ABC set to get its kids channel
The ABC appears set to finally get its longed-for digital channel for children and teenagers. ABC3, which the broadcaster had hoped to get on the air last year, will shortly be confirmed as receiving government funding, the Sydney Morning Herald reports today. According to the newspaper, the support for the concept at last year’s 2020 summit has made it through the government review process.
While the move will be welcomed by the ABC, it will be less so by the owners of Australia’s pay TV channels, which will see increased comeptition for the likes of Boomerang, Cartoon Network, Cbeebies, Disney Channel, Nick Jr, Nickelodeon and Playhouse Disney. Reduced audience for children and teen programming may also impact on the free to air commercial networks.
The decision will also encourage the ABC, which now faces an uphill battle to win funding to run a public affairs channel after Foxtel and Austar today launched A-Pac. But it may help in the marketing of the Freeview platform, which people have warned lacks enough variety to encourage viewers to switch from analogue free to air.
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the sooner the better roll on abc3
lets hope enough funding is available for a public affairs channel abc4
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