ABC chair Ita Buttrose has announced the ABC will be expanding its reach by launching an international version of the broadcaster’s catch up TV service.

Ms Buttrose said the international ABC iview service will launch at the end of October to better adapt the broadcaster’s offerings to foreign audiences.

“I am very pleased to announce tonight that at the end of this month the ABC will launch an international version of iview, ABC Australia iview,” Ms Buttrose said.

Ms Buttrose made the announcement at the Lowy Institute’s Media Award event in Sydney on Saturday night.

With continued focus on Australia’s relationships with its Asia-Pacific counterparts she said international broadcasting was a valuable source of “soft power.”

“The importance of journalism to our country’s Asia-Pacific interests cannot be underestimated. I believe a renewed ABC focus on international broadcasting would greatly benefit Australia,” she said.

Journalists Nick McKenzie and Sashka Koloff were awarded the 2019 Lowy Institute Media Award for their joint Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and ABC’s Four Corners investigation into Chinese political influence in Australia.

Now in its seventh year, the Lowy Institute Media Award recognises excellence in foreign affairs reporting.