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Competitive neutrality inquiry into the ABC and SBS begins
The long awaited Inquiry into the Competitive Neutrality of the National Broadcasters that will examine the competitive neutrality of the ABC and SBS commenced today.
The Inquiry will report to Government in July.
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, competitive neutrality means that state-owned and private businesses compete on a level playing field.
The Inquiry will include opportunities for both written input and face-to-face… »
Law to limit gambling ads but Labor wants SBS exempted
The Government has introduced a Bill that would regulate gambling advertisements on radio, TV and online.
If passed gambling advertisements could be limited on SBS, commercial operators, and other outlets.
However, Labor has proposed an amendment to the Bill that would exempt SBS from the provisions of the Bill.
The Bill supports the best interests of children under Best interests of the child: Article 3(1) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by providing… »
Australian content on SBS
Last October the Senate's communications committee launched an inquiry into the "economic and cultural value of Australian content on broadcast, radio and streaming services". Submissions were received from industry groups and stakeholders. The outcome of the inquiry will be reported in May.
To enable Save Our SBS to continue our work of excellence in the public good, please donate
A copy of the Save Our SBS… »
What’s on SBS this year
The slate is looking good this year for SBS. Save Our SBS presents a comprehensive overview of the year ahead. Something different The Ghan is Australia’s first foray into the ‘slow TV’ movement - an immersive style of television, originating from Europe, which invites the viewer on a real time journey. This innovative program takes viewers aboard Australia’s most iconic passenger train trip from Adelaide to Darwin. Three hours, no commercials, no… »
The Mosque Next Door
Step inside The Mosque Next Door is a new SBS three-part documentary series which premieres Wednesday 8 November, 8.30pm on SBS.
For many non-Muslim Australians, the mosque is shrouded in mystery, and for some, controversy. But how many Australians have ever stepped inside one?
For the first time in Australia, television cameras were given unprecedented 24-hour access into an Australian mosque for SBS’s new three-part documentary series, The Mosque Next… »
Pollies want better deal for SBS
Last week Save Our SBS met with politicians in Parliament House, Canberra - to discuss SBS - its future, funding and more.
As always, there was talk around advertising and SBS's charter.
The much publicly discussed - Competitive Neutrality Inquiry - was also a hot topic.
Save Our SBS was told that the Government will hold the inquiry into both public broadcasters in 2018.
It is expected to be widely publicised at the time.
A spokesperson for the Minister said the… »
Sunshine: compelling drama tells life of South Sudanese in Australia
Sunshine is a high-stakes crime drama that explores the hopes and heartbreak felt by those forging a new life in a foreign land.
That land is Australia.
It is vibrant, kinetic and compelling.
Set in Melbourne’s outer-western suburb of Sunshine, the story follows Jacob Garang played by new on-screen talent Wally Elnour.
Jacob is a young, aspiring South Sudanese-Australian basketball player whose dreams of climbing his Biblical namesake’s ladder to heaven - the… »
New SBS radio line-up soon
After a 12 month review, SBS has announced changes to its radio services to meet the needs of multicultural Australia.
The new SBS Radio services to be implemented from Monday 20 November 2017 is here.
-- select language --
NITV Radio
African English
Albanian
Amharic
Arabic
Armenian
Assyrian
Bangla
Bosnian
Bulgarian
Burmese
Cantonese
Cook Islands Maori
Croatian
Czech
Danish
… »
SBS aim to triple Oz content forum told
Speaking at a community forum before a group of SBS supporters, SBS Managing Director Michael Ebeid AM announced the broadcasters aim to triple Australian content.
The forum, hosted by SBS, was held in Melbourne last month. It was attended by community stakeholders, including Save Our SBS, who met directly with the SBS Board and senior SBS staff.
The late-afternoon event was moderated by SBS journalist Sarah Abo.
After a Welcome to Country, SBS Chairman Dr Hass… »
SBS cannot be privatised: Michael Ebeid explains
"people who talk about privatising SBS really have no idea what SBS does"
SBS Managing Director Michael Ebeid was recently asked if SBS should be privatised to save taxpayers footing the bill.
