A new report released by SBS and the University of Canberra highlights an overall increase in multilingual audiences’ sense of belonging compared to the first wave of research published in 2023, but highlights that multilingual communities continue to feel less represented in general news than the broader population.
The research highlights the importance of media in connecting with multilingual audiences. The study found that media representation plays a key role in communities’ confidence to participate in society, which can lead to a greater sense of belonging.
The study relates to broader conversations in our industry about the ‘missing Australians’ that brand marketers are ignoring when planning marketing campaigns.
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Across four measures of belonging, the most significant increases were in the proportion of multilingual audiences that say their needs are being met (69 per cent, up by eight per cent) and that members care about each other (64 per cent, up by seven) in their local communities.
Multilingual audiences feel more fairly represented by SBS News (56 per cent) versus general Australian news (46 per cent), with variances across the different language communities studied.
Additionally, those who feel their culture and language are represented fairly in the news feel a stronger sense of belonging (63 per cent) than those who don’t feel fairly represented (32 per cent).
Representation among multilingual audiences in Australia was studied by surveying 1,876 respondents across seven languages – Arabic, Cantonese, Italian, Mandarin, Punjabi, Vietnamese, and English. The research was co-led by Rebecca Griffiths, SBS’s audience research lead, and Professor Sora Park, University of Canberra’s director of news & media research centre.
Together with news and media representation, other contributing factors to belonging were found to be residential status, length of time in Australia, and English language confidence.
Punjabi speakers, included for the first time in this research, reported the highest sense of belonging across all the cohorts surveyed, while Mandarin speakers feel the least connected.
Overall, multicultural audiences feel less fairly represented by Australian media compared to the general population, particularly among Arabic, Cantonese, and Mandarin speakers.
“Cultural representation in the broader Australian media is a key factor in fostering a sense of belonging within society. Multilingual audiences also expressed a strong desire for more media content in their language, and we found that each community holds nuanced preferences regarding how their culture and language are portrayed,” director of news & media research centre, Professor Sora Park, said.
‘’SBS has been contributing to a sense of belonging for all Australians for 50 years by driving an inclusive and multicultural media landscape. This second wave of research shows positive outcomes, demonstrating progress while recognising there is more to be done. By platforming diverse voices and perspectives, we can continue to build connection and a more socially cohesive Australia,” SBS acting managing director, Jane Palfreyman, added.
