ABW
ABW is the historic call sign of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's television service in Western Australia, now operating under the ABC Television and ABC Perth brands.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
ABW is the historic call sign associated with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's television station serving Western Australia. The station began broadcasting from Perth on 7 May 1960, transmitting from studios on Adelaide Terrace and a transmitter at Bickley. The letter W in the call sign referred to Western Australia, while the station was also known historically as ABW-2 because its original analogue service operated on VHF Channel 2. From its first years, ABW formed part of the ABC's national television network while also providing Western Australian material for viewers in Perth and across the state. Its signal was extended through a network of relay transmitters, allowing the ABC service to reach communities outside the metropolitan area. During the 2000s, the service was also available through the Optus Aurora free-to-view satellite platform before that distribution arrangement was replaced by the Viewer Access Satellite Television system in 2010. ABW entered the digital television era in January 2001, beginning digital transmissions on VHF Channel 12 while continuing analogue broadcasting on VHF Channel 2. In 2005, the station moved into a new digital broadcast centre in East Perth, supporting the ABC's evolving production and transmission operations in the state. The analogue signal was ultimately switched off on 16 April 2013 as Australia completed the transition to digital television. The station has combined nationally distributed ABC programming with locally produced news, weather, sport and other Western Australian content. In February 2013, ABC Perth became the first television station in Western Australia to produce a national news bulletin at 5:30 p.m. The local service has had to accommodate Western Australia's time-zone difference from Australia's eastern states, including a distinct local edition of the evening ABC News bulletin. ABC News Western Australia remains the principal local television news offering associated with the service, with presenters and weather staff changing over time. ABW's schedule has also reflected the ABC's public-service role in the state. For a period, the station carried live Saturday-afternoon coverage of West Australian Football League matches during the season. It also produced a Western Australian edition of 7.30 presented by Andrew O'Connor on Friday nights, although that local edition ended in 2014 when the ABC reverted to a national edition amid a broader round of budget reductions. In contemporary usage, ABW is better understood as a historical and technical identifier than as the principal consumer-facing brand. Viewers generally encounter the service as ABC Television in Western Australia, ABC Perth, ABC News Western Australia, and the wider group of ABC digital channels. As of the 2020s, the service continues to reach the state through a substantial transmitter network and contributes local reporting and presentation to the national ABC television operation.
History
ABW was the historic call sign of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation television station serving Western Australia. The designation was also written as ABW-2, reflecting the station's original analogue channel assignment. The W identified the state of Western Australia within the ABC's call-sign system. The station commenced broadcasting on 7 May 1960 from studios on Adelaide Terrace in central Perth, using a transmitter at Bickley. Its coverage was progressively extended through relay transmitters across Western Australia. This relay structure was important to the ABC's public-service mission because it allowed the national broadcaster's television programming to reach viewers beyond Perth and the state's major population centres. ABW later participated in satellite distribution through the Optus Aurora free-to-view platform. That arrangement served viewers who could not readily receive terrestrial television and was subsequently replaced by Viewer Access Satellite Television, commonly known as VAST, in 2010. The station began digital television transmission in January 2001 on VHF Channel 12. For more than a decade, digital and analogue services operated in parallel, with the analogue service continuing on VHF Channel 2. In 2005, ABW moved to a new digital broadcast centre in East Perth, reflecting the technical and operational changes accompanying the ABC's transition from analogue television to a multi-channel digital service. The analogue signal was shut down on 16 April 2013. From that point, the Western Australian ABC television operation relied on digital transmission and associated satellite distribution. The service became part of a broader group of ABC television channels rather than a single analogue channel identified primarily by its call sign. ABW has historically combined national ABC programming with local Western Australian production. The station carried local news, weather and sport, and for a period broadcast live West Australian Football League matches on Saturday afternoons. In February 2013, ABC Perth became the first television station in Western Australia to produce a national news bulletin at 5:30 p.m. The time-zone difference between Western Australia and the eastern states has continued to shape the local schedule, requiring a Western Australian edition of the evening news while the eastern states receive their own live feed. The station also produced a Western Australian edition of 7.30 presented by Andrew O'Connor on Friday nights. That edition was discontinued in 2014, when the ABC moved to a national edition amid severe budget cuts. The change illustrated the continuing tension between the ABC's national network model and the cost of maintaining extensive state-based television production. The service is now generally presented to audiences under ABC Television in Western Australia, ABC Perth and ABC News Western Australia rather than ABW alone. Current local programming includes the Western Australian ABC News bulletin, weather and weekend sport coverage, while the station also carries the ABC's national television services. Although ABW remains an important historical and technical identifier, the public-facing operation is an active component of the ABC's national public broadcaster network, distributed through a large transmitter system across Western Australia.
