ABC Kids (Australia)
Encyclopedia
- This article is about children's programming on ABC Television in AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. For children's programming on the American ABC network, see Children's programming on the American Broadcasting CompanyChildren's programming on the American Broadcasting CompanyFor most of the network's existence, in regards to children's programming, ABC has aired mostly programming from Walt Disney Television or other producers .-List of notable programs:...
.
ABC Television
ABC Television
ABC Television is a service of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation launched in 1956. As a public broadcasting broadcaster, the ABC provides four non-commercial channels within Australia, and a partially advertising-funded satellite channel overseas....
broadcasts the greatest amount of children's content than any other network in Australia.
Prior to early 2009, there was a brand called ABC Kids (stylised as abckids) which was separate from regular ABC TV and contained all children's programming on the ABC. To prepare for the launch of ABC3, the brand has been completely removed and all children's programming now coexists with the rest of ABC 1 and 2. However, during preschooler's programming, the ABC network identities have been replaced with more kid-friendly animations which display a new "ABC For Kids" identity, which is similar to a former identity. They are still present in the programming aimed at older children.
On the 4th of December 2009, the children's programming block on ABC2 was rebranded "ABC For Kids On 2" with new identities, schedule and watermark. In addition to this, all children's content aimed at school-aged children was removed, effectively making this a preschooler's block. This was the same date as the launch of ABC3
ABC3
-Future shows:Programming confirmed for future broadcast will include:* After School Care * Bindi's Boot Camp * Bushwacked! * Dance Academy * Dancing Down Under...
. In May 2011 this was again re-branded along with a consolidation of kids programming on ABC2 as ABC4KIDS This consolidation now creates a daily 13 hour block from 6am to 7pm of pre-school programming on ABC2.
History
ABC for Kids commenced as a replacement in 2009 for the previously aired ABC Kids branding used on ABC TelevisionABC Television
ABC Television is a service of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation launched in 1956. As a public broadcasting broadcaster, the ABC provides four non-commercial channels within Australia, and a partially advertising-funded satellite channel overseas....
and ABC Online
ABC Online
ABC Online is the brand name in Australia for the online services of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, managed by ABC Innovation. It covers a large network of websites including those for ABC News, television, radio, and video-on-demand through ABC iView.ABC Online is one of Australia's...
. On 7 March 2005, ABC2
ABC2
ABC2 is a national public television channel in Australia. Launched on 7 March 2005, it is the responsibility of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's television division, and is available nationally to digital television viewers in Australia...
launched allowing for ABC Kids' programming to be broadcast for 13 hours a day across ABC1
ABC1
ABC1 was a United Kingdom based television channel from Disney using the branding of the Disney owned American network, ABC.The channel initially launched exclusively on the British digital terrestrial television platform Freeview on 27 September 2004. On 10 December 2004 it was launched on...
and ABC2
ABC2
ABC2 is a national public television channel in Australia. Launched on 7 March 2005, it is the responsibility of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's television division, and is available nationally to digital television viewers in Australia...
. In early 2009, the ABC Kids brand was discontinued and was replaced by two very different identities, one for preschoolers (ABC For Kids) and one for older children. Later in 2009 they launched another channel for grade school children called ABC3
ABC3
-Future shows:Programming confirmed for future broadcast will include:* After School Care * Bindi's Boot Camp * Bushwacked! * Dance Academy * Dancing Down Under...
.
1991-1994
Before ABC Kids, a short promo would appear. The promo featured the announcer saying ABC Kids' shows by the first letter in their name. They included:- B is for BabarBabarBabar means Lion. Babar may refer to:Names* Babur , 16th-century ruler of Indian subcontinent and founder of the Mughal Empire* Babar Luck, musician from England...
- T is for Thomas the Tank EngineThomas the Tank EngineThomas the Tank Engine is a fictional steam locomotive in The Railway Series books by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry and his son, Christopher. He became the most popular character in the series, and the accompanying television spin-off series, Thomas and Friends.Thomas is a tank engine, painted blue...
