National public broadcaster SBS is celebrating its SBS50 birthday week with a special line-up of programming that pays homage to its unique past and looks forward to its distinctive future.
“The thing that I love about SBS is it doesn’t tell me what to think,” said Rachel Griffiths. “It just opens my eyes and my heart to see the world differently.”
“Fifty years ago, we were given the chance to see the world from a different point of view. And fifty years today, the world has had a chance to see us,” said Ernie Dingo
“It’s a true reflection of the Australian story and the Australian experience,” said Melissa Leong.
Program highlights:
- Special SBS50-themed episodes of Insight, Living Black, Mastermind, The Cook Up with Adam Liaw, and The Weekly Football Wrap.
- Reruns of cult classic South Park and new episodes of If You Are The One
- An SBS World Movies collection featuring original commentary from The Movie Show with iconic duo Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton.
- Community features with SBS Audio’s 60+ language services, including video interviews with original 2EA/3EA radio presenters and exploring the changing multicultural faces of Australia.
In a country home to the oldest continuous culture and where almost one-third of people were born overseas, SBS has long been holding up a mirror, enabling all Australians to see themselves and their stories through a distinctive media offering that can’t be found elsewhere.
“The Australia you see on SBS is the Australia we all see when we walk out our front door every day,” said James Taylor, managing director of SBS.
“SBS’s role is to protect a plurality of perspectives, foster deeper understanding, and promote a sense of belonging for all Australians—regardless of their background and where their story began. As Australia’s most trusted news brand, trust is the foundation that drives our innovation-led news and multilingual content and that’s never been more important than in today’s global landscape of misinformation and distrust.
“We don’t tell people what to think, or feel, but provide opportunities for everyone to experience the world around them. For 50 years, SBS has been unafraid to entertain, educate and provoke audiences with bold, human stories that amplify diverse voices and connect us all.
“I am proud that we never stand still, continuously evolving to meet the needs of a diverse, contemporary Australia. Today we are reaching the highest audience numbers in our history with the largest volume of original Australian content.”
Where we have been
Founded in 1975 as two small multilingual radio stations, 2EA and 3EA, to help promote the Australian Government’s public health care scheme to non-English speaking communities and legislated in 1978, SBS’s multi-platform services are today free and available for all Australians in over 60 languages. And since premiering the nation’s first major prime-time Indigenous current
affairs TV program, First In Line, in 1989, SBS has continued to pioneer First Nations representation, including welcoming National Indigenous Television (NITV) to its network as a free-to-air channel in 2012.
Affectionately referred to as ‘Sex Before Soccer’ in the 1980s—a reference to its raunchy foreign films and European football called by iconic sports presenter and former refugee, the late Les
Murray AM—SBS over the decades has also been synonymous with bringing South Park, Scandi Noir and the Eurovision Song Contest to Australians.
Just as important has been SBS’s sustained investment in locally-produced content and Australian talent, which is focused on supporting diversity both on and off screen to reflect a contemporary Australia often not otherwise fully seen or represented. The results are real, restless and daring stories that audiences love across news, current affairs, drama, documentary, food, sport and more.
Where we are going
Today, SBS is an award-winning multiplatform, multilingual network that has been named Australia’s most trusted news provider, via Reuters Digital News Report 2024 and national podcaster of the year three years running (Australian Podcast Awards 2022, 2023, 2024).
It is also the first broadcaster to allow viewers to opt-out of advertising related to alcohol, gambling and quick-service restaurants, as well as being on track to reach Net Zero by 2045.
“SBS is for all Australians, by all Australians, and we’ve never been afraid to take risks and boldly go where others won’t. Whether that’s through content that reflects and helps shape our collective national identity, digital innovation that delivers world-class audience experiences, or socially and environmentally responsible practices that show care for community,” said Taylor.
“We’ve always known who we are and what we stand for at SBS. Our success is grounded in the deep trusted relationships we have built with Australian communities over half a century and this is what makes us unique. If you want to understand the real Australia, then let SBS be your guide because in myriad ways, we are leading the way forward for a more inclusive and cohesive nation.”
SBS50 content line-up:
Living Black, The Cook Up with Adam Liaw, Insight and Mastermind respectively. SBS is marking its milestone 50th birthday with a distinctive slate of cross-network, multilingual content and activities, including outside broadcasts in regional locations and a partnership with VIVID Sydney.
On SBS On Demand, a dedicated SBS50 Hub is celebrating all things SBS from across the decades including powerful SBS and NITV Originals and iconic arthouse films.
SBS World Movies will feature an SBS50 curated collection of game-changing and quotable films, with original commentary from The Movie Show and SBS Cult Movies. In particular don’t miss Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton who captivated audiences for almost 20 years from 1986 with their hearty debate, love for cinema and memorable reviews.