- 2014
Local Western Australian 7.30 edition ends
[1]The Friday local edition presented by Andrew O'Connor is cancelled and replaced by the national edition.
- 2013
Local 5:30 p.m. news production begins
[1]ABC Perth becomes Western Australia's first television station to produce a national 5:30 p.m. news bulletin.
- 2013
Analogue transmission is switched off
[1]The analogue ABW signal ends on 16 April during Australia's digital switchover.
- 2010
Satellite access transitions to VAST
[1]The former Optus Aurora free-to-view satellite arrangement is replaced by Viewer Access Satellite Television.
- 2005
East Perth digital broadcast centre opens for the station
[1]Station operations move to a new digital broadcast centre in East Perth.
- 2001
Digital transmission begins
[1]ABW starts digital television transmission on VHF Channel 12 while analogue broadcasts continue on VHF Channel 2.
- 1960
ABW begins broadcasting
[1]The ABC television station in Perth begins service on 7 May from Adelaide Terrace studios, using a Bickley transmitter.
Products and positioning
A public-service television operation serving Western Australia as part of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's national network, combining national programming with locally produced news and selected regional content.
Local television news
ABC News Western Australia
The principal local news service associated with ABC Television in Western Australia. It provides state-focused reporting, weather and selected sport coverage while connecting Western Australian viewers with the ABC's national news operation. Its scheduling reflects the state's different time zone from Australia's eastern states, requiring a local evening bulletin rather than simply relaying the eastern feed.
Regional television service
ABC Perth
The Perth-facing identity for the ABC's Western Australian television operation. It combines national ABC programming with local news, weather and sport presentation produced in or for the state. The brand is the contemporary audience-facing successor to the historic ABW call sign.
Analogue television channel · 1960
ABW analogue television service
The original television service identified with ABW-2 and VHF Channel 2. It carried ABC network programming and local Western Australian material until its analogue signal was shut down on 16 April 2013 during Australia's national digital television transition.
Digital television service · 2001
ABW digital television service
The digital successor to the original analogue service, launched on VHF Channel 12 in January 2001. It formed part of the ABC's expanding digital television network and later developed into a multi-channel regional service distributed through terrestrial transmitters and satellite access arrangements.
Brand decisions
2014
Discontinuation of the local 7.30 editionStrategyBackground
The ABC undertook severe budget reductions affecting local television production.
Action taken
The Western Australian Friday edition of 7.30 was cancelled and the national edition was broadcast instead.
Aftermath
The decision reduced one dedicated Western Australian current-affairs television production while retaining access to the national program.
2013
Analogue switch-offGeneration changeBackground
Australia's television industry was completing the national transition from analogue to digital transmission.
Action taken
The ABW analogue signal on VHF Channel 2 was switched off on 16 April.
Aftermath
Viewers were served through digital terrestrial transmission and satellite access services.
2001
Launch of digital transmissionGeneration changeBackground
The ABC was introducing digital television while maintaining analogue services during the transition period.
Action taken
ABW began digital transmissions on VHF Channel 12 and continued analogue transmission on VHF Channel 2.
Aftermath
The station developed into a digital, multi-channel operation and ultimately ended analogue broadcasting in 2013.
Recent events
- 2014
Western Australian edition of 7.30 is discontinued[1]
Other
The local Friday edition presented by Andrew O'Connor ends, with the service carrying a national edition instead during a period of ABC budget reductions.
- 2013
ABC Perth introduces a locally produced 5:30 p.m. national news bulletin[1]
Product launch
ABC Perth becomes the first television station in Western Australia to produce a national news bulletin at 5:30 p.m.
- 2013
Analogue ABW transmission ends[1]
Product generation · Regulation
The station's analogue television signal is switched off on 16 April as part of Australia's digital television transition.
- 2005
ABW moves to a new digital broadcast centre[1]
Other
The station relocates its operations to a new digital broadcast centre in East Perth.
- 2001
ABW commences digital television transmission[1]
Product generation
The station starts digital transmission on VHF Channel 12 while continuing its analogue service on VHF Channel 2.
- 1960
ABW begins television broadcasting in Perth[1]
Other
The ABC television station associated with the ABW call sign begins broadcasting from Perth on 7 May.
Sources1 sources
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