Category: 2015

ABC, ABC3 & ABC News 24 reached 3.7 million viewers in metro & regional markets across it’s New Year’s Eve (NYE) coverage from 8:30pm last night.

Audiences peaked at 1.9 million for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Television’s (ABC TV’s) NYE: Midnight Fireworks on ABC & ABC News 24 (combined metro & regional audience).

ABC TV’s NYE: Family Fireworks at 9pm was watched by 1.3 million on ABC, ABC News 24 & ABC3 (combined metro & regional audience).

In Sydney, 1 in 4 tuned into ABC TV during the coverage last night.

Metro Audiences

• Last night, ABC was the leading channel in the metro markets with a 5 city prime-time share of 16.5%.
• ABC was also the number 1 channel in Sydney with a share of 22.9%.
• ABC TV’s NYE: Midnight Fireworks was the No. 1 program of the night with a 5 city audience of 1.3 million & a total TV share of 51.8%.
• The Family Fireworks at 9pm achieved a 5 city audience of 829,000 (25.3%).

Richard Finlayson, ABC Director Of Television said: “The Sydney New Year’s Eve fireworks are an iconic annual event that brings the nation together. ABC is the home of big national moments and celebrations & we’re delighted that our night of family entertainment brought so many people to the party around the country.”

Presented from outside the Sydney Opera House on the foreshores of spectacular Sydney Harbour, ABC TV presented a 4-hour live show, hosted by Eddie Perfect, Justine Clarke & Ella Hooper and featured an amazing line up of family entertainment, comedy & music.

The evening kicked off with a segment especially for kids with Justine Clarke & ABC Kids’s favourites including Hoot and Hootabelle & characters from ‘Play School’ before the winner of ABC3’s ‘Design Your Own Firework‘ competition, Emma Lanzano of Victoria, pushed a giant lever that set the sky alight with the 9pm Family Fireworks display featuring her own unique firework design.

Eddie Perfect & Ella Hooper took us through to midnight with an entertainment extravaganza featuring the annual comedy panel show ‘The 2015 Pub Quiz‘ & an amazing line-up of music from The Falls Music And Arts Festivals across Australia including performances by Birds Of Tokyo, Courtney Barnett, Rufus, Hilltop Hoods, Peking Duk plus many more before the skies over Sydney’s Harbour exploded into a sea of colour as the Midnight Fireworks rang in the new year.

NYE 2015 – 31st December 2015

5 City Metro – Audience (Share %)

1. NYE 2015: MIDNIGHT FIREWORKS (ABC) – 1,331,000 (51.8%)
2. 7 NEWS (7) – 860,000 (26.3%)
3. NYE 2015: FAMILY FIREWORKS (ABC) – 829,000 (25.3%)
4. 9 NEWS (9) – 806,000 (24.6%)
5. 9 NEWS 6:30 (9) – 770,000 (23.6%)
6. 7 NEWS / TODAY TONIGHT (7) – 715,000 (21.9%)
7. NYE 2015: AUSTRALIA WIDE PARTY (ABC) – 689,000 (29.7%)
8. A CURRENT AFFAIR (9) – 552,000 (17.3%)
9. NYE 2015: INCLUDES PUB QUIZ (ABC) – 531,000 (19.2%)
10. CRICKET: BIG BASH LEAGUE GAME 14 – SESSION 2 (10) – 518,000 (18.6%)

_{Source: OzTAM & RegionalTAM overnight data; reach is based on 5 minutes consecutive viewing.}

The Sydney Harbour Bridge was lit up in a blaze of colour last night with more than 2400 fireworks dazzling over a million people gathered around the Harbour.

Special lighting, new pylon projections & a moving ‘Welcome To Country’ illuminated Sydney’s ‘grand old dame’, making the world-famous coat-hanger structure of the Bridge come alive like never before.

Special flora & fauna fireworks celebrated the 200^th anniversary of the Royal Botanic Gardens & 100 years of Taronga Zoo during the 9pm Family Fireworks.

“Once again Sydneysiders showed the world we are the number 1 spot for New Year’s Eve celebrations,” Lord Mayor Of The City Of Sydney, Clover Moore, said.

