ABC News is launching updated design, features and functionality for its website on Monday August 19. There will be a new look on air, and the much loved ABC TV News Theme will return, rearranged and remixed. Perhaps not Pendulum‘s version though.

The new theme will debut at 9.00am AEST tomorrow Monday August 19 on the ABC NEWS Channel to be heard in every state and territory’s 7PM bulletin from Monday night. For the start of Lisa Millar‘s last week, News Breakfast will feature a live performance of the theme played by the SA Primary Schools String Orchestra, a nod to the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra original.

As much as a jingle can define a brand, the ABC News theme, which played nightly for almost two decades up until 2005, literally heralded a pausing of household activities to gather around the television. It is as imprinted in my memory, as a child and an adult, as the wonderful Four Corners theme too, which I own on vinyl.

The original news theme was composed by Peter Wall (pictured) and the late Tony Ansell, while on a weekend away with their respective families in the Hunter Valley in 1986.

Wall had a 40 year career in radio, starting as an assistant producer for ABC Sydney before stints in London and New York before starting his own business in 2005, the same year as the beloved news theme was dropped. Wall told the ABC, “I think it happens to be the strongest piece of music we ever wrote.”

When asked about the value and impact of musical themes, Wall told Radioinfo:

“In my early life I sang leads in operettas, was a drum major and played instruments and sang in groups. Then my various production and media management roles gave me exposure to a wide range of electronic media so I became well equipped to know the type of music producers would want for their programs, shows and bulletins. My collaborator, Tony Ansell, was the genius in our partnership, a wonderful arranger and keyboard player.

Mostly these days TV stations don’t use a lot of introductory music in the fear that even 10 seconds is enough to motivate someone to switch stations. Take for example the 7.30 program on ABC TV – no theme, straight in from the news for a cold start. In the past we wrote three theme packages over the years for the 7.30 Report.

I believe it’s important for news programs to have an attention-grabbing theme to let audiences know that a bulletin is about to begin, then get out of the way for the read and stories. But it’s obvious, sadly, that music for news and talk formats these days plays a less important role than it used to.”

It appears that the ABC is testing audiences to see if that music still can play an important part in brand identification, as I suspect it will.

You can read more about Sound designer David McDonald‘s new arrangement and the involvement of a $20 kid’s drum kit here.

About the new look ABC NEWS, Director Justin Stevens said:

“Every week more than 40 per cent of Australians come to ABC NEWS across digital, TV and radio* and we want to make sure we’re providing all of them the most impactful and contemporary experience, that matches the strength and excellence of our journalism.

The new design is impactful and appealing for audiences and gives us a consistent look across all platforms. Our audience accesses our journalism across all platforms and mediums and the design needs to reflect that. The upgrade to the web and app improves the experience for users and adds features to let them personalise their news service.”

* Source: TV; OzTAM Consolidated 28-day metro reach (reach counts 5 consecutive minutes); Radio: GFK Radio Ratings; Owned Digital: Claimed Weekly Usage of ABC Digital Websites / Apps (Net), Third Party Digital: Claimed Weekly Engagement with ABC in Third Party Environments (Net) and News: Claimed Weekly Usage of ABC News (Net) – ABC Corporate Tracking Surveys.

Jen Seyderhelm is a writer, editor and podcaster for Radioinfo