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The Australian Broadcasting Corporation was established in 1932 as the Australian Broadcasting Commission, though its origins can be traced back to the establishment of the Australian Broadcasting Company in 1924. The ABC is a public-funded broadcaster akin to the BBC in the United Kingdom, funded through grants from the Australian Government, yet tasked with maintaining political independence. Like the BBC, they started as a radio broadcaster and originally charged listeners a license fee, though this was abolished in 1948. The ABC launched their television service in 1956, a few months after what would become the Nine Network made Australia's first TV broadcast. The ABC adopted the original Lissajous figure as their logo in 1963 following a design competition. The figure took on its more familiar classic design in 1975 to mark the ABC's launch of colour transmission. In 1983, as part of a major restructure, the Australian Broadcasting Commission was renamed the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. By 2001, ABC had begun broadcasting on digital television, launching a new metallic logo to coincide as well as the new ABC Kids channel, making ABC the first major network in Australia to have a digital multichannel. This channel was short lived, however and was shut down in 2003 to cut costs. In 2002, the ABC marked its 70th anniversary with a modification of its new logo, returning to a more traditional design. In 2005, ABC launched its second digital multichannel, ABC2 (later ABC Comedy, now known as ABC TV Plus), this was followed by a second attempt at a digital kids' channel, ABC3 (now ABC ME), which launched in 2009. Around this time, the main ABC channel was renamed to ABC1, to compliment ABC2. However, this rename would be short lived, as by 2014, the channel had returned to its original name. At the same time, the classic Lissajous figure was reinstated as a primary logo 13 years after it was retired on-air, along with the iconic three-note jingle which hadn't been used on air since 2005. The main channel was rebranded ABC TV as of 1 January 2021 to compliment the rebranding of ABC Comedy as ABC TV Plus.
Visuals: The sequence starts with a screen with "OPENING NIGHT", each letter consisting ne or two dots and stars in them with an additional two stars next to and behind "OPENING" and "NIGHT" respectively. The screen fades out with the text, in ascending from:
ABC
TV
surrounded by 8 curves that spin in a counter-clockwise direction. The logo would then zoom out to the bottom right corner.
Technique: A live action spinning mobile/sculpture suspended from strings.
Audio: A fanfare that consists of brass and string instruments with a bell at the start.
Visuals: Over a dark background with thin, wavy clouds at the centre, there is a transmitter tower sitting on a globe. It is emitting constant signals from the top of the structure, which are illustrated by circular pulses. The letters "A.B.C" (representing the name of the broadcaster and in a sans serif font) suddenly "pop" upon to the centre of the screen before fading out. The text “T.V” zooms in from the top of the transmitter tower and then fades out.
Technique: Cel-animation.
Audio: Unknown. The only known clip of this ident is silent.
Visuals: On a dark, hazy background representing space, there is a rotating globe. Points of light (seen as small dots) begin to encircle the globe like the electrons of an atom, leaving lines behind them. As the trails are completed, a TV-tube shape with the letters "ABC" suddenly appears over the globe. After a few seconds, the shape splits into three, the first shape containing "A", the middle "B", and the last "C". Then, a "NEWS" text zooms in from below the "B".
Technique: 2D animation.
Audio: An abridged version of the ABC's signature news theme, Majestic Fanfare, which was composed by Charles Williams in 1943.
Availability: Same as above.
Legacy: This became the last ident that predates the first Lissajous ident.
Visuals: The screen is filled with a view of an oscilloscope display. The "Lissajous figure" that we see is oscillating rapidly, going from one frequency to another in quick bursts until it settles on a fixed rate. After around five seconds, the display fades into an animated representation of the slow, horizontal pattern seen before. It fades into a vertical pattern, and then fades back into the previous pattern. The animation stops at the point where the figure resembles the early version of what would be the well-known ABC logo, and then pulls back, with the words "Australian Broadcasting Commission" (at the top) and "National Television Service" (at the bottom) appearing at once, contracting with the ident. The ident stops animating altogether and zooms back until it gets to a comfortable distance.
