In an effort to evolve with the changing viewing habits of its all-ages audience and boost discoverability, ABC Australia is overhauling its channel portfolio, introducing new nets ABC Family and ABC Entertains plus four digital streams for kids in June.

With a focus on co-viewing content, ABC Family will replace general entertainment channel ABC TV Plus, creating a new destination for older kids and their parents. This lineup of comedies, game shows, natural history programs and movies will start at 7:30pm, and titles slated for launch in 2024 include sustainable fashion series Style It Out; adventure shows Deadly Mission Shark and Expedition with Steve Backshall and Fresh Off The Boat; popular kids playground drama Little Lunch; and a recently announced game show called Hard Quiz Kids, starring award-winning comedian Tom Gleeson.

Sure to be a big draw on ABC Kids and ABC iview when it starts airing on June 16 is Bluey Minisodes, a 20 x one- to three-minute spinoff that was jointly commissioned by ABC Children’s and BBC Studios Kids & Family. This new short series features sweet and funny moments between the famous blue heeler puppy and her younger sister Bingo. It will also introduce new music from Joff Bush, new locations and some new characters to round out a cast of fan-favorites like Unicorse, Nana and Bob Heeler. 

The first batch of eps are written by Bluey creator Joe Brumm and produced by Brisbane’s Emmy- and BAFTA-winning Ludo Studio. After its domestic debut, Minisodes is scheduled to drop on global streamer Disney+ and Disney Jr. in July. 

ABC Entertains will replace children’s channel ABC ME and showcase a broad range of comedy and entertainment for adults. For children, the morning schedule features educational programming such as Behind the News.

Additionally, four new digital streams aimed at kids will launch on ABC iview on June 3, each one focusing on a different programming genre: live action, animation, education and family. They will be available as livestreams and on demand.

As all of these new channels and platforms roll out, ABC is looking to pick up more family-friendly series, long-running dramas/comedies and movies, says ABC’s head of programming, acquisitions and streaming, Roberta Allan.