- P is for Play SchoolPlay SchoolPlay School is an educational television programme for pre-school aged children that is produced in many countries, including:*Play School – the original BBC production...
- F is for Fireman SamFireman SamFireman Sam is a Welsh animated children's television series about a fireman called Sam, his fellow firefighters, and other townspeople in the Welsh town of Pontypandy . The original idea for the show came from two ex-firemen from Kent...
- S is for SpotSpot the DogSpot the Dog is a series of children's books by Eric Hill, which were later made into a popular children's animation series, known as Spot, for BBC television by David McKee's King Rollo Films....
And at the end, the announcer said that A, B and C are for ABC Kids.
In the early days, a bee would carry a ribbon with part of the ABC For Kids logo: a yellow square with a blue A, a green square with an orange B and a red square with a yellow C. It would bounce back at the top of the screen and form the part of the ABC For Kids logo (Note: This part was saved for later videos such as The Wiggly Big Show). The bee would form the 1975-2001 ABC logo and then fly to the ground. It would bounce back up in a violet square, an apple in a pink square would bounce down next to it, and a carrot would sprout next to it in a blue square. (Note: this part was also used from its end until 1996). The rest of the old logo would fade in from the bottom. (Note: this part was edited for the "Live in Concert" video to feature rock music and shining "For Kids").
1997-2001
An ant will walk along (six blue squares), turn into an aardvark (pink squares) that would turn into an apple (yellow squares with "A" in topleft). The kids yell "A". A bird would fly along (pink squares), turn into a butterfly (blue squares) and turn into a bee (green squares with "B" in centre left). The kids yell "B". A cow would walk along (pink squares) a cat would jump (green squares) and turn into a carrot (red squares with "C" in topright). The kids yell "C". The squares would spin (yellow) and turn into the ABC For Kids logo. The kids yell "ABC!". For 1997-2001 videos, they each contain clips from Hooley DooleysHooley Dooleys
The Hooley Dooleys are an Australian children's performing act. They originally appeared on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, but have since appeared on commercial television and as a live touring act...
(The Characters sing the intro song), Blinky Bill
Blinky Bill
Blinky Bill is an anthropomorphic koala and children's fictional character created by New Zealand-born Australian author Dorothy Wall. The character of Blinky first appeared in Brooke Nicholls' 1933 book, Jacko - the Broadcasting Kookaburra, which was illustrated by Wall...
(Blinky introduces his name), Bananas in Pyjamas
Bananas in Pyjamas
Bananas in Pyjamas is an Australian children's television show that premiered in July 1992 on ABC Television. It has since become syndicated in many different countries, and dubbed into other languages. In the United States, the "Pyjamas" in the title was modified to reflect the American spelling...
(B1 and B2 say "Trust us, we're Bananas" to Rat in a Hat), Arthur
Arthur (TV series)
Arthur is an American/Canadian animated educational television series for children, created by Cookie Jar Group and WGBH for the Public Broadcasting Service...
(Arthur practices spelling Aardvark in his treehouse in Arthur's Spelling Trouble), Noddy (Noddy is declared champion of the Sports games by Mr. Plod), Johnson and Friends
Johnson and Friends
Johnson and Friends is an Australian children’s television programme broadcast on ABC TV from 1991 to 1996. It was produced by Film Australia. Six seasons were made....
(The Toys need to trick Alfred, Alfred overs hears and wonders if they're talking abut him and McDuff says No), Magic Mountain
Magic Mountain (television series)
Magic Mountain is an Australian children’s television programme broadcast on the ABC from 1997 to 1999. It was released on video, but there has been no DVD release yet. The series was last repeated on ABC1 in January and February 2004...