Technique: 2D computer animation.
Audio: An excerpt of the song Reverie for Percussion and Harp by Bob Sharples. A loud crash-like noise can be heard briefly at the beginning.
Availability: Same as above. The full version was previously available on ABC's 75th anniversary website.
Legacy: This ident marks the first instance of the iconic Lissajous curve logo the ABC is well-known for.
Visuals: In this series of idents, we witness scenes of ordinary Australians going about their daily business. All of the sequences end with the ABC logo (encased in a rounded rectangle with "ABCtv" in a sans serif font sitting above) and the phrase "The Good Looking Australian" (in the same font) being wiped on from the left.
Variants: Several variations were produced. Here are two examples:
Technique: Live-action and 2D animation.
Audio: Used several variations of the instrumental "A Shade of Brass" by Bobby Byrne, depending on the film sequence. Some of the music variations end with a 3-note tune that sounds like a predecessor to the jingle introduced in the late 1980s. On most variants, an announcer says this at the end: "This is ABC Television. The good looking Australian.", though this is not used for the cities and towns idents.
Visuals: On a navy blue background, there are three diagonal bars, coloured (from left to right) green, sky blue and red. The first (green) bar contracts towards the bottom of the screen, followed by the next (blue and red) bars, until they disappear from the screen entirely. Two mustard yellow diagonal bars appear from both sides of the screen, followed by two "sharkstooth" shapes of the same colour appearing from the top and bottom. The formation slowly pulls back to reveal that it is the ABC logo, still as a Lissajous curve, but now with a thicker line and an "over and under" design for the crossover points. The company name, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING COMMISSION, sits at the top of the logo in a thin, white, sans serif font.
Technique: Camera-controlled cel animation.
Audio: A horn-driven fanfare with rock-style drums in the background.
Availability: Was used for the arrival of colour television in Australia in 1975.
Visuals: There is the outlined yellow ABC logo. Several copies of the logo zoom out and stop in the logo, and the last copy fills the logo with the yellow colour.
Variants: On some programming provided by the next (such as sporting events), the logo appears above "ABC National Television".
Technique: Scanimate.
Audio: A violin theme with drumbeats. This is exactly an excerpt from "Heavy Action" by Johnny Pearson. This was also used as the theme for NFL's Monday Night Football.
Availability: It was used as ABC's second colour ID.
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Visuals: There is what look like fountains in the sky against a black background. The fountains fall, and the ABC logo moves towards the camera like a rollercoaster, while the metallic floor with some running light reflections moving under the logo. Then the logo flashes on a black-blue gradient background, and a white light has "ABC" (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) fading in, in what looks like neon lights. “ABCTV” flashes above the logo.
Technique: Slit-scan animation.
Audio: A catchy synth-disco tune with people singing “ABC”.
Visuals: On a black background three laser beams come in from the left of the screen each going in a different direction after the third one, a map of Australia is showing with glowing red lines, as the background changes to blue with pink and black lines in the background, then it flips to reveal that is the ABC logo then it flashes turning the logo into a grey/black gradient and causing the words Australian Broadcasting Corporation to appear in white as well, the logo zooms out slowly until it fades out.
Trivia: This ident was repurposed as part of a 2013 ABC2 ident featuring the Bondi Hipsters. The ident can be viewed here, and the uncensored version can be viewed here.
Technique: Early CGI/Oxberry motion graphics.
Audio: An instrumental excerpt from "Affair of the Heart" by Rick Springfield.
Availability: Can be seen on ABC Video tapes released during this logo's lifespan.
Visuals: There is several red squares form below on a black/blue gradient background. Then, the camera pans inside of one row, and a yellow globe forms in the distance. The camera pans through and up out of the row, and the globe, with a glass ABC logo on it and a map of Australia engraved on the globe, floats to the top, rotating. The ABC logo flies off the right of the globe and towards the camera. Light bars are seen on the reflection of the logo.