Answering the question, Mr Ebeid said, "I think people who talk about privatising SBS really have no idea what SBS does.
"It would be impossible to privatise SBS because of its Charter.
"When you think about the role that we play in, for… »
Government backs down on SBS advertising Bill
Former SBS World News Australia presenter, Mary Kostakidis and Save Our SBS today thanked thousands of ordinary people who opposed a government Bill to further commercialise SBS.
Save Our SBS President, Steve Aujard said, "The government has killed the Bill. The Minister's Office phoned me a short while ago."
Ms Kostakidis said, "We are pleased the government has listened to SBS viewers; all were strongly opposed to the Bill.
"We now call on the… »
Mary Kostakidis speaks out against government Bill to increase SBS advertising
Mary Kostakidis today called on ordinary people to oppose the further commercialisation of SBS in a campaign called, Preserve our media diversity: Don’t turn SBS into Australia’s fourth commercial TV network.
The former SBS World News Australia presenter, Ms Kostakidis said, “Save Our SBS and I launched the website campaign so that SBS viewers can voice their concerns about the government’s plans to make SBS even more reliant on advertising. We expect the government… »
National survey shows SBS viewers do not want gambling ads and reject government’s SBS commercialisation policy
Save Our SBS released the findings of a nationwide survey today that showed 91% of SBS viewers want an end to SBS broadcasting betting and gambling advertisements.
Save Our SBS President, Steve Aujard said, "SBS viewers believe that such advertisements are not good for social cohesion. This finding is significant because the SBS Corporate Plan states that the purpose of SBS is to contribute to a cohesive society" (SBS Corporate Plan 2016-17, pg 2).
Mr Aujard… »
Précis of Survey 2017 about SBS
95% of SBS viewers nationally do not want increased advertising on SBS and say that if there is an increase in ads, then the law ought to restrict advertisements to before or after programs only - except in sport - like SBS used to be.
The results are in of the Survey 2017 about SBS. It is the third in the series of periodic surveys undertaken about SBS.
Across all three surveys, three different cohorts totalling 4953 SBS viewers nationally have been surveyed… »
Save Our SBS welcomes new SBS Chairman
SBS has a new Chairman, Dr Bulent Hass Dellal AO. Dr Dellal is no stranger to SBS.
The Minister for Communications, Senator Mitch Fifield announced the appointment today.
Save Our SBS president, Steve Aujard welcomed the appointment and said, “Dr Dellal was appointed as a Director to the SBS Board in 2010 and has been the Deputy Chairman since 2011. He has been Acting Chairman for the past year. Previously we have met with Hass and look forward to working with him in… »
 Save Our SBS – friends of SBS – joins all supporters and every friend of SBS in celebrating SBS radio, television, digital and online services. We are a not-for-profit association and defend the original special purpose of SBS. We advocate greater public funding for SBS, value multilingual & multicultural programs, and treasure the diverse culturally rich service intended for SBS – without in-program commercial breaks. |
When the 1991 Parliament incorporated the phrase “natural program breaks” into the SBS Act it intended the placement of advertising on SBS television would not disrupt programs, that SBS not present itself like a commercial broadcaster and that “natural program breaks” would be restricted to:-
- Mr SMITH Liberal half-time in a soccer match … in effect what will happen is that advertising will top and tail programs
- Sen ALSTON Liberal natural program breaks, one would think that it is not too difficult to identify … clearly the half-time break in football and other sporting programs is a fairly common occurrence. The topping and tailing of programs so that good quality films are not massacred by advertisements is something that most people will readily identify with and recognise the breach of very quickly
- Sen COLLINS Labor natural program breaks will be so unobtrusive on audiences as to be almost undetectable
- Mr LEE Labor advertisement–at the beginning and the end of the sponsored program. In that way the viewers were not disturbed and were not constantly interrupted, as is the case on some of the commercial television programs
- Mr SINCLAIR National let us not try to get the advertising revenue that will make the SBS another commercial channel. If we do, again, that will change its character, and I do not think that is really what we are about