(Dragon blows his magic smoke making Lion's body disappear), Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
(Elmo sings and does Happy Tapping with Elmo), Postman Pat
Postman Pat
Postman Pat is a British stop-motion animated children's television series first produced by Woodland Animations. It is aimed at pre-school children, and concerns the adventures of Pat Clifton, a postman in the fictional village of Greendale .Postman Pat's first 13-episode season was screened on...
(Pat had fallen into a pile of straw and he gives Alf his catalogue), Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
Thomas and Friends is a British children's television series, first broadcast on the ITV network in September 1984. Until 2003, it was named Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. This series was shot on 35mm film...
(Thomas and Percy have been thanked for a letter from a girl in Thomas and the Special Letter), Spot the Dog
Spot the Dog
Spot the Dog is a series of children's books by Eric Hill, which were later made into a popular children's animation series, known as Spot, for BBC television by David McKee's King Rollo Films....
(Spot thinks that the ball is his favourite toy) and The Wiggles
The Wiggles
The Wiggles are a children's group formed in Sydney, Australia in 1991. Their original members were Anthony Field, Phillip Wilcher, Murray Cook, Greg Page, and Jeff Fatt. Wilcher left the group after their first album...
(The Characters sing Get Ready To Wiggle near the end of the wiggly concert in Wiggle Dance). The squares would spin (yellow) and turn into the ABC For Kids Logo. The kids yell "ABC!" again and when the music ends, the narrator says "Bringing in the Best in Children's Video".
2001-2005
To promote the introduction of ABC Kids multichannelling in 2001, and to lead in to the start of programming within a part-time multichannel on some platforms, a set of identities featuring everyday kids was introduced, followed by an animated ABC Kids logo. For example, the "Crafty Kids" identity featured an ABC Kids logo made out of handprints, the "Cool Kids" identity made out of oval-shaped fish. The opening intro is like a puppet show as the ending saying goodbye. These were animated by zspace and composed by Blarter Music.2005-2009
To help promote amongst the new ABC1/ABC2 identities, ABC Kids changed their slogan from "ABC Kids" to "More Kids". The ABC identities now were the ABC Kids logo change into a television with characters speaking and words appearing above them, differing depending on the character. The opening intro is like a puppet show as the ending saying goodbye just like the one from 2001-2005.2009-present
An ant would come out of a box, and an aardvark below it throws an apple which lands next to the letter "A". A box with a bilby in it is on top of a box of butterflies, which is on top of the "B" next to a redesigned bee. A cat bounces to another box, turning into a crocodile and then into a carrot which falls next to the letter "C".Children make way for the ABC For Kids logo. This identity is used only for the preschoolers block. The block for older children uses identities which are used for regular ABC 1 and 3 programming respectively. To help new ABC For Kids On 2 from everyday. This is similar to the one from 1997-2001 except that a bilby replaces the bird and a crocodile replaces the cow which now comes after the cat. (In upcoming ABC videos there will be clips from 12 different ABC for Kids shows)1980s-1994
The Festival/Mushroom Records Video (FMR is now part of Warner Bros. RecordsWarner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
and Warner Music Australia) logo is briefly seen before a cut to the ABC Identification.
1991-1993
The Video Selection Australia (previously Festival Video and Mushroom Video) logo is briefly seen before a cut to BabarBabar (TV series)
Babar is an animated television series produced in Canada by Nelvana Limited and The Clifford Ross Company. It premiered in 1989 on CBC and HBO, subsequently was rerun on HBO Family and Qubo. The series is based on Jean de Brunhoff's original Babar books, and was Nelvana's first international...
and the famous "B" (Note: There was an error in ABC For Kids Video Hits
ABC for Kids Video Hits
ABC For Kids: Video Hits is an Australian video released in 1991 by ABC Video and Video Selection Australia. It includes video clips of songs sung by various artists such as The Wiggles, Peter Combe, Don Spencer, Ross Higgins, Robyn Archer, Glenn Butcher, Franciscus Henri, Joe Dolce and the others...
and Banamas in Pyjamas with a fade instead of cut) A clip from Babar with him reading to his children in Babar's First Step is followed by Young Babar balancing three books on his head In City Ways With Babar Theme. A "T" is followed by a Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends clip Thomas Comes to Breakfast and Wrong Road for Thomas theme and "P" a snippit from the Play School theme in Special and Concert. An "F" is followed by two snippits from the Fireman Sam opening sequence and "S" one from Spot's Theme. The letters A, B and C pop up on the screen, followed by the ABC logo.
