ABC News brings back its legendary theme tune
ABC News is undergoing its “biggest overhaul in look and feel in eight years”, with new opening titles and weather graphics, plus the return of the legendary ABC TV News Theme.
From Monday, August 18, ABC News will sport a fresh redesign, led by ABC in-house creative teams, who has “created a brighter and more varied audience experience, with an expanded colour palette and a wider range of typefaces creating a more modern and engaging experience for audiences”.
The logo will change from black-and-white to “a vibrant blue background that is more impactful and appealing on digital as well as broadcast”, with the redesign carrying across to the ABC News website.
Most excitedly for older fans, the iconic ABC TV News Theme, which was used from 1986 through to 2005, will be returning, with an updated arrangement and remix from the original 24-track master tapes.
“I’m delighted it’s coming back – I think it’s our best work,” Peter Wall, co-composer of the tune said.
“Many people grew up listening to it and it’s wonderful new audiences will now also be able to discover it. Tony’s arrangement and Dick Montz’s piccolo trumpet have really stood the test of time.”
ABC senior audio creative and sound designer David McDonald added: “Peter and Tony’s composition is really quite brilliant. The genre of ‘news theme’ is highly stylised. It has to have solidity and trustworthiness, suggest something important is coming and give a sense of immediacy and urgency. Their composition is a piece of music that has depth and power very rarely heard in other news themes.”
The remix took advantages of the leaps in audio technology since the mono speakers of the 1980s, increasing the song’s frequency range, adding drums throughout, augmentation with deep sub bass, and adding other sonic elements.
“To say that I was anxious not to wreck what I already thought was a thing of beauty would be an understatement,” McDonald said. “Working on bringing this iconic piece of music into the modern era was an absolute privilege.”
ABC NEWS, Australia’s most trusted news source, will launch a new design, features and functionality for the ABC NEWS website for all audiences next Monday 19 August as well as unveiling a new on-air look.
The new theme will make its on-air debut at 9.00am Monday morning, on the ABC News channel, before being heard on every state and territory 7PM bulletin from Monday night. Monday’s News Breakfast will feature a live performance of the theme played by the SA Primary Schools String Orchestra.
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Rumour has it UK owned Red Bee Media was behind the ABC News rebrand. If true, with Australian design companies struggling to keep afloat, was this really the best way to spend tax payer $$?
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Give us a new tune you cowards.
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How about the ABC spend some money on its presenters wardrobe while we at it. Think SBS.
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