Last October the federal government announced five-year funding for SBS. That begins on 1 July this year. Previously SBS was funded on a triennial basis.
In the budget handed down this week, existing short-term funding for key language services and audio description will continue into base government funding.
A spokesperson for SBS said:
SBS welcomes the continuity and stability which the five-year funding model provides, ensuring that we are able to keep delivering our vital services for all Australians and especially multilingual and First Nations communities.
The parliament appropriated to SBS $316.8m this year up to 30 June. This week’s budget provides a modest increase of $18.1m in 2023-24 with a decreasing amount each year up to the 2027 financial year when base government funding will be $364.8m.
Base government funding for SBS will be as follows:
- FY23 $316.8m
- FY24 $334.9m
- FY25 $348.4m
- FY26 $356.6m
- FY27 $364.8m
In real terms there is no effective increase.
Save Our SBS president, Steve Aujard said:
The more successful SBS is with advertising, the less likely any government will be in funding the broadcaster.
In the 2022 financial year SBS raised $133.9m from advertising and sponsorship revenue. That was $30m more than their own targets.