1993–1997
A 1992 combination of Bananas in PyjamasBananas in Pyjamas
Bananas in Pyjamas is an Australian children's television show that premiered in July 1992 on ABC Television. It has since become syndicated in many different countries, and dubbed into other languages. In the United States, the "Pyjamas" in the title was modified to reflect the American spelling...
clips from 1993, (B1 and B2 scare the Teddies by jumping out of a bush, the gang except for Rat play on a see-saw in See-Saw, the Bananas follow a rainbow in Chasing Rainbows), Play School
Play School (Australian TV series)
Play School is an Australian educational television show for children produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It is the longest-running children's show in Australia, and the second longest running childrens show in the world. An estimated 80% of pre-school children under six watch the...
from 1993 two presenters (George Spartels
George Spartels
George Spartels is an Australian actor of Greek descent, who is best known for his role on the television soap opera Neighbours, playing Benito Alessi. He was married to actress Elizabeth Alexander....
and Benita Collings
Benita Collings
Benita Collings is an Australian actress and television personality. Collings is best known for her long running stint as a presenter for Play School on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
) clap their hands, Fireman Sam
Fireman Sam
Fireman Sam is a Welsh animated children's television series about a fireman called Sam, his fellow firefighters, and other townspeople in the Welsh town of Pontypandy . The original idea for the show came from two ex-firemen from Kent...
from 1993 (Sam slides down the bannister of his stairs, Sam and Elvis drive in Jupiter in Fireman Sam Theme) or Johnson and Friends
Johnson and Friends
Johnson and Friends is an Australian children’s television programme broadcast on ABC TV from 1991 to 1996. It was produced by Film Australia. Six seasons were made....
from 1994 (Squeaky ties the toys up with a rope), Lift Off
Lift Off
Lift Off was an Australian educational television series that was broadcast on ABC Television from 1992 until the series ended in 1996. Each episode featured a live action storyline about a group of young children, and the problems they encountered with growing up, their parents, and various other...
from 1992 (the Wakadoo gang play music in Someone Tells me, one of the Bonza men say something's big in That's Not Fair, Wolf agrees with Zelda in Which One?), Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
Thomas and Friends is a British children's television series, first broadcast on the ITV network in September 1984. Until 2003, it was named Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. This series was shot on 35mm film...
from 1991 (eight puffs of smoke form the Thomas logo while Thomas chugs along with Annie and Clarabel In Trust Thomas), Widget the World Watcher (Widget transforms into a kangaroo, Widget introduces his name), Postman Pat
Postman Pat
Postman Pat is a British stop-motion animated children's television series first produced by Woodland Animations. It is aimed at pre-school children, and concerns the adventures of Pat Clifton, a postman in the fictional village of Greendale .Postman Pat's first 13-episode season was screened on...
(Pat drives in his van in Postman Pat Theme, Pat delivers a letter in Postman Pat and the Toy Soldiers), a clip from an ABC concert with GRTO and HCAB, it later shows The Wiggles
The Wiggles
The Wiggles are a children's group formed in Sydney, Australia in 1991. Their original members were Anthony Field, Phillip Wilcher, Murray Cook, Greg Page, and Jeff Fatt. Wilcher left the group after their first album...
except Jeff doing Here Comes a Bear, Ferry Boat Fred
Ferry Boat Fred
Ferry Boat Fred is an Australian children's programme which was first broadcast in 1992. The main character is a ferry on Sydney Harbour named Fred, along with his older sister Kate, two other ferries, Lou and Bill, as well as Jean, a really jolly and colourful submarine. There is also the...