“Sydney was a magnificent kaleidoscope of colour last night, celebrating our many vibrant & diverse cultures in a fantastic welcome to 2016.”

“As one of the 1st major cities to welcome in 2016, images from last night’s fireworks displays have already been shared around the world on social & traditional media, showcasing our magnificent Harbour & encouraging even more people to visit and celebrate in Sydney.”

Millions of people tuned in to watch the 2 fireworks displays on TV & through a live stream on ‘Telstra Presents’’s YouTube channel. Destination New South Wales estimates the event generates an economic boost of more than $133 million for Sydney businesses.

7th-generation master pyrotechnician, Fortunato Foti, wowed the crowds with 2400 more fireworks than ever before erupting from above, below & through the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The Lord Mayor praised the City Of Sydney workers who worked hard through the night to ensure Sydney was sparkling this morning.

“While the revellers went home after a great night’s entertainment, a great team of about 350 City staff collected 60 tonnes of waste to keep the City looking pristine in time for sunrise.”

“The $300,000 clean-up operation involved the use of 65 trucks, sweepers and compactors & an extra 650 mobile rubbish bins which were filled with plastic bottles, paper & food containers.”

For more information & high-resolution images, visit sydneynewyearseve.com or gettyimages.com.

Sydney New Year’s Eve 2015 – ‘City Of Colour’ is proudly supported by the ABC, Telstra, Production Resource Group, The Electric Canvas, Amora Hotel Jamison Sydney, Coca-Cola Amatil, Crown Lager, De Bortoli Wines, El Jimador, Interface, McWilliam’s Wines, The Menzies Sydney, The P.A. People, 2DayFM, APN Outdoor, the Royal Australian Mint & New South Wales Government agencies and landholders including the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority & the Sydney Opera House Trust.

The charity partner for Sydney New Year’s Eve 2015 – ‘City Of Colour’ is Habitat For Humanity Australia.

Media Release: City Of Sydney

In what will be one of the most spectacular & moving Sydney Harbour Bridge effects yet, a specially choreographed ‘Welcome To Country’ will be projected on the Bridge’s pylons, making the entire structure a message of hope for 2016.

Red fireworks will cascade off the Bridge like a waterfall while yellow flares erupt through the Bridge & the black night sky hangs above the world-famous ‘coat-hanger’ structure to complete the effect, turning the Bridge into a giant Aboriginal flag.

“I’m thrilled the City is honouring Sydney’s First Peoples with this beautiful ‘Welcome To Country’ that will be watched by millions in Australia & across the world,” Lord Mayor Clover Moore said.

“Our theme this year is ‘City Of Colour’ – it’s a recognition of the wonderful diversity of this city & with this powerful ‘Welcome To Country’ we are celebrating the talent, culture & creativity of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.”

Rhoda Roberts, the creative director behind the ‘Welcome To Country’, said the imagery includes natural landscapes & the flora and fauna symbols of local clan totems as this cultural practice – a custom of ensuring protection – continues today.

“This year’s Sydney New Year’s Eve ‘Welcome To Country’ celebrates the connection that Australia’s First Peoples have with the land in a way that’s inclusive & fun,” Ms Roberts said.

“It was a challenge to show our ever-adapting culture using contemporary elements like pylon projections & pyrotechnics but I think everyone will be enthralled on the night.”

Nathan Moran, CEO of the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council (MLALC) said the organisation was delighted with the ‘Welcome To Country’ on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

“We are deeply honoured & overjoyed that the Sydney New Year’s Eve celebration will have a specific focus on respecting the First Nations Australians of Sydney Harbour – the Gadigal, Wangal & Gamaragal clans of the Eora Nation,” said Mr Moran.

“It’s in the best interests of all Australians to celebrate Australia’s First Nations culture as the heart & soul of a united Australia.”

“The City Of Sydney involved the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council right from the design stage of the ‘Welcome To Country’ & we believe this is a template that all organisations should learn from for effectively working with First Nations people.”

“We believe this Sydney New Year’s Eve will be the most embracing celebration yet.”

Sydney New Year’s Eve is one of the biggest annual celebrations in the world, attracting 1 million spectators along the Sydney Harbour foreshore & a global audience of 1 billion.