Variants:
Technique: CGI.
Audio: An uplifting orchestral tune with drums, horns, flutes, and bells, ending with a twinkling sound. The "Milky Way" variant lacks the twinkling sounds.
Audio Variant:
Availability: The night time variant was also used for ABC releases on video during this time period. The night variant also re-appeared on TV in 2021 before the premiere of The Newscaster, a series set during the mid 1980s.
Visuals: There is several silver ribbons swirling around on a dark blue background. They form an unidentifiable shape at first, but as the camera zooms in the centre, spins around, and zooms out, there is a solid formation of the ABC logo set against a brown floor. "ABCTV" fades in above.
Variant: A Christmas variant was used during Christmas Eve 1987.
Technique: CGI.
Audio: A series of synth choir sounds with a four-note synth chime tune, ending with an orchestral hit.
Availability: Only used for a short period of time, check old tapes for this one.
Visuals: There is a glassy ABC logo turning upward against a background split into thirds that contains one of various image styles relating to Australian heritage. For idents made between 1988 to 1992, the logo is centred on the screen. For idents made between 1992 to 1996, the logo is made slightly smaller and pushed to the near bottom.
Variants:
Technique: CGI mixed with live action.
Audio: It normally used a gentle uplifting fanfare with a horn section, ending with six synth bell/choir notes (the last three would later become the trademark ABC jingle), and would be remixed depending on the variant. Other sounds relating to the imagery would be used, as well (The normal jingle was heard on the Leaves, Cave Painting, Snake Skin, River, Rainforest, Tide, Ashes, Desert Flower, Desert, Seashells, Skyscrapers, Wattle, Rock Pebbles, Sand and Cave with the sounds intact). The 1st Special variant was usually accompanied with an announcer.
Availability: The Bush Tea ID makes a surprise appearance on The Best Of The Late Show Volume 3 VHS (as part of a joke to pretend that the show cut to a documentary about birds). The Bicentennial ID was also used as a home video logo for the release of From The Outback to the Sea - Images of the Australian Bicentennial Year.
Legacy: These idents are considered a favourite among some viewers of the channel, especially older ones.
Visuals: There is several words changing until stopping into a particular word for each ident. Then is some footage, and the ABC logo flips up with the picture below changing depending on the ident.
Technique: Live-action ending with computer animation.
Audio: Depends on the variant, usually ending with the three note jingle.
Legacy: The flipping animation of the logo would form the basis of the original ABC DVD logo.
Visuals: There is some people doing many actions, then someone (or the same people) draws the ABC logo in the air, with a white outline representing the motion. Then the video fades to black, leaving behind the logo as the letters "abc" fade in.
Trivia: This package was overseen by ad agency Batey Kazoo. 93 idents were created in total[1].
Variants:
Technique: Live-action footage directed by Greta Morton Elangue (and later Steve Rodgers) and 2D computer animation[1].
Audio: Depends on the variant, usually ending with the three-note jingle. The music for all idents in this package was created by The Passionfruit Collective (then Fresh Music)[1].
Visuals: On a black background with coloured lights, we first see various close-up shots of a silver ring twisting and morphing in various angles. On the final shot, we then see the silver ring take the form of the ABC logo (without the usual "over and under" design), settling itself in the centre of the screen. The text "The National Broadcaster" then fades in below the logo while three stars appear one by one onto the logo in sync with the 3-note jingle. Sometimes, the ABC website URL (abc.net.au) may fade in below the slogan.
Trivia: This ident, along with the accompanying on-air design package, was made by Mish Mash Multimedia.
Variants:
Technique: All CGI.
Audio: Custom music depending on the ident, with the three-note jingle playing at the end
Visuals: A silver ring is seen on a background with either one of these elements: a fireplace, an iceberg, or a cluster of leaves. Then, a light ray passes on the silver ring, making it twist itself to form the ABC logo (back to the "over and under" design, but still keeping the silver texture of the previous logo). On the final shot, the logo is positioned in the centre while three faint stars flash individually onto the Lissajous curve and another light ray shines from the right side of the screen. The following text fades in below the logo:
Variants:
Technique: All CGI.
