ABC Managing Director Hugh Marks at his National Press Club address yesterday was genuinely excited each time he mentioned today’s Upfronts from the public broadcaster about their 2026 content slate, and well he should be.
It would be fair to say that the one held at this time last year was a more somber affair with the announcement that same week of some surprise departures.
Today there were ‘100 new and returning titles’ including new shows for ABC talent including Shaun Micallef and ABC Radio Sydney Mornings host Hamish Macdonald, shortform video ABC News Loop delivered straight to your social media feeds, a suite of podcasts, a foray into audiobooks, country music on triple j and celebrations for 30 years of Australian Story, 50 for ABC Classic and 60 for Playschool.
Shaun Micallef introducing Hamish Macdonald at the ABC Upfronts
News and the importance of the ABC in the reliable, local and trustworthy delivery of it was an ongoing theme of Hugh Marks’ address. The broadcaster will create ABC News Loop, journalism directly delivered to your social media feed provided by a dedicated core team with contributors from across the nation in an innovative and easy to understand way via shortform video. ABC News Breakfast will also do a series of outside broadcasts from every state and territory.
ABC Director News Justin Stevens said:
“ABC News in 2026 will continue to provide impactful investigative journalism at a local and national level for the public on the issues that matter to them. We’ll bring Australians agenda-setting news and information they know they can trust, with new content initiatives along with returning programs.”
This is really the first ABC Upfront event where radio and particularly podcasting have had any significant presence. Showing just how much the Australian public is investing in listening to audio the ABC has covered all areas and genres from one from our nastiest grannies to the first foray into audiobooks.
L-R – ABC Directors of Audio Ben Latimer, Screen Jennifer Collins and News Justin Stevens
ABC’s True Crime podcast Unravel returns with What Became of Jack?, a real-time investigation of a missing person’s case after a boys’ weekend goes horribly wrong in regional Queensland.
Matt Bevan‘s If You’re Listening is also back with double the episodes and a special four-part series Black Swans looking at our desperation to predict things and the fact that we often get predictions completely wrong.
ABC Cricket Podcast with Corbin Middlemas and Ed Cowan will move to twice weekly episodes and daily post-match analysis during every Ashes Test. Corbin will also teams up with Jim Maxwell for a special series about the Ashes throughout history.
New series – Alan Kohler sits down each week with prominent movers and shakers of corporate Australia for Alan Kohler: In Conversation.
Wait…They Did What!? will be hosted by TikTok star Tilly Oddy-Black, looking at some truly bizarre common practices from modern history.
The Grill sees best friends, Izzy Wight, Tad Harawa and Ben llobuchi, catch up once a week to share their petty grievances. Each “beef” they have with the world is overanalysed before being thrown on the grill and let go.
Then there’s the new video podcast series Granny Bingo -where Australia’s nastiest Nannas, Edith and Maureen from Fairly Plain undertake chaotic interviews with Australian celebrities that will force some these famous faces to take themselves a bit less seriously.
ABC Director Audio Ben Latimer said:
“ABC Audio ends the year as Australia’s No. l streaming network. No one reflects the breadth, depth and complexity of Australia quite like the ABC. As we look ahead to 2026, our focus is on making sure what we create remains distinctive and essential.”
Milestones for Australian Story which will celebrate its 30th anniversary with a special event featuring some of its most popular subjects and ABC Classic which will celebrate its 50th birthday on Saturday January 24 with a day-long celebration of music, moments and memories from the past five decades.
Guy Sebastian and Andrea Lam – there will be a second season of The Piano also featuring Gold 101.7’s Amanda Keller
Shaun Micallef’s Going For Broke will turn a sober eye on Australia’s lifelong love affair with gambling in a new program, while Hamish Macdonald examines the onslaught of misinformation in The Matter of Facts. New exploratory series too for Todd Sampson, Sarah Ferguson and Marc Fennell.
Triple j gets a dedicated country music show, Country Club hosted by Yorta Yorta man Tom Forrest aka Outback Tom, from the Kimberley. Latifa Tee will helm a new, all-Australian electronic music shown called Doof.
Finally, the ABC will release its first original audiobook collection, ABC Timeless Audiobooks exclusive to the ABC listen app and web. From Persuasion narrated by Angourie Rice, Frankenstein narrated by Dacre Montgomery, to My Brilliant Career narrated by Gemma Chau-Tran, six classic titles have been given a fresh take by a new generation of Australian voices.
The Rions discovered through triple j Unearthed played to wrap up the Upfronts
Main image – ABC Conversations‘ Sarah Kanowski and Dr Karl Kruszelnicki who hosts on ABC TV How Things Work and has the Dr Karl podcast and a regular triple j segment.