People coming into the city tonight have a range of tools to help them plan a safe & enjoyable night, including the Sydney New Year’s Eve 2015 – ‘City Of Colour‘ Telstra App and the City’s official Sydney New Year’s Eve 2015 – ‘City Of Colour‘ website featuring an interactive vantage point map, accessibility & live transport and road closure information.

Those who want to party at home can tune into ABC TV’s broadcast, listen to 104.1 2DayFM’s live fireworks soundtracks or watch the live stream on ‘Telstra Presents’’s YouTube channel.

For up-to-the-minute information on tonight’s celebrations, follow the hashtag #SydNYE & @cityofsydney on Twitter.

For more information on Sydney New Year’s Eve 2015 – ‘City Of Colour‘, visit sydneynewyearseve.com.

Media Release: City Of Sydney

Sydney New Year’s Eve 2015 – ‘City Of Colour’ Fireworks Director, Fortunato Foti, is preparing to delight Sydneysiders with his biggest & most colourful array of Sydney Harbour Bridge fireworks yet.

His family may have been making fireworks since 1793 but the 7th-generation master pyrotechnician still has plenty of new tricks up his sleeve this year with 2400 extra firework effects erupting from the Bridge.

This year will also feature never-before-seen fireworks including multi-coloured umbrellas with a glittering centre & a multi-coloured firework waterfall cascading off the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

“Sydney New Year’s Eve is renowned as one of the largest and most technologically advanced fireworks displays in the world & it just keeps getting better every year,” Lord Mayor Clover Moore said.

“With 2400 more fireworks on the Bridge than ever before & a host of exciting new effects lined up, the crowds watching around the harbour & the millions watching at home around the world will be delighted.”

The 9pm Family Fireworks will also see special ‘flora’ & ‘fauna’ fireworks in celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Royal Botanic Gardens & 100 years of Taronga Zoo. These include butterflies, octopuses, 4-leaf clovers & a bouquet of flowers.

During the 2 Sydney New Year’s Eve 2015 – ‘City Of Colour’ fireworks displays – the 9pm Family Fireworks & the Midnight Fireworks spectacular – a crew of 45 will launch 7 tonnes of fireworks including 11,000 shells, 25,000 shooting comets & 100,000 individual pyrotechnic effects.

Fortunato Foti said this year’s displays had been the most challenging brief yet, combining pyrotechnics with state-of-the-art projections & Bridge lighting – while ensuring the fireworks are perfectly synchronised with each show’s curated soundtrack.

“This year’s theme is ‘City Of Colour’ which has given us carte blanche to go all out & make this year’s fireworks our most colourful yet,” Mr Foti said.

“Both the 9pm Family & Midnight Fireworks displays are synchronised to specially chosen soundtracks & the fireworks change as frequently as the music does. Added to that, this year we have special Bridge lighting & pylon projections – it’s been a complicated job but I think it will definitely be worth it on the night.”

“We have never-before-seen fireworks to complement all these exciting Bridge effects & more of them on the Bridge than ever before – so I think everyone will enjoy a spectacular show whether they’re on Sydney Harbour or watching from home.”

Sydney New Year’s Eve is one of the biggest annual celebrations in the world, attracting 1 million spectators along the Sydney Harbour foreshore & a global audience of 1 billion.

For more information on Sydney New Year’s Eve 2015: ‘City Of Colour’ – wherever you plan to celebrate it – visit sydneynewyearseve.com.

Sydney New Year’s Eve 2015 – ‘City Of Colour’ is proudly supported by the ABC, Telstra, Production Resource Group, The Electric Canvas, Amora Hotel Jamison Sydney, Coca-Cola Amatil, Crown Lager, De Bortoli Wines, El Jimador, Interface, McWilliam’s Wines, The Menzies Sydney, The P.A. People, 2DayFM, APN Outdoor, the Royal Australian Mint & New South Wales Government agencies and landholders including the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority & the Sydney Opera House Trust.

The charity partner for Sydney New Year’s Eve 2015 – ‘City Of Colour’ is Habitat For Humanity Australia.

Media Release: City Of Sydney

Sydneysiders & visitors celebrating New Year’s Eve will be safer this year thanks to an extension of the successful Safe Space & Take Kare Ambassador program.

