{{about|the Australian TV station|other TV stations and networks of this name|ABN (disambiguation){{!}}ABN}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}} {{Use Australian English|date=December 2011}} {{geoGroup}} {{Infobox television station | callsign = ABN | city = | logo = Australian Broadcasting Corporation logo (1974-).svg | logo_size = 140px | branding = | analog = | digital = 12 (VHF) | virtual = 2 | translators = | affiliations = ABC Television | founded = | airdate = {{launch date|df=yes|1956|11|05}} | image = Ultimo ABC - cropped.jpg | location = Sydney, New South Wales | country = Australia | language = English | callsign_meaning = ABC/New South Wales | former_callsigns = | former_channel_numbers = '''Analogue:''' 2 (VHF, 1956–2013) | owner = Australian Broadcasting Corporation | licensee = | sister_stations = | former_affiliations = | erp = 50 kW | haat = 205 m{{NoteTag| name=EHAAT |HAAT estimated from http://www.itu.int/SRTM3/ using EHAAT.}} | class = | licensing_authority = Australian Communications and Media Authority | coordinates = {{Coord|33|49|12|S|151|11|6|E|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=ABN}} }} '''ABC Television in New South Wales''' comprises national and local programming on the ABC television network in the Australian state of New South Wales, headquartered in Sydney.
'''ABN''' or '''ABN-2''' was the historic call sign of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's television station in Sydney. The station began broadcasting on 5 November 1956 as the second television station in New South Wales and Sydney. Its original studios were located in Gore Hill and were in use up until March 2004, when they were co-located with ABC Radio, Radio Australia, ABC-TV Set Construction and ABC Australia at the Corporation's headquarters in the inner city suburb of Ultimo.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Inside the ABC - Issue 7 - Building on the Future |url=http://www.abc.net.au/corp/pubs/iabc/stories/s772338.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041115054910/http://www.abc.net.au/corp/pubs/iabc/stories/s772338.htm |archive-date=2004-11-15 |access-date=2007-07-27 |website=Australian Broadcasting Corporation}}</ref> Its main transmitter, however, remains at Gore Hill.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1959 |title=Communications - Television - Sydney national television station ABN2 transmitting masts at Gore Hill, Sydney New South Wales [photographic image] / photographer, John Tanner. 1 photographic negative: b&w, acetate |url=https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=11431142 |access-date=2021-06-22 |website=National Archives of Australia}}</ref> The station can be received throughout the state through a number of relay transmitters, as well as domestic satellite transmission on the Viewer Access Satellite Television (formerly Optus Aurora) platform.
==History== The first national public television station in Australia opened in Sydney at 7:00pm on 5 November 1956 under the call sign ABN-2. It was opened by Prime Minister of Australia Robert Menzies, with the first television broadcast presented by Michael Charlton, and James Dibble reading the first television news bulletin with full-time colour broadcasting introduced in March 1975.
For more than 40 years, Gore Hill was best known as the location of the ABC's Sydney television studios, which were fully opened in 1958 and which operated until 2002, when the site was closed and sold off. Later, the ABC moved its television operations to its broadcasting centre in Ultimo.
The station has also carried a number of programs originally produced at Channel 31 stations in other states (programs such as Aurora Community Channel and National Indigenous Television.
ABN commenced digital television transmission in January 2001, broadcasting on VHF Channel 12 while maintaining analogue transmission on VHF Channel 2.
