ABC's 2016 line-up is focused on “Australian stories and conversations” as it pushes local content and digital heading into the new year.
Chief among its programming slate are several new drama offerings as well as documentaries and news as Australia heads to the election polls in 2016.
ABC director of television Richard Finlayson said that Australian content will remain core to the ABC's offering.
“As the national broadcaster, we will continue our commitment to Australian content, delivering a high quality, deep and diverse slate,” Finlayson said.
ABC announced that from December this year, its flagship channel will be available as a live stream on ABC iView along with ABC News 24. It also announced that from June next year, it will broadcast all of its content in high definition.
In new content, ABC is airing Cleverman, a dystopian drama set in the new future where “a species from ancient mythology must live among humans and battle for survival”. The show stars Frances O'Connor, Deborah Mailman, Iain Glen, Rob Collins and Steph Dawson.
Barracuda is another drama series, based on the best-selling novel by Christos Tsiolkas, and takes a look at Australia’s obsessional with sporting heroes. It stars Rachel Griffiths.
In addition, ABC is bringing new seasons of dramas including Jack Irish, The Code, Rake, Janet King and The Doctor Blake Mysteries.
However, marketing hit, Gruen was absent from the 2016 line up announcement. AdNews understands it has not been ruled out from returning to screens and may still appear next year.
In news and documentaries, ABC is bringing Howard on Menzies, a profile of Australia’s longest-serving Prime Minister, through the eyes of former PM John Howard.
Other documentaries include Ice Wars, on the ice epidemic, The Great Education Experiment, which puts Australian eduction under the microscope and Hatch, Match & Dispatch which looks at the men and women at the office of births deaths and marriages and the public trustee.
ABC is also the TV, radio and online media partner of The Australian of the Year Awards for the next three years, with 2016 event screening in prime time on January 25.
In an election year, ABC's 2016 programming line-up will also include a focus on politics.
The national broadcaster is also brining a raft of digital-first exclusive run content including the second series of YouTube hit The Katering Show.
Returning series also include Upper Middle Bogan, Soul Mates, Shaun Micallef's Mad as Hell, The Weekly with Charlie Pickering and Julia Zemiro's Home Delivery.
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