Just before midnight on New Year’s Eve, the City Of Sydney’s 6 information booths in the city centre will transform into Safe Spaces where trained Salvation Army Street Team volunteers will administer basic first aid, provide free water, phone and internet access & help vulnerable people get home safely.

This will be the 1st time the initiative, which has been running year-round from Sydney Town Hall & Kings Cross, will operate at locations across central Sydney on New Year’s Eve.

“I’m really pleased this terrific public safety program, which has helped so many young people avoid the risk of late-night alcohol-fuelled violence, will operate on New Year’s Eve,” Lord Mayor Clover Moore said.

“Sydney New Year’s Eve is one of the biggest annual celebrations in the world, attracting one million spectators along the Sydney Harbour foreshore & we want all of them to have a safe and enjoyable night.”

“The Safe Space & Take Kare Ambassador program helped almost 15,000 young people in its 1st year of operation & the City is proud to be a supporter of this vital initiative.”

“I’m delighted it will be in place to keep people safe at Australia’s largest public celebration.”

Take Kare Ambassadors from The Salvation Army’s Salvo Street Teams will also be out on the town, helping Sydney revellers enjoy the biggest night of the year safely.

“Everyone deserves to have a great night on New Year’s Eve & to come home safely at the end of it,” said Ralph Kelly of the Thomas Kelly Youth Foundation.

“I’m proud of the work the Take Kare Ambassadors have done throughout the year & am delighted they will be out on New Year’s Eve in even greater numbers to help keep our young people safe from alcohol-related violence.”

Nate Brown, who will be leading the Salvos Street Team on the night said they were proud to be helping more people than ever before on New Year’s Eve.

“We did a lot of good work last year so I’m really happy we’ll be back to help more people than ever to have a better New Year’s Eve experience,” Mr Brown said.

“We help anyone who needs it – whether it’s finding their friends, helping them get back to their hotel when they’re lost or just providing some water & a safe place to sit if they’ve had a bit too much to drink.”

People coming into the city on New Year’s Eve also have a range of tools to help them plan a safe & enjoyable night. These include the Sydney NYE2015 – ‘City Of Colour’ Telstra app & the City’s official Sydney New Year’s Eve 2015 – ‘City Of Colour’ website featuring an interactive vantage point map, accessibility & live transport and road closure information.

The Safe Space & Take Kare Ambassador program was set up by the Thomas Kelly Youth Foundation in partnership with The Salvation Army & the City Of Sydney. The program provides on-street assistance & a sanctuary for intoxicated young people who are at risk of crime.

It is operated by the Salvos Street Teams in partnership with the Thomas Kelly Youth Foundation, City Of Sydney, New South Wales (NSW) Government, NSW Police, St Vincent’s Hospital, local community groups, business owners & other service providers.

The program is supported by the City, NSW Government, Macquarie Group Foundation, Crown Resorts Foundation & the Packer Family Foundation.

For more information about volunteering as a Take Kare Ambassador, visit salvos.org.au/streetteams.

For more information about the Thomas Kelly Youth Foundation, visit thomaskellyyouthfoundation.org.au.

For more information on Sydney New Year’s Eve 2015 – ‘City Of Colour’, visit sydneynewyearseve.com.

Sydney New Year’s Eve 2015 – ‘City Of Colour’ is proudly supported by the ABC, Telstra, Production Resource Group, The Electric Canvas, Amora Hotel Jamison Sydney, Coca-Cola Amatil, Crown Lager, De Bortoli Wines, El Jimador, Interface, McWilliam’s Wines, The Menzies Sydney, The P.A. People, 2DayFM, APN Outdoor, the Royal Australian Mint & New South Wales Government agencies and landholders including the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority & the Sydney Opera House Trust.

Media Release: City Of Sydney

A record number of volunteers will give up their time on New Year’s Eve to help Sydneysiders & visitors have a safe and fun night.

With a million people expected to line Sydney Harbour for Australia’s largest public event, more than 180 volunteers of all ages will be helping the crowds – including, for the 1st time, roving volunteers among the crowds at St James, Wynyard & Macquarie Street.

