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Abc
ABC (Australia's public broadcaster) is actively commissioning local drama, comedy, and children's content while its US network namesake navigates a late-night affiliate crisis that is reshaping its distribution and programming calculus.
Current mandate
ABC is operating on two distinct but overlapping fronts. Australia's ABC public broadcaster is in active commissioning mode, having greenlit or ordered multiple originals in early 2026 across comedy, crime thriller, indigenous drama, children's mockumentary, and medical drama. Recent greenlights include a third season of Austin, the indigenous PI drama Pilli Sisters PI, and a reboot of children's mockumentary Little Lunch: New Class in partnership with the BBC and the Australian Children's Television Foundation. The US network ABC, meanwhile, is managing a significant affiliate disruption: Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair are not airing Jimmy Kimmel Live! on their ABC stations, affecting viewers in dozens of markets. Jimmy Kimmel Live! has pulled in $70 million in 2025 to date in advertising revenue, per iSpot, with vertical promotions of Disney titles accounting for about 12% of the show's advertising time. The clearance gaps are reducing both ad revenue and promotional value for Disney's studio and streaming operations.
Over the past 12 months, the Australian ABC's acquisition and commissioning pattern has leaned toward locally produced content with international co-production partners. The Little Lunch: New Class reboot involves the BBC and the Australian Children's Television Foundation. The broadcaster has also acquired returning formats (Portrait Artist of the Year Australia) and developed new IP across crime (Fortitude Valley, Pilli Sisters PI), kids comedy (Caper Crew), and comedy (Separated at Birth, Austin Season 3). On the US side, ABC ordered the Grey's Anatomy Texas Spinoff in May 2026, signaling continued investment in franchise extensions. The affiliate tension with Nexstar and Sinclair has intensified scrutiny of carriage terms; ABC did shuffle its Miami affiliate this year, parting ways with a station owned by Warren Buffett after failing to reach terms.
For content sellers and producers, the Australian ABC is the more accessible entry point. The broadcaster commissions through established development relationships and co-production arrangements; the ACTF partnership on Little Lunch: New Class illustrates the kind of institutional co-production structure it favors. The US ABC operates through studio and network development pipelines, with franchise extensions (Grey's Anatomy spinoff) and unscripted formats (Bachelorette) among its recent activity. Unsolicited submissions are not a standard pathway for either entity; representation or co-production partnership is the practical route.
Signature peaks
- 6+ Originals Greenlit/Commissioned (Early 2026) — Australian ABC; comedy, drama, kids, indigenous genres
- ~12% Disney Vertical Promo Share — Of Jimmy Kimmel Live! advertising time, per input data
- 8 million YouTube TV Subscriber Base — Larger than nearly all cable and satellite operators, per input data
Mandate dimensions
- Genre focus
- Not disclosed
- Territory focus
- Not disclosed
- Budget tier (observed)
- Not disclosed
- Access pattern
- Co-production partnerships with institutional bodies (such as the Australian Children's Television Foundation and the BBC) are the documented access route for the Australian ABC. The US ABC operates through its studio development pipeline; franchise extensions and returning IP have been the clearest recent signals of what moves through that system. Representation is the practical prerequisite for either entity.
- Deal structure
- All recent commissions and acquisitions are listed as budget undisclosed. Deals span greenlights (Austin Season 3, Pilli Sisters PI, Little Lunch: New Class), commissions (Caper Crew, Fortitude Valley, Separated at Birth), and orders (Grey's Anatomy Texas Spinoff). Co-production structures with international partners (BBC, ACTF) are documented. No advance or licensing fee figures are publicly available for any recent transaction.
Recent acquisitions
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Austin Season 3
Australia's ABC has greenlit a third season of comedy series Austin
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Caper Crew
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Fortitude Valley
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Grey's Anatomy Texas Spinoff
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Little Lunch: New Class
the ABC, BBC and the Australian Children's Television Foundation (ACTF) are re-booting the 2015 children's mockumentary series, Little Lunch
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Pilli Sisters PI
Australian pubcaster the ABC has greenlit new indigenous private investigator drama series, Pilli Sisters PI
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Portrait Artist of the Year (Australia) - return season
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RJ Decker
Market context
Exiting late-night altogether is described as a distinct possibility for ABC and Disney, especially in light of CBS exiting late-night after Colbert's departure.