The analogue television signal for Sydney, Gosford and surrounding areas was shut off at 9.00am on 3 December 2013.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kidman |first=Angus |date=2012-06-25 |title=Analogue TV gets an official switch-off date |url=https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2012/06/analogue-tv-gets-an-official-switch-off-date/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210618052102/https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2012/06/analogue-tv-gets-an-official-switch-off-date/ |archive-date=2021-06-18 |access-date=2021-06-18 |website=Lifehacker Australia}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=2013-12-03 |title=Sydney switches off analogue TV |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2013/12/sydney-switches-off-analogue-tv.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210618052714/https://tvtonight.com.au/2013/12/sydney-switches-off-analogue-tv.html |archive-date=2021-06-18 |access-date=2021-06-18 |website=TV Tonight}}</ref>
In December 2024, the 7pm ABC News bulletin moved from Ultimo to the Corporation's new studios in Parramatta.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.abc.net.au/about/media-centre/press-releases/first-nsw-7pm-news-broadcast-from-abc-parramatta/104692690 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241209014702/https://www.abc.net.au/about/media-centre/press-releases/first-nsw-7pm-news-broadcast-from-abc-parramatta/104692690|archive-date=9 December 2024 |access-date=9 December 2024 |date=6 December 2024 |title=First NSW 7PM News broadcast from ABC Parramatta |work=About the ABC}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url-status=live |first=David |last=Knox |access-date=9 December 2024 |date=6 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241209014955/https://tvtonight.com.au/2024/12/abc-nsw-news-from-parramatta-this-sunday.html |archive-date=9 December 2024 |title=ABC NSW News from Parramatta this Sunday |work=TV Tonight |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2024/12/abc-nsw-news-from-parramatta-this-sunday.html}}</ref>
==Programming== ===Local programming=== ABN's schedule is similar to the national ABC schedule, with the exception of some news, current affairs, sport and occasionally, election programming.
''ABC News New South Wales'' is presented by Jeremy Fernandez (Sunday–Thursday) and Lydia Feng (Friday–Saturday). The weeknight bulletins also incorporate NSW weather forecasts presented by Tom Saunders as well as a national finance segment presented by Alan Kohler in Melbourne.
==Digital multiplex== {| class="wikitable" border="1" |- ! LCN ! Service ! SD/HD |- | 2 & 21 | ABC TV | SD |- | 20 | ABC TV HD | HD |- | 22 | ABC Kids/Family | SD |- | 23 | ABC Entertains | HD |- | 24 | ABC News | HD |}
==Relay stations== The following stations relay ABN throughout New South Wales: {| class="wikitable" ! Call ! Region served ! City ! Channels<br />''(Analog/<br />digital)'' ! First air date ! 3rd letter's<br />meaning ! ERP<br />''(Analog/<br />digital)'' ! HAAT<br />''(Analog/<br />digital)''{{NoteTag | name=EHAAT}} ! Transmitter coordinates ! Transmitter location |- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | '''ABCN''' | Central Tablelands | Orange | 1 (VHF){{NoteTag | Analogue transmission ceased as of 5 June 2012 as part of the national shutdown of analogue television | name=Analogue2}}<br />36 (UHF) | 31 March 1964 | '''C'''entral Tablelands | 160 kW<br />570 kW | 655 m<br />677 m | {{Coord|33|20|32|S|148|59|1|E|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=ABCN}} | Mount Canobolas |- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | '''ABDN''' | Grafton/Kempsey | Coffs Harbour | 2 (VHF){{NoteTag | Analogue transmission ceased as of 27 November 2012 as part of the national shutdown of analogue television. | name=Analogue3}}<br />36 (UHF) | 28 June 1965 |'''D'''orrigo | 160 kW<br />250 kW | 661 m<br />730 m | {{Coord|30|19|2|S|152|51|35|E|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=ABDN}} | Mount Moombil |- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | '''ABGN''' | Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area | Griffith | 7 (VHF){{NoteTag | name=Analogue2}}<br />11 (VHF) | 25 July 1966 | '''G'''riffith | 200 kW<br />50 kW | 416 m<br />412 m | {{Coord|34|7|17|S|146|14|7|E|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=ABGN}} | Mount Bingar |- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | '''ABHN''' | Newcastle/Hunter Valley | Newcastle | 5A (VHF){{NoteTag|ABHN also broadcasts on analog UHF channel 48 with 1200 kW ERP at 441 m HAAT. ABHN was on VHF channel 5 from its 1963 sign-on until February 1977, moving to its current channel in order to accommodate FM radio.