Working with 1500 event staff, the volunteers will provide information & directions at popular spots around Circular Quay to help everyone have the night of their lives & get home safely afterwards.

Sydney New Year’s Eve 2015 – ‘City Of Colour’ volunteers will operate 6 information booths throughout the city, providing access information, directions & distributing Sydney New Year’s Eve 2015 – ‘City Of Colour’ event guides and maps.

The booths will be located at Circular Quay, the Queen Victoria Building, Macquarie Street, Shakespeare Place, George Street & The Rocks.

“I’m delighted more people than ever are giving up their time to help everyone enjoy to the max Sydney’s biggest night of the year,” Lord Mayor Clover Moore said.

“Volunteers make a fantastic contribution to Sydney New Year’s Eve – they’re part of what makes the event so special. We couldn’t do it without them & the 1500 staff who work so hard on the night to keep everyone safe & clean up our streets and parks after the party is over.”

Veteran volunteers George & Joseph Attard are both in their 70’s & have been helping out on New Year’s Eve since 1998.

The cousins both moved to Sydney from Malta & see volunteering as a way of giving back to the community that welcomed them.

As well as volunteering at Sydney New Year’s Eve, George & Joseph have volunteered at many public events in Sydney including The Games Of The 27th Olympiad – Sydney 2000.

“I volunteer because I love this country,” George Attard said.

“Everybody is smiling & excited. You can feel it in the air. A lot of people ask to hug us & ask us to pose for photos. It’s like we are movie stars.”

Sydney New Year’s Eve is Australia’s largest public event & features one of the biggest, most technologically advanced fireworks displays in the world.

As well as the event’s information booths around central Sydney, people coming into the city on New Year’s Eve have a range of tools to help them plan a safe & enjoyable night.

These include the Sydney New Year’s Eve 2015 – ‘City Of Colour’ Telstra app & the City Of Sydney’s official Sydney New Year’s Eve 2015 – ‘City Of Colour’ website, which features an interactive vantage point map, accessibility information & live transport and road closure information.

For more information, visit sydneynewyearseve.com.

The Sydney New Year’s Eve 2015 – ‘City Of Colour’ Harbour Bridge pylon projections will feature an Auslan interpreter signing on both east & west sides for the 1st time.

Complementing the creative projections on the Bridge pylons, the Auslan interpreter will sign ‘Welcome To Sydney’ & ‘City Of Colour’ in the official sign language of Australia’s deaf community.

A live audio description broadcast will also be available & 4 new accessible vantage points will help make this year’s event the most inclusive yet.

“This year’s theme is ‘City Of Colour’ – it’s a celebration of the unique, diverse and inclusive beauty of Sydney & we want everyone to enjoy the show,” Lord Mayor Clover Moore said.

“Our research shows almost 70% of people with a disability who attended last year’s Sydney New Year’s Eve did so because there were accessible vantage points & services on offer. Now we are taking things to the next level ensuring key elements of the celebrations are accessible too.”

Sydney New Year’s Eve accessible vantage points cater for people with a disability, their family, friends & carers. Each site caters for a range of accessibility requirements – sensory, neurological, psychological & cognitive and learning disabilities.

Family-friendly vantage points include Pirrama Park in Pyrmont. The Park has an accessible spinner designed to accommodate 3 wheelchairs as well as several other children – so kids can have fun in the build up to the celebrations.

Accessible vantage points are: Barangaroo Reserve, Bradleys Head, Cahill Expressway, Goat Island, Mary Booth Reserve, Mrs Macquarie’s Point, Nielsen Park, Pirrama Park & the Sydney Opera House.

More information on the accessible vantage points & services is available at sydneynewyearseve.com.

The website also features maps showing the most accessible routes to some vantage points, accessible public toilets, transport information & other points of interest.

A live audio description of the night’s celebrations will be broadcast from 8:30pm on 100.5FM 2RPH DIGITAL & online at 2rph.org.au.

For those staying at home, live closed captions will be available on ABC TV’s broadcast of the celebrations, while the soundtrack to the 9pm Family Fireworks & the Midnight Fireworks will be simultaneously broadcast on 104.1 2DayFM.