ABC is operating on two distinct but overlapping fronts. Australia's ABC public broadcaster is in active commissioning mode, having greenlit or ordered multiple originals in early 2026 across comedy, crime thriller, indigenous drama, children's mockumentary, and medical drama. Recent greenlights include a third season of Austin, the indigenous PI drama Pilli Sisters PI, and a reboot of children's mockumentary Little Lunch: New Class in partnership with the BBC and the Australian Children's Television Foundation. The US network ABC, meanwhile, is managing a significant affiliate disruption: Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair are not airing Jimmy Kimmel Live! on their ABC stations, affecting viewers in dozens of markets. Jimmy Kimmel Live! has pulled in $70 million in 2025 to date in advertising revenue, per iSpot, with vertical promotions of Disney titles accounting for about 12% of the show's advertising time. The clearance gaps are reducing both ad revenue and promotional value for Disney's studio and streaming operations.
Common questions about Abc
Does ABC accept unsolicited scripts?
Neither the Australian ABC nor the US ABC network operates a standard unsolicited submissions window for outside writers. Australia's ABC commissions through established production relationships and institutional co-production arrangements, as seen in its partnership with the BBC and the Australian Children's Television Foundation on Little Lunch: New Class. The US ABC develops through its studio pipeline and franchise extensions. Producers without an existing relationship should seek representation or a co-production partner with a prior ABC relationship before approaching either entity.
What budgets does ABC work with for acquisitions and commissions?
Budget figures are not publicly disclosed for any of ABC's recent commissions or acquisitions, including Austin Season 3, Pilli Sisters PI, Fortitude Valley, Caper Crew, Separated at Birth, or the Grey's Anatomy Texas Spinoff. The broadcaster does not routinely publish per-title spend. For context, the US ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live! generates $70 million in advertising revenue in 2025 to date, per iSpot, indicating the scale of investment in flagship programming, but individual production budgets remain undisclosed across the board.
Which festivals does ABC use to source content?
No specific festival sourcing activity is referenced in recent coverage of either the Australian ABC or the US ABC network. Australia's ABC has demonstrated a preference for institutional co-production routes, such as its collaboration with the BBC and the Australian Children's Television Foundation, rather than festival-driven acquisition. Producers looking to attract ABC's attention through the festival circuit should treat it as a visibility tool rather than a direct acquisition pipeline, and should follow up through formal representation or co-production channels.
How do I reach ABC's decision makers?
ABC has 247 decision makers tracked in recent industry databases, indicating a broad commissioning and acquisitions infrastructure. For the Australian ABC, co-production partnerships with bodies like the Australian Children's Television Foundation have proven to be a practical access route, as evidenced by the Little Lunch: New Class reboot. For the US ABC, the network's development pipeline is the primary channel, typically accessed through talent representation or established studio relationships. Direct cold outreach to commissioners is not a standard pathway for either entity.
What genres is ABC prioritizing right now?
Australia's ABC is currently active across a notably broad genre range. Recent commissions and greenlights include comedy (Austin Season 3, Separated at Birth), kids comedy (Caper Crew), children's mockumentary (Little Lunch: New Class), crime thriller (Fortitude Valley), indigenous crime drama (Pilli Sisters PI), and a returning arts format (Portrait Artist of the Year Australia). The US ABC has recently ordered a medical drama franchise extension (Grey's Anatomy Texas Spinoff) and continues to invest in unscripted formats. Late-night's future at the US network is reportedly under active review.
Is ABC actively acquiring content right now?
Yes. Australia's ABC has been in active commissioning mode through early 2026, with multiple greenlights and commissions recorded between January and May 2026. The US ABC ordered the Grey's Anatomy Texas Spinoff as recently as May 2026. Activity metrics show 2 unique deals in the past 90 days and a deal velocity signal of 7 over the past 30 days, with the latest tracked signal dated June 26, 2026. The US network's affiliate dispute with Nexstar and Sinclair is an ongoing operational issue but has not visibly paused its development activity.
Adjacent buyers in this lane
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Related reading
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