As mentioned earlier the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s new continuous news service, called ABC News 24, is set to launch next week at 19.30 hrs (AEST) on Thursday, 22 July 2010. In about seven days, for the first time, Australia will have its own, free-to-air, 24 hours continuous news service. And it is about time.

Gaven Morris, the Head of Continuous News at ABC News 24, in an interview with Televised Revolution, offered some insights into the new service. The interesting one is that ABC News 24 will be able to be streamed live on ABC iView, the internet television catch up site. iView will now be more than a ‘catch up’ site. Currently, the ABC delivers three national television networks, ABC1, ABC2, ABC3, and ABC News 24 will be the fourth. It also has five national radio networks. It is well placed to deliver a continuous and breaking news service. It was the ABC that broke news of the Labor leadership spill which toppled prime minister Kevin Rudd.

But is has not all been smooth transmission. In a special segment last month Media Watch was scathing in the ABC’s coverage of the Labor leadership spill. The assessment was that radio, which is live and continuous, failed miserably and there was no genuine attempt to break into normal schedules on TV. Some blame technical issues at MediaHub. Others blame outdated management.

One hopes that the ABC irons out these issues, whether technical or managerial. The nation’s voice must have healthy tonsils. As the Australian election looms, the ABC is best placed to offer a balanced continuous news service. Devoid of commercial antics and popular culture misfits offering fake insights into a world they are not qualified to inhabit. I wish the ABC well. There will be issues, which can be resolved. I eagerly await the next seven days. I must also confess that I have been involved in piloting for a new current affairs programme on the channel. Details of which I cannot disclose until ABC News 24 is live in seven days.

UPDATE: 18 July 2010

Naturally with any new undertaking there will be critics. And it seems ABC and ABC News 24 has it fair share. Its pay-TV competitor Sky News being one. And then there is the issue with the Charter. Constructive criticisms are welcome. There is a lot more the ABC can do. But it is a great service that belongs to us all.