}}{{NoteTag |name=Analogue3}}<br />37 (UHF) | 5 June 1963 | '''H'''unter River | 200 kW<br />250 kW | 405 m<br />440 m | {{Coord|32|53|30|S|151|32|18|E|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=ABHN}} (analog)<br />{{Coord|32|53|24|S|151|32|20|E|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=ABHN}} (digital) | Mount Sugarloaf |- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | '''ABLN''' | Broken Hill | Broken Hill | 2 (VHF){{NoteTag | Analogue transmission ceased as of 15 December 2010 as part of the national shutdown of analogue television.| name=Analogue1}}<br />10 (VHF) | 14 December 1965 |Unknown | 5 kW<br />4 kW | 95 m<br />104 m | {{Coord|31|57|5|S|141|26|26|E|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=ABLN}} | Rocky Hill |- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | '''ABMN''' | South West Slopes and Eastern Riverina | Wagga Wagga | 0 (VHF){{NoteTag |name=Analogue2}}<br />46 (UHF) | 30 April 1965 |Unknown | 200 kW<br />600 kW | 466 m<br />543 m | {{Coord|34|49|13|S|147|54|5|E|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=ABMN}} | Mount Ulandra |- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | '''ABMIN''' | Mungindi | Mungindi | 10 (VHF)<br />NA | 7 January 1974 | '''M'''ungind'''I''' | 0.1 kW | 59 m | {{Coord|28|59|37|S|149|1|0|E|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=ABMIN}} | Mungindi |- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | '''ABQN''' | Central Western Slopes | Dubbo | 11 (VHF){{NoteTag | ABQN was on VHF channel 5 from its 1966 sign-on until 1988, moving to its current channel in order to accommodate FM radio.}}{{NoteTag |name=Analogue2}}<br />12 (VHF) | 12 September 1966 |Unknown | 400 kW<br />100 kW | 638 m<br />638 m | {{Coord|31|20|34|S|149|1|23|E|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=ABQN}} | Mount Cenn Cruaich |- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | '''ABRN''' | Richmond and Tweed | Lismore | 6 (VHF){{NoteTag|name=Analogue3}}<br />29 (UHF) | 20 April 1964 | '''R'''ichmond and Tweed | 200 kW<br />200 kW | 621 m<br />645 m | {{Coord|28|32|44|S|153|17|15|E|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=ABRN}} | Mount Nardi |- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | '''ABSN''' | Bega/Cooma | Bega | 8 (VHF){{NoteTag |name=Analogue2}}<br />NA | 29 June 1966 | '''S'''outh East | 200 kW | 428 m | {{Coord|36|35|53|S|149|22|58|E|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=ABSN}} | Brown Mountain |- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | '''ABTN''' | Manning River | Taree | 6 (VHF){{NoteTag | ABTN was on VHF channel 1 from its 1966 sign-on until 1990.}}{{NoteTag|name=Analogue3}}<br />7 (VHF) | 29 April 1966 | '''T'''aree | 315 kW<br />80 kW | 599 m<br />599 m | {{Coord|31|42|7|S|152|40|43|E|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=ABTN}} | Middle Brother |- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | '''ABUN''' | Upper Namoi | Tamworth | 7 (VHF){{NoteTag|name=Analogue3}}<br />8 (VHF) | 27 September 1965 | '''U'''pper Namoi | 72 kW<br />22.5 kW | 859 m<br />849 m | {{Coord|30|17|4|S|150|10|2|E|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=ABUN}} | Mount Dowe |- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" | '''ABWN''' | Illawarra | Wollongong | 56 (UHF){{NoteTag|ABWN was on VHF channel 5A from its 1963 sign-on until 1988.}}{{NoteTag|name=Analogue2}}<br />51 (UHF) | 28 October 1963 | '''W'''ollongong | 960 kW<br />250 kW | 618 m<br />618 m | {{Coord|34|37|23|S|150|41|39|E|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=ABWN}} (analog)<br />{{Coord|34|37|24|S|150|41|40|E|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=ABWN}} (digital) | Knights Hill |- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" |}
===Notes=== {{NoteFoot}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Portal|Television|Australia}}
{{Australian Broadcasting Corporation}} {{ABC Television}} {{New South Wales TV}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abn (Tv Station)}} Category:Television stations in Sydney Category:Television channels and stations established in 1956 Category:Australian Broadcasting Corporation television stations