SYDNEY--7 Jul--MediaNet-International-AsiaNet/InfoQuest ABC Asia Pacific Becomes Australia Network Australian perspective offers more regionally focussed view Australia Network will launch August 7 across Asia and the Pacific offering news, documentaries, drama and lifestyle programs. Formerly known as ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) Asia Pacific, Australia Network will continue broadcasting the same programs viewers across Asia love, but with some fantastic new additions. It’s a different name and a different schedule but with the same high standard of content. Launching during August will be Focus, a brand new current affairs program airing Tuesdays and Thursdays after the news at 21:00 (Hong Kong time). Featuring live coverage from around the region, it will be produced exclusively for Australia Network by the respected ABC TV news and current affairs division. With a focus on matters relevant to the region it will also present in depth analysis of the day’s events. Evening news bulletins will feature three times per night — 17:00, 19:00 and 21:00 (Hong Kong time) with exclusive reports from our four new correspondents in the region reporting exclusively for us from Delhi, Beijing, South Pacific and Jakarta in addition to ABC correspondents from around the world. News is key to Australia Network’s schedule with a focus on news in the Breakfast Zone. Mornings from 06:00 to 09:00 (Hong Kong time) will be filled with news and views from around the region and the world, business reports and interviews. News headlines will be featured on the hour. Study English, designed to help students prepare for study overseas or improve their career prospects, is the acknowledged leader in programming in its category, hosted by the popular and stylish Margot Politis. Business English focuses on helping people improve their career prospects by learning the world’s global language of business. Australia Network’s dramas are uniquely Australian, created, written and produced in Australia. Returning will be Home & Away, the daily ‘soap’ that has viewers hooked all over the world, airing daily Monday to Friday at 17:30 (Hong Kong time). There will be a special one hour recap of all Home and Away activity Sunday, August 13 at 18:00 (Hong Kong time). More Aussie dramaincludes hospital drama All Saints; the award winning police series Blue Heelers; Love My Way with Claudia Karvan; travel favourite Getaway; and many more — all bringing a distinctly Australian flavour to TV viewing. And as everyone knows, Australians love sport, so Australia Network will be carrying exclusive coverage of just about every conceivable sport — from horse racing (The Melbourne Cup), to V8 Supercars to surfing and of course rugby — International Rugby Union featuring the International Test Matches between Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, England, France and Ireland as well as the Tri Nations and Bledisloe Cups, National Rugby League (NRL) and Australian Rules Football (AFL). Ian Carroll, Chief Executive of Australia Network, says: “Australia Network will offer Asians a different view. Our news and current affairs programs provide more than the headlines — it’s quality world class journalism offering a different view from the London and US-centric networks. While we still look at and cover news from around the globe, we focus on the region we live in so our perspective is from this part of the world. We have correspondents on the ground who know the local people and get to the heart of the news. “Our Study English program is incredibly popular with students and in fact with anyone wanting to learn English. Plus we’ll be carrying the best documentaries and dramas Australia has to offer. All in all, great stories, entertaining television with an eye to Australia.” To request an interview with Ian Carroll, Chief Executive of Australia Network, please contact Toby Barker or Melanie King at Mango Communications (details below). Notes to journalists: * Australia Network broadcasts to 10 million homes and 200,000 hotel rooms in 41 countries with a minimum of 1 million viewers per month * Satellite footprint covers the Cook Islands to the east, Mongolia to the north, India to the west and Papua New Guinea to the south * Close to 60% of viewers watch 7 days per week in prime time * News bulletins nightly at 17:00, 19:00 and 21:00 (Hong Kong time) * Focus, a half hour current affairs program, airs Tuesday and Thursdays at 21:30 (Hong Kong time) * Home and Away airs Monday to Friday at 17:30 (Hong Kong time) * Images available upon request About Australia Network Australia Network offers news, views, current affairs, drama, documentaries, English learning and sport to 41 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Previously known as ABC Asia Pacific, Australian Network offers programming 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Screening programs specifically produced for regional audiences, Australia Network draws on the vast inventory of rogramming available from both the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Australian commercial television networks and independent production houses from around the world. For more information and a complete program guide, visit australianetwork.com. For more information or interviews, please contact: Melanie King / Toby Barker Mango Communications +612 8260 2840 [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE: Australia Network --Distributed by AsiaNet ( www.asianetnews.net )--