ABS (TV station)
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 | |
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| Channels | |
|---|---|
| Programming | |
| Language | English |
| Affiliations | ABC Television |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Australian Broadcasting Corporation |
| History | |
First air date | 11 March 1960 |
Former channel number | Analog: 2 (VHF) (1960–2013) |
Call sign meaning | ABC/South Australia |
| Technical information | |
Licensing authority | Australian Communications & Media Authority |
| ERP | 50 kW |
| HAAT | 517 m[1] |
Transmitter coordinates | 34°58′44″S138°42′31″E / 34.97889°S 138.70861°E |
ABC Television in South Australia comprises national and local programming on the ABC television network in South Australia, headquartered in Adelaide. ABS or ABS-2 was the historic call sign and name of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's television station in Adelaide, with the "S" standing for South Australia.
History
ABS began broadcasting on 11 March 1960 from studios at the historic Tregenna mansion in the suburb of Collinswood.[2] The station's transmitter is located at Mount Lofty and is augmented by a series of relay transmitters throughout the state.
ABS commenced digital television transmission in January 2001, broadcasting on VHF Channel 12 while maintaining analogue transmission on VHF Channel 2. The analogue signal for ABS was shut off at 9 am on Tuesday, 2 April 2013, making Adelaide the first state capital to make the permanent switch, with Canberra being the first city to do so in 2012.[3][4]
In November 2014, current managing director Mark Scott announced at a meeting held at ABC's Ultimo headquarters in Sydney that a major restructuring would occur due to a cut of over A$254 million from the ABC budget.[5] In an email to staff, Scott said:[6]
[We will] close our Adelaide television production studio and wind down remaining television production in smaller states. The economics of the television sector make it difficult to maintain small-scale operations. It is more economically efficient to base production (outside news and current affairs) in Sydney and Melbourne. TV aims to work with the independent sector on programming that better reflects local diversity. To demonstrate accountability, the ABC will deliver detailed annual reports on local production, including dollars invested and programs made.
In February 2025, it was announced that the Collinswood building was reaching the end of its suitability.[7] Following a feasibility study, the ABC announced plans to move operations from Collinswood to a new arts precinct on the site of the old Adelaide Central bus station in Franklin Street, Adelaide by 2031.[8][9]
Programs produced in the Adelaide studios
The following programs were produced in the Adelaide studios of ABC Television:
ABC Television in South Australia today
As of 2021, there are a large number of transmitters broadcasting several ABC channels.[10]
Local programming
Only the local edition of ABC News continues to be broadcast from Adelaide. Jessica Harmsen presents ABC News South Australia from Monday to Thursday, and Richard Davies or Candice Prosser from Friday to Sunday.[11] The weeknight bulletins also incorporate a national finance segment presented by Alan Kohler in Melbourne. Weekend bulletins feature local sport bulletins presented by Neil Cross.
Relay stations
The following stations relayed ABS throughout South Australia:
| Call | Region served | City | Channels(Analog/digital) | First air date | 3rd letter'smeaning | ERP(Analog/digital) | HAAT(Analog/digital)1 | Transmitter coordinates | Transmitter location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABCS | Ceduna | Ceduna | 9 (VHF)239 (UHF) | 16 July 1973 | Ceduna | 1.6 kW | 92 m | 32°8′20″S133°47′22″E / 32.13889°S 133.78944°E | Kongwirra Hill |
| ABGS | South East South Australia | Mount Gambier | 1 (VHF)339 (UHF) | 3 December 1965 | Mount Gambier | 210 kW225 kW | 276 m379 m | 37°36′8″S140°28′58″E / 37.60222°S 140.48278°E | Mount Burr |
| ABLCS | Leigh Creek | Leigh Creek | 9 (VHF)8 (VHF) | 28 April 1977 | Leigh Creek | 0.032 kW0.01 kW | 3 m3 m | 30°35′59″S138°24′13″E / 30.59972°S 138.40361°E | Leigh Creek |
| ABNS | Spencer Gulf North | Port Pirie | 1 (VHF)338 (UHF) | 10 April 1965 | Spencer Gulf North | 200 kW240 kW | 576 m627 m | 33°6′14″S138°9′51″E / 33.10389°S 138.16417°E | The Bluff |
| ABRS | Riverland | Renmark/Loxton | 3 (VHF)339 (UHF) | 20 January 1971 | Riverland | 240 kW240 kW | 166 m180 m | 34°27′52″S140°32′1″E / 34.46444°S 140.53361°E | Loxton |
| ABWS | Woomera | Woomera | 7 (VHF)NA | 30 November 1973 | Woomera | 0.02 kW | 48 m | 31°11′31″S136°48′53″E / 31.19194°S 136.81472°E | Woomera |
Notes:
- 1. HAAT estimated from http://www.itu.int/SRTM3/ using EHAAT.
- 2. ABCS was on VHF channel 7 from its 1973 sign-on until sometime in the 1980s.
- 3. Analogue transmissions ceased as of 15 December 2010 as part of the national shutdown of analogue television.