A NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF TELEVISION 2013 has been another fantastic year for ABC TV. (765,000), struck a chord, featuring among top We are the clear leader in children’s TV and catch- fu comedy MAXIMUM CHOPPAGE; and We’ve experienced the greatest increase in share ABC1 programs for younger audiences. up viewing. ABC iview continues to be the most YouTube sensations, the Bondi Hipsters, make popular catch-up service in Australia. In total, their TV debut with SOUL MATES. markets. Our total prime-time share is 14.6% this Our factual and documentary content both iview plays have increased from an average of 10 year, up from 13.6% last year. educated and entertained with titles such as million per month in 2012 (Mar-Dec) to 15 million Our obsession with the issues and lives of modern REDESIGN MY BRAIN WITH TODD in 2013 (Jan-Sept), peaking at 19 million program Australia makes us the undisputed home of national Ratings performance is great but more importantly, SAMPSON winning its timeslot with an audience plays in October 2013. conversations and major Australian content events. this result is proof ABC TV continues to be highly of 945,000, WHITLAM: THE POWER AND There are many highlights in our documentary, valued and trusted by the Australian public. We tell THE PASSION (1 million), CLIVE JAMES: Our vision for 2014 is clear. We want to set factual and arts slates for 2014 including stories other broadcasters can’t; we innovate, take THE KID FROM KOGARAH (995,000) and a path to enable us to lay claim to being AFGHANISTAN: THE AUSTRALIAN WAR, risks and nurture new talent. We serve broad and ABBA: BANG A BOOMERANG (965,000). Australia’s most impactful, contemporary and BRILLIANT CREATURES which niche audiences by providing high quality content relevant media organisation. Aussies who shook the world; THE FLYING across a range of genres. ABC2 lived up to its promise to surprise, provoke MINERS, the story of a unique Australian work and enthuse. Targeting audiences between 25 and It all starts with great Australian content. From great lifestyle; and SAVE YOUR LIFE TONIGHT! Our drama slate went from strength to strength, 50, the channel built on its reputation for boldness new drama such as ANZAC GIRLS, which tells the which puts Australia’s health under the spotlight. with popular Australian dramas such as THE and innovation, launching the hilarious DIRTY story of extraordinary young women who witness the DOCTOR BLAKE MYSTERIES (1.1 million LAUNDRY LIVE and the remarkable comedy, brutality of war; and THE CODE – a tale stretching series average), CLIFFY (1 million), MISS #7DAYSLATER. from Australia’s outback to the cool corridors of younger viewers to our quality program brands and FISHER’S MURDER MYSTERIES (1 million power in Canberra; to returning favourites such as create fans for life. Highlights include children’s 8 eps) and PAPER GIANTS: MAGAZINE ABC News and Current Affairs programs RAKE and THE TIME OF OUR LIVES. programs BLUE ZOO, a drama which sees eight WARS (940,000). performed strongly this year especially in the lead teenagers take over an Australian marine park; up to the Federal Election. ABC delivered the In entertainment and comedy we see the highly MY24 in which young Australians chronicle the Our traditional Wednesday night entertainment most watched coverage of election night, with a anticipated return of SPICKS AND SPECKS; impact of a life-changing experience; HOOPLA on ABC1 continued to delight audiences with combined metro audience of 951,000 across ABC1 the Working Dog team return with UTOPIA DOOPLA – the tale of six extraordinary favourites GRUEN NATION (1.2 million) and and News 24. ABC News 24 achieved its highest – a satirical comedy about the absurdity of characters with amazing physical skills; as well as THE HAMSTER DECIDES averaging 920,000. weekly reach ever in the week of the election with government-sponsored schemes; The Chaser team perennial favourites BUSHWHACKED!, THE ABC1’s new Thursday comedies, UPPER 21% of the metro population. bring us WE’LL HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE; FLAMIN’ THONGS, PLAY SCHOOL and MIDDLE BOGAN (893,000) and IT’S A DATE Lawrence Leung stars in a painfully unique kung GIGGLE AND HOOT. Like our audience, we don’t think about platforms, but about engagement, experience and mobility. programs created especially for iview. FRESH BLOOD, a sketch comedy initiative which will uncover Australia’s brightest young talent, and WASTELANDER PANDA – a bizarre but epic story of loyalty and betrayal in an environment where no-one can survive alone. No longer just the small screen, we are living in a golden age of TV. The ABC is leading the way with more great Australian shows in 2014. It’s all the work of the incredibly