Welcome to the Spring 2008 edition of the Save Our SBS eNewsLetter from www.SaveOurSBS.org
Below is some important news about SBS and an update about on how you can help restore and help rid it of advertisements.
It is now just over one year since Mary Kostakidis was reported walking from SBS, not to return and soon approaching that since the Labor government was elected.
There was reason to believe that Labor might provide more funds, and move to stop the SBS interrupting programs with advertisements.
Six months ago we presented the NO ADVERTISEMENTS OR SPONSORSHIP ON SBS petition to Senator Conroy. But SBS-TV still has ads. Will this change? Can anything further be done?
Who wants ads on SBS? – One Minute Only: survey
The ads on SBS-TV are more than just an annoying interruption. Speaking last year Senator Conroy said that this effectively “makes the SBS a de facto fourth free-to-air commercial television station and serves to erode the fundamental tenets of public broadcasting- that is, that it should be free from commercial and political influence”. (Senator Conroy 11 Oct 2007 ref)
So why the ads still? What can I do?
Voice your objection on-line. You may have previously signed a no ads on SBS petition, but that was only part of an on-going campaign to restore the broadcaster. Your support is much needed, again, to rescue SBS.
Visit www.SaveOurSBS.org and spend just a minute participating in a new, very short on-line survey to re-confirm your support that you want SBS to be properly funded from the public purse and free from ads. Just click on the “survey” logo-link, near the top of the screen at www.SaveOurSBS.org and wait while you are re-directed to the survey. We urge you to do this now. Tell your friends to visit www.SaveOurSBS.org and complete the One Minute Save Our SBS Survey too.
The one minute survey will provide us both quantitative and qualitative information.
SBS Must Be Special
Former Prime Minister, Malcolm Fraser, has been joined by ethnic community leaders and key figures from public life, literature and the arts in calling for the SBS to focus on the needs of viewers rather than on selling consumers to advertisers.
Mr Fraser and the other notable Australians recently signed a public statement of support prepared by Save Our SBS. The statement “The SBS Must Be Special” expresses concern that in going down the commercial path, SBS is moving away from its Charter and becoming less special. You can read the statement and view the list of signatories at https://saveoursbs.org/archives/318
Among the list of notable persons who signed their name to the statement are former Board member of SBS, George Zangalis and Julian Burnside Q.C. who represented Mary Kostakidis last year.
Malcolm Fraser was Prime Minister of Australia in the second part of the 1970s. He embraced multiculturalism in the establishment of SBS, building on the creation of the publicly funded multi-lingual radio stations that was commenced by the Whitlam government.
The statement prepared by Save Our SBS was widely reported in the print media.
Future of SBS: government seeks public submissions
The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Stephen Conroy, has commenced a public consultation process to review the future of Australia’s national broadcasters, SBS & ABC. Comments from the public are welcome. Information and a list of topics to help get you started in making your own submission are at https://saveoursbs.org/archives/324 That link is worth looking at before you make your submission.
Save Our SBS will make a submission. We strongly encourage you to make one too at http://www.dbcde.gov.au/media_broadcasting/consultation_and_submissions/abc_sbs_review/make_a_submission/online_submission_form
Submissions close 4pm AEDT on 12 December 2008.
This may be a once in a lifetime opportunity.
SBS funding for 2009-2012
On 5 August 2008, Save Our SBS submitted to Minister Conroy, a funding proposal of what we argue SBS ought to be granted for the next triennium (2009 to 2012). We understand that SBS requested a lesser amount than we submitted for the broadcaster. The government will announce its decision about SBS funding in the May 2009 Budget. Details of the Save Our SBS funding proposal can be found at https://saveoursbs.org/archives/323
Our Summer 2009 eNewsLetter will contain further information about this, leading up to the Budget.
Petition Closed
In recent months we’ve been asked: “What happened to the No Ads on SBS petition?”
The NO ADVERTISEMENTS OR SPONSORSHIP ON SBS petition closed on 23 March 2008 and was handed to Minister’s staff at a meeting in the Minister’s Melbourne office on 8 April 2008. The Minister was unable to attend. Save Our SBS and Senator Conroy’s office have remained in contact regarding SBS and the issues raised in the petition.
The Minister formally replied to Save Our SBS by letter on 26 August 2008. A copy of the Minister’s reply can be read at https://saveoursbs.org/archives/316
Forced Ad Breaks
Did you know that in 2007, SBS forced 6000 commercial breaks into a long list of programs that were never intended to be interrupted for commercials. More details at https://saveoursbs.org/archives/312
The SBS Act provides for SBS to place ads in “natural breaks”.
Donate
Save Our SBS receives no money from government. We are a 100 per cent volunteer organisation. We do not carry advertisements and in order to run these campaigns we rely on donations from ordinary people, like you.
You can donate to Save Our SBS via the secure link on the Donate To Us page at: https://saveoursbs.org/donate-to-us
Become Involved
Save Our SBS was commenced by people with a background in broadcasting who care passionately about public broadcasting and SBS in particular. We have come a long way since our early days in January 2007. Many people are involved with Save Our SBS at all sorts of levels. If you share our views about restoring and saving SBS, and are committed to the notion of public broadcasting you are very welcome to become involved with us. Details at: https://saveoursbs.org/join-us
Why Was I Sent This eNewsLetter?
You were sent this eNewsLetter because you are subscribed to this eNewsLetter. You may have participated in one of our earlier campaigns. We only send very occasional eNewsLetters. As a volunteer organisation, we do not have the resources for regular mail-outs. We do not pass on your personal details to anyone else. Anyone can subscribe to our eNewsLetters. They are free. If you would prefer eNewsLetters to be sent to a different email address or to subscribe or unsubscribe use this link: http://lists.saveoursbs.org
Save Our SBS www.SaveOurSBS.org is a not for profit community organisation.
Visit www.SaveOurSBS.org web site for more up to date information.