(Fred sails until a monkey breaks his mast, Fred's Captain climbs aboard to start work in the Ferry Boat Fred Theme), Blinky Bill
Blinky Bill
Blinky Bill is an anthropomorphic koala and children's fictional character created by New Zealand-born Australian author Dorothy Wall. The character of Blinky first appeared in Brooke Nicholls' 1933 book, Jacko - the Broadcasting Kookaburra, which was illustrated by Wall...
(that will sometimes be replaced by a clip with Koala from Ferry Boat Fred) or (Blinky carries his sack in Blinky Bill Theme) and Spot the Dog
Spot the Dog
Spot the Dog is a series of children's books by Eric Hill, which were later made into a popular children's animation series, known as Spot, for BBC television by David McKee's King Rollo Films....
(Spot barks and jumps off a tractor in Spot Goes to the Farm) is followed by 0:14-23 of the identity and rocks back to wipe the rest of the logo as a ladybug traces an orange "the", a violet "best", a green "in", a blue "children's", a red "entertainment", a yellow "on" and a pink "video". The clips would end with a snippit from Lift Off (Two of the backsaks hanging on Aku and Nipper's(who's holding EC) backs finish singing from Which One?).
1998
An ant will walk along (six blue squares), turn into an aardvark (pink squares) that would turn into an apple (yellow squares with "A" in topleft), and some kids yelled "A!" A bird would fly along (pink squares), turn into a butterfly (blue squares) and turn into a bee (green squares with "B" in center left), and then the kids yelled "B!" A cow would walk along (pink squares) a cat would jump (green squares) and turn into a carrot (red squares with "C" in topright). The kids yelled "C" and the squares would spin (yellow) and turn into the ABC For Kids logo. The kids yelled "ABC!" Down Here ABC For Kids Club! During this, the Hooley DooleysHooley Dooleys
The Hooley Dooleys are an Australian children's performing act. They originally appeared on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, but have since appeared on commercial television and as a live touring act...
sing "Roll Up! Roll Up!"
The kids draw Monica Trapaga who said, "Who is the Member of the New ABC for Kids Club?" For the Hooley Dooleys (the character sing their into song), the kids dance and Jamie's friend Zooey wave, the Boy Jumped "And So Hundred of Family All around Australia" Repart of Thomas and Friends of Troublesome Trucks, Blinky Bill
Blinky Bill
Blinky Bill is an anthropomorphic koala and children's fictional character created by New Zealand-born Australian author Dorothy Wall. The character of Blinky first appeared in Brooke Nicholls' 1933 book, Jacko - the Broadcasting Kookaburra, which was illustrated by Wall...
(Including Their name) and The Ferals (Feral Laughs and Feral Angry) and Mister Whiskers sing "I'm Mister Whiskers Children Sing" (Children Dance) "Join the ABC For Kids Club! Call 9300-656-323."
When Monica Trapaga says "When You Join? Your Kids a Special (ABC For Kids Club Video) and (ABC For Kids Music Cassate) (A Story Time All Music Collect) and (A High Play School Book) It's magic!" The Dragon in Magic Mountain Mr Squiggle jumped and a woman laughed "Mr Squiggle Are you Feeling good" "Every Time You Got a news letter of the new ABC For Kids Concert and Music and A Draw Time of Games and Story for the Kids" (Miffy Says Goodbye) "There Always Time for ABC For Kids Club! Call 9330-656-323 to Join Today!"
Broadcast schedule
Programming for older children:Weekdays
- ABC3ABC3-Future shows:Programming confirmed for future broadcast will include:* After School Care * Bindi's Boot Camp * Bushwacked! * Dance Academy * Dancing Down Under...