talented ABC team, our fantastic production partners and the wonderful actors and entertainers who bring our stories to life. I hope you’ll join me in thanking them all because I know you’ll be ‘loving every minute’ of our exciting slate of Australian content for 2014. Richard Finlayson Director of Television Source: OzTAM metro consolidated data up to 6th October 2013 AUSTRALIAN BOLD COMPELLING RAKE SERIES 3 DRAMA 8 X 60’ Cleaver Greene languishes in prison surrounded prefer to stay inside. Stars Richard Roxburgh, by enemies – Cal McGregor, Col and the Corellas, Russell Dykstra, Danielle Cormack, Matt Day, but also friends. Many former colleagues from Adrienne Pickering, Caroline Brazier, Kate Box, Macquarie Street and the bench are also guests of Keegan Joyce, Robyn Malcolm and Damien Garvey. Her Majesty. And his cell-mate Mal, a convicted Guest appearances include Genevieve Lemon, murderer, fancies himself as much more than a Bruce Spence, Magda Szubanski, Jane Allsop, Kerry friend. Cleaver needs both cunning and luck to Walker, Martin Sacks, Rhys Muldoon, Dan Wyllie, avoid assaults, protect his friends and fnd a way to Ian Meadows, Tom Hobbs, Aden Young, Elizabeth outwit those who put him away. But Cleaver might Debicki, John Noble and Cate Blanchett. Written not be so keen on freedom if he knew what awaited by Peter Duncan and Andrew Knight. Directed by him in the outside world. Wendy has plans to fnally Jessica Hobbs, Jonathan Teplitzky, Rowan Woods move on and start a new life with Roger. Fuzz is and Kate Dennis. Produced by Ian Collie, Peter making plans with deeply Christian girlfriend Duncan, Richard Roxburgh and Jessica Hobbs. An Tara that will take him a long way away from his Essential Media and Blow by Blow production in father. Scarlet has taken over Cleaver’s clients and association with ABC TV and Screen NSW. his assistant, Nicole, despite her being the mother of Barney’s love child. And something else has happened in Barney’s life that would rock Cleaver to the core – if he knew. Scarlet and David are torn between their love and duties that make their afair impossible. Missy’s biopic is about to hit the cinema screens with a surprise casting choice, while Kirsty Corella is devising fresh plans for her old foe. If Cleaver knew the avalanche of disasters set to befall him and his nearest and dearest, he would probably ABC1 2014 THE CODE DRAMA 6 X 60’ Stretching from the spectacular red desert of David Taylor and Shelley Birse. A Playmaker Media Australia’s outback to the cool corridors of power in production in association with ABC TV, Screen Canberra, THE CODE tells the story of two very Australia, Screen ACT and Screen NSW. diferent brothers who stumble across information that powerful people will kill to keep secret. In the middle of the desert a stolen 4WD collides with a transport truck. Te two Aboriginal kids in the car are hurt. One will die. Someone should have called for help. But they didn’t. Because that ‘someone’ works for a major stakeholder in the energy industry, and the ‘cargo’ is a prohibited substance bound for a research project that shouldn’t exist. Te mystery of the kids’ accident would have remained secret if it weren’t for Ned Banks, an internet journalist desperate for a break, and his brother Jesse, a computer hacker on a strict good behaviour bond. Te question becomes how far those in authority will go to keep their secret safe, and the lengths to which our two brothers will go to reveal the truth. Stars Dan Spielman and Ashley Zukerman. With Aden Young, David Wenham, Adam Garcia, Lucy Lawless, Aaron Pedersen, Chelsie Preston-Crayford and Dan Wyllie. Created by Shelley Birse. Written by Shelley Birse, Blake Ayshford and Justin Monjo. Directed by Shawn Seet. Produced by David Maher, ABC1 2014 CARLOTTA DRAMA 1 X 90’ Based on the life of the iconic Les Girls headliner and Australian transgender pioneer, Jessica Marais stars as Carlotta, one of the most beautiful women of her generation, but not a woman at all. A universal story about identity, family, tolerance and acceptance, CARLOTTA lays bare the life of a confused teenager named Richard, his fight into the hedonistic Kings Cross of the 60s and 70s and his transformation into Carol. Against the threat of criminal prosecution and social rejection, we see the emergence of the all conquering personality and performer Carlotta. Spanning forty years, CARLOTTA is an uplifting celebration of fnding your place in the world and making your mark – against all odds. Written by David Hannam with story consultation by Carlotta. Directed by Samantha Lang. Produced by Riccardo Pellizzeri and Lara Radulovich. A Story Ark production in association with ABC TV and Screen NSW. ABC1 2014 OLD SCHOOL DRAMA 8 x 60’ People used to say growing old was a crime.