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Paralympics breaks ABC2 records

Paralympics gave ABC2 its highest prime-time share ever.

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ABC TV has described its coverage of the London 2012 Paralympic Games as “a record-breaking success for the public broadcaster – particularly for its digital channel, ABC2.”

It’s true that ABC2 topped the week in multichannels. Given that ABC2 was our first multichannel, technically it has ranked first before, but this was the first time it’s done that since commercial networks have all had two multichannels each.

It also pulled its highest prime-time share ever, with 4.7% on Tuesday September 4th.

Stuart Menzies, ABC2 Controller said “The Paralympics have been an outstanding success all round: for all the amazing athletes competing; for all the Australians who have discovered what a great TV event it is and for ABC2, where we have broken a few records of our own.”

Brendan Dahill, ABC1 Controller said “Having the ability to maximize the Paralympic Games coverage by offering a daily highlights package on ABC1 and extensive daily show on ABC2 has once again illustrated the value to viewers of the national broadcaster’s multi-channels.”

See you in Brazil!

15 Responses

  1. I was initially disappointed by the host scenario but everything improved markedly.

    It is important to understand the pragmatic restrictions eg that not all events are actually filmed. I think the IOC needs to amend this.

    @Josh777…the general opinion is that the paralympics won’t draw the numbers of viewers required to make advertising lucrative. Being a business is the bottom line for commercial stations and altruism isn’t thus high on the agenda. This said, I remain mystified why 9 continues to waste its revenue by sustained saturation advertising of its own shows at times.

  3. congrats to the abc on a job well done, I enjoyed it immensely. Lets hope the paralympains get the same parades as the olympains did. The poms did it right they gave them one big combined parade !

  4. ABC seemingly the only Aussie broadcaster to understand how to do multichanneling and not treating their spin offs as their competition.

    josh777 – Paralympic rights were sold separately for London 2012. In theory they’re now sold to broadcasters who want them rather than as an add-on to the Olympic rights.

    Bobby Dazzler – swimming accounted for something like 150 of the 500 medal events, compared to around 40 events in the swimming, so no surprise it got endless coverage. Sadly though despite LOCOG making a big deal of them treating the Paralympics the same way they treated the Olympics the same can’t be said for OBS – the host broadcaster who now handles coverage of all Olympic and Paralympic games, with many events not filmed, notably the road cycling, marathon, rowing and I think equestrian. Here in the UK C4 did film the rowing and equestrian for their own purposes, but other events were just wrapped up by reporters.

    However it should be noted that as recently as Athens and potentially even Beijing not all Olympic events were filmed either.

  6. @ David Knox – my point is why don’t they have the rights? Why is it they had the exclusive rights to the Youth Olympics, and shared rights for Summer and Winter Olympics, but when the Paralympics come along they choose not to buy exclusive or shared rights?

  8. Yes the ABC’s coverage was superior to Channel 9’s of the Olympics, but it also fell into the trap of showing seemingly endless swimming.
    While there was sufficient time dedicated to wheelchair basketball and rugby, coverage of sports like goalball, equestrian, shooting and road cycling, where Australians were competing, was almost non-existent, as was blind football, which I was keen to see.
    Although this would be a result a shortage of funding, I did think more expert commentators were needed as Gerry Collins and Peter Wilkins seem to be running out of things to say. I felt another voice, like they were able to do with the excellent athletics coverage, was needed alongside them.
    A minor grizzle, it was obvious many events weren’t shown live, such as athletics, swimming and cycling, particularly during the primetime show. Perhaps for Rio there should be greater focus on rectifying this than having comedians talking.

  9. ABC done an amazing job and they should be congradulated for that. I think all the Australian Paralympians would be very proud to know that so many Australians watched them on TV. ABC are on the fast track to taking TEN’s spot as one of the three major FTA networks.
    I seriously think Foxtel are walking into a lawsuit though by launching channels for the Olympics, Winter Olympics and Youth Olympics, yet not for the Paralympics (would never make it to court but they are definitely leaving themselves open to harrasment for discriminating against the Paralympics).

  10. ABC2 showed how it should be done. Just outstanding coverage and commentary. Congratulations to all involved. Now to just click my heels and hand them both Olympics next time round …

  12. Either I wasn’t looking hard enough or they just didn’t show it, but did ABC show a replay of the Opening/Closing Ceremony at night?

    I only know of the live telecast but couldn’t find one where I could watch it at night. I think it’s on iView now but I thought it was strange they didn’t show it yesterday night.

  14. Was amazing coverage of the Games, was privileged to watch all the Paralympics do so well. That are true inspirations, absolutely incredible. And to ABC, an outstanding job, you should be proud of everything you have accomplished.

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