: 6:00-21:00 - ABC1ABC1ABC1 was a United Kingdom based television channel from Disney using the branding of the Disney owned American network, ABC.The channel initially launched exclusively on the British digital terrestrial television platform Freeview on 27 September 2004. On 10 December 2004 it was launched on...
: 16:00–18:00
Note being ABC1
ABC1
ABC1 was a United Kingdom based television channel from Disney using the branding of the Disney owned American network, ABC.The channel initially launched exclusively on the British digital terrestrial television platform Freeview on 27 September 2004. On 10 December 2004 it was launched on...
broadcasts to 10:00-12:00 on school holidays in place of usual educational programming
Saturday
- ABC3ABC3-Future shows:Programming confirmed for future broadcast will include:* After School Care * Bindi's Boot Camp * Bushwacked! * Dance Academy * Dancing Down Under...
: 6:00 - 21:00 - ABC1ABC1ABC1 was a United Kingdom based television channel from Disney using the branding of the Disney owned American network, ABC.The channel initially launched exclusively on the British digital terrestrial television platform Freeview on 27 September 2004. On 10 December 2004 it was launched on...
: 11:00 - 12:00 (during the summer)
Note being ABC1
ABC1
ABC1 was a United Kingdom based television channel from Disney using the branding of the Disney owned American network, ABC.The channel initially launched exclusively on the British digital terrestrial television platform Freeview on 27 September 2004. On 10 December 2004 it was launched on...
broadcasts to older children shows on Saturday mornings from 11am-12pm after Rage
Rage (TV program)
Rage is a popular all-night Australian music video program broadcast on ABC1 on Friday nights, Saturday mornings and Saturday nights. It was first screened on the weekend of Friday, 17 April 1987. With Soul Train no longer being produced, it is the oldest music television program currently still...
during the summer & in the school holidays.
Sunday
- ABC1ABC1ABC1 was a United Kingdom based television channel from Disney using the branding of the Disney owned American network, ABC.The channel initially launched exclusively on the British digital terrestrial television platform Freeview on 27 September 2004. On 10 December 2004 it was launched on...
: 7:00 – 9:00 - ABC3ABC3-Future shows:Programming confirmed for future broadcast will include:* After School Care * Bindi's Boot Camp * Bushwacked! * Dance Academy * Dancing Down Under...
: 6:00 - 21:00
Programming for preschoolers (ABC For Kids):
Weekdays
- ABC1ABC1ABC1 was a United Kingdom based television channel from Disney using the branding of the Disney owned American network, ABC.The channel initially launched exclusively on the British digital terrestrial television platform Freeview on 27 September 2004. On 10 December 2004 it was launched on...
: 15:00 – 16:00 - ABC2ABC2ABC2 is a national public television channel in Australia. Launched on 7 March 2005, it is the responsibility of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's television division, and is available nationally to digital television viewers in Australia...
: 6:00 - 18:00
Note being ABC1
ABC1
ABC1 was a United Kingdom based television channel from Disney using the branding of the Disney owned American network, ABC.The channel initially launched exclusively on the British digital terrestrial television platform Freeview on 27 September 2004. On 10 December 2004 it was launched on...
broadcasts to 10:00-12:00 on school holidays in place of usual educational programming
Saturday
- ABC2ABC2ABC2 is a national public television channel in Australia. Launched on 7 March 2005, it is the responsibility of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's television division, and is available nationally to digital television viewers in Australia...
: 6:00 - 18:00
Sunday
- ABC1ABC1ABC1 was a United Kingdom based television channel from Disney using the branding of the Disney owned American network, ABC.The channel initially launched exclusively on the British digital terrestrial television platform Freeview on 27 September 2004. On 10 December 2004 it was launched on...
: 6:30–7:00 - ABC2ABC2ABC2 is a national public television channel in Australia. Launched on 7 March 2005, it is the responsibility of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's television division, and is available nationally to digital television viewers in Australia...
: 6:00-18:00