Audio: A tribal synth composition with accompanying ambience sounds related to the scenery of each ident, ending with the three-note jingle.
Availability: Was only used during ABC's 70th anniversary throughout 2002.
Visuals: A video sequence of everyday life is seen, with various ribbons interacting with the footage. At the ending shot, the ribbons draw the ABC logo on the right (which solidifies into a modified version of the 2002 logo). The text "every" with a word relating to the theme of each ident below it then draws in on the left of the logo; the themed word then changes into "one's" after a few seconds, making the text and logo read as "everyone's ABC".
Technique: Live-action mixed with 2D animation, produced by just-be.
Audio: Varies per ident; all idents end with the 3-note jingle.
Visuals: On a white background with faint blue gradients, there is the ABC logo in the centre, which then unfolds into a rectangular frame leading into various individuals interacting with CGI objects. At the end, half of the ABC logo slides into the near centre, protruding from either the top or bottom of the screen. The text "There's more to Television..." appear in a blocky font above or below the logo From 2006 onwards, the slogan would vary depending on the ident.
Technique: CGI and live action.
Audio: Various arrangements of an uplifting tune. The standard version was a piano-driven orchestration.
Visuals: The sequence starts off with the ABC logo zooming in and morphing into a screen which then shows an ID used by the ABC in the past. Near the end of the ID shown, the video zooms off to the left at an angle. The top of the newer ABC logo then slides from the right side of the screen and stops near the middle. The text "Celebrating 50 Years of Television..." and "Circa 19x0s" (the third digit varies depending on what decade the ID shown was from), then appear letter by letter from the left side of the screen.
Technique: CGI mixed with animation or live-action from the previous .
Audio: The music/soundtrack from the ID being played.
Availability: These were used during the 50th anniversary of television in Australia.
Visuals: There is a clip of live action footage with the new ABC1 logo, a blue rectangle with the words "ABC1" in it and a second rectangle below with the Lissajous curve logo.
Technique: Live-action mixed with 2D animation.
Audio: Each ident has a custom musical score with the dialogue of the featured person over it.
Visuals: An update of the previous idents' concept, now with the new slogan "Think..." (like the 18th ID, the last word varies by ident) and an updated logo featuring a large "1" in a rectangle with the word ABC and the Lissajous figure below it. The logo would appear in either orange or blue, depending on the ident.
Technique: Live-action and CGI.
Audio: A soft synth or upbeat musical score ending with the three-note jingle.
Visuals: There is footage of various everyday Australians. At the end, the ABC logo (once again in its 1975 2D design) draws into the screen with the slogan "#ourABC" next to it.
Technique: Live-action.
Audio: Various, depending on the ID, though all culminating in the iconic 3-note jingle from the 12th ident.
Visuals: There are a few different versions of this ident.
Technique: Once again, live action. The idents were filmed by the ABC's in-house creative team, ABC Made.
Audio:
Availability: Since 2019, these are being used in tandem with the next idents. The "Celebrating 90 Years" idents are brand-new, and were only used to celebrate 90 years of the ABC in 2022.
Visuals: On a live-action backdrop, there is a box with a different, albeit relevant, live action clip in it. A white border draws in around the smaller box and the iconic Lissajous curve logo draws itself in as the "Yours" slogan fades in below.
Variant: Since 2021, the idents are modified, with the letters "TV" now appearing below the logo.
Technique: Live-action mixed with simple 2D animation.
Audio: A new rendition of the 3-note jingle from the 12th ident, usually accompanied by a soft synth pad and sounds related to the imagery. The jingle plays in sync with the white border line hitting each corner of the inner box.
Legacy: A worthy successor to the iconic 12th ident.