The Australian Broadcasting Corp. will be celebrating ANZAC Day in a big way, devoting a digital radio channel to events in Australia and other countries.
ANZAC Day remembers soldiers of the Australian New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC), particularly those who landed at Gallipoli on April 25, 1915, and fought there. It is celebrated every April in Australia, New Zealand and several adjacent islands. The day now commemorates all military personnel.
ABC will use a special digital radio channel, along with an Internet stream, to provide thematic programming hosted by ABC presenters along with providing coverage of ANZAC memorial events including remembrances from Turkey and France. Archival radio material also will be featured.
Australia is making use of the extra capacity DAB+ provides broadcasters by running short-time “pop up” DAB stations like this one. Previous ones have been used to promote concert tours — Austero carried an all-P!nk station for three months in 2009 to coincide with her Australian Funhouse Tour; there have been similar stations for AC/DC and other bands — as well as governmental youth initiatives, and disaster services and information after the December and January flooding in Queensland and the February New Zealand earthquake.
James O’Brien, manager of network development for ABC Local Radio, said: “The response to our digital radio broadcast last year was encouraging.” He estimated that 700,000 people have access to digital radio in Australia. “We believe there’s a major audience for ABC ANZAC Day.”
