Australia has one of the best health systems in the world, yet one in two of us lives with a long-term health condition.
Throughout October and into November the ABC will feature a series of programs and specials on its television, radio, digital and social platforms focusing on the key issues driving Australia’s collective and individual health outcomes.
ABC Your Move is bringing together reporting and creative teams from every part of the ABC to uncover what is behind some of the most common health issues we face.
Major programming events across the next six weeks include:
- Magda’s Big National Health Check, a three-part documentary series presented by Magda Szubanski, starting on ABC TV and ABC iview on 1 November.
- Two-part Catalyst special Keep on Dancing, presented by Myf Warhurst, on ABC TV and ABC iview from 4 October.
- Daily Classic Dance classes on ABC Classic Mornings from 3 October.
- ABC Health Check, a digital interactive quiz launching 4 October.
- RN Health Report series presented by Tegan Taylor focusing on social factors driving health in Australia, from late October.
ABC Your Move will invite Australians of all ages to engage with this special programming event by taking part in a number of community activities, including:
- ABC local Radio ‘takeover’ of parkrun on Saturday 29 October, featuring live outside broadcasts in every state and territory.
- ABC Education’s Primary School Poster Competition asking students to name a ‘great move’ and say why Australians should give it a go.
Director, ABC Entertainment and Specialist Jennifer Collins said ABC Your Move represented a major collaboration involving program makers and journalists from ABC News, ABC Television and ABC iview, ABC’s music and talk networks and specialist networks and platforms including RN, ABC Everyday and ABC Education.
“We want to host a national conversation about our health, explore some of the hidden factors that drive key issues and get Australians to start thinking about what small changes they can make to improve their own health,”
“We’ll be exploring what’s within and outside our control, such as sleep, alcohol consumption, eating and exercise.
And we’ll be doing that in an entertaining, engaging and informative way, like ABC Radio Darwin’s Adam Steer taking the ‘Mature Man’s Handstand Challenge’ and uncovering exercise in disguise for those who dislike gym culture.”
Ms Collins said Magda’s Big National Health Check premiering on 1 November was a key program event, with the popular author and actor taking a ‘deep dive’ into the state of our health, while reflecting on her own.
“This is a very personal journey for Magda, who discovers some astonishing facts about the biggest risks to our health and what we can do to find solutions.”
