ABC Television in Queensland comprises national programming on the ABC television network in or from Brisbane, Queensland which broadcasts on a number of channels under the ABC call sign. There is some local programming from the Brisbane studio.
ABQ or ABQ-2 was the historic call sign of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's television station in Brisbane, which began broadcasting on 2 November 1959 as the third television station in Queensland and Brisbane.[2] with the "Q" in the call sign standing for Queensland.
ABC Television in Brisbane is based at a purpose-built headquarters on the South Bank. The station is received throughout the state through a number of relay transmitters.
History
ABC Television started broadcasting from Brisbane on 2 November 1959,[citation needed] with the "Q" in the call sign standing for Queensland.
Available by satellite transmission on the now defunct Optus Aurora free-to-view platform during the 2000s, ABC's digital channels have been available via the Viewer Access Satellite Television (VAST) network since 2010.
For many years, the station was based at studios in the inner-western suburb of Toowong, with a transmitter at Mount Coot-tha. In December 2006, the Toowong studios were closed after an unacceptably high rate of breast cancer has been observed at the facility. An independent study examined 10 cases of breast cancer reported at the studios, and found the incidence rate was 11 times higher than the general working community.[3] led to the closure of the site in December 2006,[4] TV and radio operations were moved to alternative locations around the city.[5]
Staff worked from several sites around Brisbane, with ABC Radio based in nearby Lissner Street in Toowong, ABC News staff working from Network Ten's Mount Coot-tha studios, ABC Innovation and Online staff working at QUT Kelvin Grove, and other staff based in other locations, including Coronation Drive and West End.[citation needed] On 10 January 2012, ABC Brisbane moved into new purpose-built accommodation in South Bank.[6]
The analogue signal for Brisbane/Gold Coast/Sunshine Coast was shut off on May 28, 2013.[7][8]
All ABC operations are located in the South Bank building. As of 2021[update] there is a large number of transmitters broadcasting a number of ABC channels throughout Queensland.[9]
Programming
ABC Television in Brisbane schedule largely consists of national programming with opt-outs for news and current affairs, rugby league and state election coverage.
Local programming
ABC News Queensland is presented by Jessica van Vonderen (Monday – Thursday) and Ellen Fanning (Friday – Sunday). Weather is presented by Jenny Woodward (Sunday – Thursday). Finance is presented by Alan Kohler in Melbourne.[citation needed]
Past presenters of the bulletin have included Matt Wordsworth, Rod Young and Andrew Lofthouse. The latter two subsequently went on to read the flagship 6:00 pm bulletins on Seven and Nine respectively; the pair opposed each other in this timeslot between mid-2009 and late-2012, during which the Seven bulletin co-read by Young and Kay McGrath consistently rated higher than the Nine bulletin co-read by Lofthouse and Melissa Downes (as of 2017, however, Nine has regained the lead in the south-east Queensland ratings).[10][11][12][13]
Relay stations
The following stations currently or formerly relay ABQ throughout Queensland:[when?]
^Robinson, Georgina (19 December 2007). "Cancer case no 16 for ABC". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 20 December 2007. Retrieved 19 December 2007.
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