wonder why it took Go! & 7Two months to appear on Foxtel – I hope Foxtel get their act together when future free to air channels are launched!

Leave a Reply