The City of Sydney prides itself on ensuring Sydney New Year’s Eve is a safe, inclusive, free & enjoyable event for all.

For more information on the City’s accessibility services on the night & to book, contact nyedisability@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au or phone 02 9265 9325.

Sydney New Year’s Eve 2015 – ‘City Of Colour’ is proudly supported by the ABC, Telstra, Production Resource Group, The Electric Canvas, Amora Hotel Jamison Sydney, Coca-Cola Amatil, Crown Lager, De Bortoli Wines, El Jimador, Interface, McWilliam’s Wines, The Menzies Sydney, The P.A. People, 2DayFM, APN Outdoor, the Royal Australian Mint & New South Wales Government agencies and landholders including the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority & the Sydney Opera House Trust.

Media Release: City Of Sydney

Join Australian Broadcasting Corporation Television (ABC TV) as they countdown to the world-famous Midnight Fireworks on the biggest night of the year with SYDNEY NEW YEAR’S EVE 2015 – ‘CITY OF COLOUR’.

Presented from outside the Sydney Opera House & inside the Lord Mayor’s Party at Bennelong Point on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, the 4-hour live show is set to dazzle viewers with an amazing line-up jam packed with more entertainment, comedy & music than you can shake a sparkler at.

ABC Kids’ HUMPTY DUMPTY & JUSTINE CLARKE will open the evening’s proceedings at 8:30pm. They will be joined by a cast of family favourites including HOOT & HOOTABELLE, the much-loved characters from PLAY SCHOOL, amazing live performances from SHEPPARD & the cast of the London Palladium production of THE SOUND OF MUSIC, as well as appearances from special guests including JIMMY GIGGLE, BANANAS IN PYJAMAS and cast members from STUDIO 3, BUSHWHACKED!, NOWHERE BOYS & READY FOR THIS. Viewers can expect plenty of entertaining behind-the-scenes mayhem as the toys & puppets take over the ABC control room.

At 9pm, the winner of ABC3’s ‘Design Your Own Firework’ competition, Emma Ianzano of Victoria, will press a giant button that will set the sky alight with the Family Fireworks display featuring her own unique firework design.

Then, live from the Lord Mayor’s Party, EDDIE PERFECT & co-host ELLA HOOPER will take us through to midnight with an entertainment extravaganza featuring the annual comedy panel show, THE 2015 PUB QUIZ. Hosted by LAWRENCE MOONEY, The 2015 Pub Quiz features panellists Alan Brough, Michala Banas, Emma Alberici, Nazeem Hussein, Luke McGregor & Tom Ballard, as well as special guests Barrie Cassidy, Marty Sheargold & Angela Bishop. The teams will take an irreverent look back at the year that was, reviewing all the big news of 2015 over 90 minutes.

From 11pm onwards, Eddie & Ella check out what’s happening around the country with crosses to an amazing line-up of music from The Falls Music & Arts Festivals across Australia, featuring the best of their bill, including COURTNEY BARNETT, BIRDS OF TOKYO, PAUL KELLY and THE MERRI SOUL SESSIONS, RÜFÜS, HILLTOP HOODS, PEKING DUK, BLOC PARTY, THE WOMBATS & FOALS. It’s guaranteed to provide the best countdown soundtrack to celebrations everywhere.

Comedian JOEL CREASEY will also feature, checking-in throughout the night as he goes on the hunt for Sydney’s best New Year’s Eve party. Then, as the clock strikes midnight, the skies over the city’s harbour will explode into a sea of colour as the Midnight Fireworks come to life.

Join us for a night to remember with top notch comedy & a stellar music line-up to rock your New Year’s Eve.

The SYDNEY NEW YEAR’S EVE 2015 – ‘CITY OF COLOUR’ broadcast starts on Thursday December 31 at 8:30pm on ABC TV*.

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RUN-DOWN HIGHLIGHTS (exact times subject to change):

8:30pm – ABC Kids New Year’s Eve
9pm – Family Fireworks
9:30pm – The 2015 Pub Quiz
11pm – Concert from The Falls Music & Arts Festivals
12am – Midnight Fireworks

*ABC TV broadcast delayed to local times

Media Release: Australian Broadcasting Corporation