ABQ explained

Callsign:ABQ
Digital:12 (VHF)
Virtual:2
Affiliations:ABC Television
Location:Brisbane, Queensland
Country:Australia
Callsign Meaning:ABC Queensland
Former Channel Numbers:Analog

2 (VHF) (1959–2013)

Owner:Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Licensing Authority:Australian Communications and Media Authority
Erp:200 kW (analog)
50 kW (digital)
Haat:336 m (analog)
355 m (digital)[1]
Coordinates:-27.4644°N 152.9475°W

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, 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. 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]

ABC Television in Brisbane today

All ABC operations are located in the South Bank building. 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.

Past presenters of the bulletin have included Matt Wordsworth, Rod Young and Andrew Lofthouse. Young and Lofthouse both of 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:

CallRegion servedCityChannels
(Analog/
digital)
First air date3rd letter's
meaning
ERP
(Analog/
digital)
HAAT
(Analog/
digital)
1
Transmitter coordinatesTransmitter location
ABAQAlphaAlpha8 (VHF)
NA
17 February 1975Alpha0.021 kW88 m-23.6181°N 146.6303°WAlpha
ABAAQAugathellaAugathella11 (VHF)
NA
8 March 1974AugathellA0.021 kW51 m-25.8064°N 146.5892°WAugathella
ABBQBarcaldineBarcaldine10 (VHF)
7 (VHF)
17 February 1975Barcaldine0.02 kW
0.005 kW
61 m
61 m
-23.5286°N 145.2592°WBarcaldine
ABBLQBlackallBlackall9 (VHF)
7 (VHF)
17 February 1975BlackalL0.2 kW
0.05 kW
61 m
66 m
-24.4314°N 145.4967°WBlackall
ABCAQCunnamullaCunnamulla10 (VHF)
NA
8 March 1974CunnamullA0.026 kW41 m-28.0483°N 145.7017°WCunnamulla
ABCEQCharlevilleCharleville9 (VHF)
11 (VHF)
8 March 1974CharlevillE0.26 kW
0.065 kW
99 m
99 m
-26.4164°N 146.3556°WCharleville
ABCLQCloncurryCloncurry7 (VHF)
6 (VHF)
17 March 1971CLoncurry0.2 kW
0.05 kW
115 m
115 m
-20.7225°N 140.5392°WMount Avarice
ABCTQClermontClermont10 (VHF)
54 (UHF)
17 February 1975ClermonT0.1 kW
0.2 kW
89 m
80 m
-22.8561°N 147.6442°WClermont
ABDQDarling DownsToowoomba32 (UHF)2 6
37 (UHF)
16 December 1963Darling Downs1600 kW
500 kW
570 m
549 m
-26.8922°N 151.6081°WMount Mowbullan
ABDIQDirranbandiDirranbandi7 (VHF)
NA
8 March 1974DirranbandI0.016 kW65 m-28.5578°N 148.2503°WDirranbandi
ABEQEmeraldEmerald11 (VHF)
9 (VHF)
21 December 1973Emerald2 kW
0.625 kW
92 m
92 m
-23.4744°N 148.1511°WEmerald
ABGQGoondiwindiGoondiwindi6 (VHF)
56 (UHF)
9 July 1973Goondiwindi0.5 kW
0.625 kW
41 m
49 m
-28.5192°N 150.3378°WGoondiwindi
ABHQHughendenHughenden9 (VHF)
8 (VHF)
30 June 1971Hughenden0.2 kW
0.125 kW
80 m
80 m
-20.8481°N 144.1858°WHughenden
ABIQMount IsaMount Isa6 (VHF)
7 (VHF)
21 December 1970Mount Isa1.6 kW
0.4 kW
72 m
75 m
-20.7344°N 139.5125°WDCA Hill
ABJQJulia CreekJulia Creek10 (VHF)
NA
20 April 1971Julia Creek0.2 kW65 m-20.6525°N 141.7397°WJulia Creek
ABLQLongreachLongreach6 (VHF)
10 (VHF)
17 February 1975Longreach0.7 kW
0.175 kW
69 m
69 m
-23.4561°N 144.3517°WLongreach
ABMQMackayMackay8 (VHF)3 6
10 (VHF)
21 December 1967Mackay360 kW
90 kW
611 m
613 m
-21.0322°N 148.9433°WMount Blackwood
ABMKQMary KathleenMary Kathleen9 (VHF)
(closed in 1986)
15 December 1971MaryKathleenUnknownNAUnknownNAUnknownNAMary Kathleen
ABMLQMitchellMitchell6 (VHF)
12 (VHF)
8 March 1974MitchelL0.2 kW
0.05 kW
149 m
149 m
-26.5431°N 148.1114°WMitchell Escarpment
ABMNQMorvenMorven7 (VHF)
NA
8 March 1974MorveN0.13 kW133 m-26.5056°N 147.1344°WMorven
ABMSQMilesMiles9 (VHF)
63 (UHF)
30 November 1973MileS0.32 kW
0.8 kW
132 m
132 m
-26.6494°N 150.2706°WMiles Hill
ABNQCairnsCairns9 (VHF)6
8 (VHF)
25 July 1966North200 kW
50 kW
1190 m
1190 m
-17.2642°N 145.8539°WMount Bellenden Ker
ABRQRockhamptonRockhampton9 (VHF)4 6
11 (VHF)
21 December 1963Rockhampton160 kW
50 kW
495 m
495 m
-23.73°N 150.5358°WMount Hopeful
ABRAQRomaRoma7 (VHF)
8 (VHF)
14 December 1973RomA2 kW
0.5 kW
103 m
105 m
-26.5722°N 148.8503°WTimbury Hills
ABRDQRichmondRichmond6 (VHF)
7 (VHF)
4 June 1971RichmonD0.2 kW
0.05 kW
70 m
70 m
-20.75°N 143.1581°WRichmond
ABSQSouthern DownsWarwick1 (VHF)6
45 (UHF)
4 July 1966Southern Downs200 kW
500 kW
255 m
316 m
-28.5358°N 151.8328°WPasschendaele Ridge
ABSEQSpringsureSpringsure8 (VHF)5
46 (UHF)
17 February 1975SpringsurE0.8 kW
2 kW
280 m
283 m
-24.1419°N 148.1503°WRoddas Lookout
ABSGQSt. GeorgeSt. George8 (VHF)
12 (VHF)
8 March 1974St. George0.13 kW
0.033 kW
63 m
64 m
-27.9944°N 148.5669°WSt. George
ABTQTownsvilleTownsville3 (VHF)6
31 (UHF)
21 September 1964Townsville160 kW
200 kW
635 m
644 m
-19.3433°N 146.7806°WMount Stuart
ABWQWide BayMaryborough6 (VHF)6
9A (VHF)
8 October 1965Wide Bay240 kW
60 kW
601 m
646 m
-25.4269°N 152.1175°WMount Goonaneman
ABWNQWintonWinton8 (VHF)
7 (VHF)
15 November 1974WintoN1.6 kW
0.4 kW
97 m
94 m
-22.2419°N 143.0492°WRangelands
Notes:

See also

Notes and References

  1. [height above average terrain|HAAT]
  2. Web site: THIRTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CONTROL BOARD FOR YEAR 1960-61 . nla.gov.au . The Parliament Of the Commonwealth Of Australia . 30 December 2022 . 26 . PDF.
  3. http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2006/s1816593.htm ABC Toowong to close after cancer scare
  4. News: Cancer case no 16 for ABC . 19 December 2007 . The Sydney Morning Herald . Georgina. Robinson . 19 December 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20071220202927/http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/cancer-case-no-16-for-abc/2007/12/19/1197740320736.html. 20 December 2007 . live.
  5. New Studies to be completed on ABC Toowong site . https://archive.today/20121231072726/http://www.abc.net.au/corp/pubs/media/s1717370.htm . dead . 31 December 2012 . 17 August 2007 . 9 October 2007 . Australian Broadcasting Corporation .
  6. Web site: ABC News arrives at Brisbane's new HQ . ABC . 26 April 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120110052855/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-09/abc-moves-into-new-building/3764262 . 10 January 2012 . live .
  7. Web site: Analogue TV gets an official switch-off date . Lifehacker Australia . 25 June 2012 . 18 June 2021.
  8. Web site: Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast switch off analog TV. 28 May 2013. David . Knox. TV Tonight.
  9. Book: Radio and television broadcasting stations: Internet edition. April 2021. Australian Communications and Media Authority. https://www.acma.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-04/7%20Television%20in%20Callsign%20Order.pdf . Section 7: Television Callsign order (by state). 192-187. ACMA. 18 June 2021. Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.
  10. Web site: Seven dominates Nine in TV ratings. Queensland University of Technology. Clare. Hunter. 3 October 2011. 5 August 2017.
  11. Web site: SEVEN WINS THE 2009 RATINGS YEAR IN SEQ. Yahoo!7. 30 November 2009. 18 August 2017.
  12. Web site: 50 Years of Brisbane TV-Part 1 Good night and Goodbye: Farewells from the newsdesk.... Kuttsywood. 16 January 2009. 18 August 2017.
  13. Web site: Congratulations @9NewsQueensland team winning 7 day ratings year @AlisonAriotti @DarrenCurtis9 @9MelissaDownes @Loftea #9NewsAt6. Twitter. HowieBennett9. 3 September 2017. 3 September 2017.