ABC News, Australia's most trusted news source, has launched a significant overhaul of design, features and functionality across its various properties and channels.

The revamp will include a new look for the ABC News website and the return of the much-loved ABC TV News audio theme, composed by Peter Wall and Tony Ansell, which was in use from 1986 to 2005. The updated and remixed theme made its on-air debut at 9.00am AEST Monday on the ABC News Channel and on every state and territory 7PM bulletin from Monday night. Monday’s News Breakfast also featured a live performance of the theme played by the SA Primary Schools String Orchestra.

"We’re delighted to introduce an updated look and experience for the public however and whenever they use ABC NEWS across any platform,” said ABC Director, News Justin Stevens. He added, "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.

"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."

The updated website will go live for all users from 6.00am AEST Monday, with upgrades to the ABC News app also to be rolled out soon. New sections and features include Top Stories, Everyone’s Talking About, Local News to yoplus u to put a user's local area news on the hompage, a new navigation toggle, expanded menu options, new Video Shorts for those who prefer to get news on video, and better integrated videos, images and graphics. Other features will be added for all users in the coming weeks, including For You, which personalises your content feeds, and localised emergency warnings.

"Our product and technology teams developed the new experience to relate to all Australians and showcase a breadth of content using modern design and engineering practices,” said ABC Chief Digital and Information Officer Damian Cronan. “We’ve modernised the digital experience for ABC News with a strong focus on personalisation so our diverse audiences can now get the breaking news and stories that are most relevant to them.”

ABC News Mail has also had a makeover, which kicked off this week.

ABC News is Australia’s top digital news brand with 12.6 million users in June. The upcoming overhaul marks the biggest change in look and feel in eight years, including everything from program opening titles to new weather graphics.

The ABC News logo changes from black-and-white to a vibrant blue background that is more impactful and appealing on digital as well as broadcast. The redesign was led by ABC in-house creative teams and comes with an expanded colour palette and wider range of typefaces creating a more modern and engaging experience for audiences. The new graphic design also incorporates shapes that are direct traces of the master logo, the iconic ABC Lissajous.

The design is consistent across the ABC News website and app and on social platforms, such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, creating a seamless and cohesive experience for all audience members.

Wall, who worked at the ABC as a radio producer and manager was delighted the audio theme was coming back.

"I think it’s our best work,” said Wall. "Many people grew up listening to it and it’s wonderful new audiences will now also be able to discover it. Tony’s arrangement and Dick Montz’s piccolo trumpet have really stood the test of time.”

The remix took account of the huge changes in sound systems – modern TVs and headphones are far more capable than the tiny mono speakers of the 1980s and their frequency range is also huge by comparison. Musical changes included adding drums throughout, augmentation with deep sub bass and incorporating other smaller sounds to add energy. The early beats of the updated theme now say A-B-C in morse code.

David McDonald, ABC senior audio creative and sound designer, worked on the updated arrangement and remix. "Peter and Tony’s composition is really quite brilliant,” he said. "To say that I was anxious not to wreck what I already thought was a thing of beauty would be an understatement,” he added.