Welcome to the fresh ABC NEWS website. We're excited you're here and to share with you some of the story behind the new homepage and features you'll see.
In June, more than 12.6 million people visited the ABC NEWS website and app — that's just under 60 per cent of the Australian population aged over 14.
Every one of those 12.6 million expect something slightly different from us. They want to read the latest updates on the big key news stories of the day; understand the context behind the headlines; feel inspired by the extraordinary achievements of their fellow Australians; and connect with their local community.
After months of consultation with readers and thousands of individual feedback messages, we have redesigned the ABC NEWS website to help our audience find the most relevant news and information every day.
The updated homepage includes new sections:
- Top Stories gets you across the day's key news at a glance;
- Local News To You has the latest news from your area;
- Everyone's Talking About helps you get up to speed with trending news stories;
And for the first time, ABC NEWS offers personalised news feeds in a "For You" section which deliver stories based on your interests. This feature will be rolled out to the entire audience in coming weeks.
The ABC NEWS app will also get these new features, with some readers seeing the new experience from today. All ABC News app users will see the new features in the coming months.
The redesign is a big leap forward in how we present the news, but what hasn't changed is the quality journalism you expect from ABC NEWS. Our homepage remains the destination Australians trust for high-quality news, accurate information, insightful analysis and probing investigations.
It's been nearly a decade since the ABC NEWS site has had a redesign. In that time so much has changed as digital storytelling has evolved significantly. We now have more tools to help you understand what's happening in the world.
Our audience has changed over that time too. We've grown to become one of the largest digital news providers in the country. During the peak of COVID we set a record for the largest audience ever reached by an Australian news website. And in June — the most recent figures available from the market measurement provider Ipsos — we were the number one digital news provider in Australia.
In the process, the expectations of our audience have evolved too. People come to ABC NEWS at all times of the day and night, from all over the world, using different devices. They all have different needs and interests and expect to find the news that is relevant to them.
Our diverse audience has been at the heart of the redesign from its inception. For those who already visit us regularly, we have maintained the sections and content you have come to rely on. Just In, for example, has a fresh look but all the key elements that make it so popular remain. And our determination to deliver the highest-quality, independent news in Australia remains as strong as ever.
For those who are new to ABC NEWS or who don't consume news regularly, we have created ways of navigating the news that are familiar to help you better understand the story. For example, Everyone's Talking About… breaks down key stories of the week that you may have missed.
We also want to help everyone who visits our homepage discover something new — something they didn't expect to learn today but are glad they did.
During the research phase of this project, we spoke to everyday Australians — some who come to the ABC regularly for their news fix and others who try to avoid news altogether.
Our research participants told us they wanted:
- Ways to scan the news and feel like they were up-to-date quickly;
- More short, sharp vertical video storytelling;
- A more interesting visual experience with colour and visual storytelling tools;
- A wider range of news topics and content that feels uplifting to counter the doom and gloom of the world.
We listened and incorporated those insights into our design.
What you see today represents a new beginning for ABC NEWS. It is powered by increased investment in digital news coverage that's important to Australians. This year alone we have:
- Launched a new politics live blog for detailed coverage of all the big political moments
- Introduced Lifestyle and Entertainment verticals to feature the increased volume of quality lifestyle and entertainment stories being produced by teams across the ABC
- Expanded our digital sport team and improved our digital sports results service
Over coming weeks and months, we'll continue to add more improvements and new features to the new website.
You can find a few handy FAQs and a link to a survey to share your feedback here. We're excited to hear what you think and to keep evolving the ABC NEWS experience to help you continue to discover the stories that matter to you.
