The dramatic story of America’s national mammal, which sustained the lives of Native peoples for untold generations, being driven to the brink of extinction, before an unlikely collection of people rescues it from disappearing forever. Ken Burns recounts the tragic collision of two opposing views of the natural world––and the unforgettable characters who pointed the nation in a different direction.
MUSIC SEASON – JOHHNY CASH: REDEMPTION OF AN AMERICAN IDOL
From his hardscrabble Arkansas upbringing to the heights of musical success, Johnny Cash – JR to his friends – was as unshakeable in his devotion as he was unsparing in his songwriting. This moving documentary, rooted in Cash’s faith, tells the story of a man who knew tragedy from the earliest age, stared down the demons of addiction…and never lost sight of the light. Insightful commentary by Sheryl Crow, Tim McGraw, John Carter Cash, Johnny’s sister Joanne Cash Yates, and more add depth and colour to this uniquely American icon, who once said of himself, “Johnny’s a nice guy, but sometimes Cash gets into trouble.”
As a music-maker and language revivalist from the south coast Noongar region of Western Australia, Clint Bracknell’s work intersects with applied linguistics, ecomusicology and Indigenous studies.
Troy Cassar-Daley: A Journey Between the Fires is a deeply personal and compelling story following award-winning singer songwriter Troy Cassar-Daley as he navigates through profound grief and sadness to embark on his most challenging and rewarding album to date.
This insightful documentary explores Troy’s journey of returning to his childhood home to record his latest album on Gumbayngirr Country in Northern New South Wales in September 2023.
This documentary explores themaking of the Wailers’ “Catch A Fire”, a record that brought Bob Marley international recognition and became one of the world’s most popular reggae albums.
Featuring rare archival interviews with Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh and Marley himself - as well as never-before-seen performances and footage from the Jamaican recording sessions - this provides a unique insight into the process behind the recording of this landmark work.
SongRites is a powerful celebration of contemporary and cultural First Nations music, showcasing original works from regional and remote communities across Australia. Through live performance, dance, and storytelling, the series honours the continuation of Songlines and the preservation of language and cultural practice. Featuring immersive works like Song Spirals, a Yolŋu dance performance by Rosealee Pearson and Arrkula Yinbayarra, a moving concert led by Dr Shellie Morris AO —SongRites highlights the strength and vibrancy of First Nations voices, culture, and creativity. Hosted by Shahni Wellington and DOBBY (Rhyan Clapham).
Episode 1 - Wednesday 10 December 8:30pm
Song Spirals is an immersive journey into the language, culture and Country of celebrated creator Rosealee Pearson. Yolŋu rhythm and songs are brought to life through this powerful dance work.
RESERVATION DOGS SERIES 2
Thursday 11 December
8.30pm OFFERING
Series 2 Episode 9
With a letter from Daniel, Willie Jack seeks guidance from the past.
The Rock Prophet is the best kept secret of Rock N Roll, and only Rock’s mighty heroes know about Link Wray and his infamous 3 chords. An unlikely figure responsible for the birth of Rock N Roll, music superstars such as Bob Dylan, Pete Townsend, Neil Young and Jimi Hendrix all idolised him, and Jimmy Page said he would have never picked up a guitar if he hadn’t heard him on the radio.
The Native American musician catapulted into the spotlight with his iconic song: Rumble. Born into poverty, he faced adversity his whole life. He was pursued by the Ku Klux Klan. He was miss-represented by record companies; he even lost a lung during the Korean War and was told he could never sing again.
The Deadly Nannas Choir comprise of 7 women who are dedicated to reviving the Ngarrundjeri language. Growing up without their language they formed in 2016 to reclaim their culture through song.
He’s the genius behind some of the greatest hits of the 20th century. He sold over 150 million records worldwide - including the top-selling album of all time, Thriller. He worked alongside legendary artists such as Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, Miles Davis, Donna Summer, Jane Fonda, Lionel Richie, & Steven Spielberg. Nearly a year after his passing, here is the artistic journey of a music industry icon.
A trumpeter, producer, arranger, songwriter and conductor all at once, Quincy Jones is one of the most influential, protean and prolific artists of our time. Over the 70 years of his career, he always navigated with ease between genres, from classical to jazz, disco, funk, bossa nova or hip-hop.
Gifted with flair and audacity, he gave shape to popular music by producing rising stars such as Donna Summer and of course, Michael Jackson! Aware of the unlikelihood of his journey in a profoundly racist society, Quincy - the first Black man to run a music label - has always fought for the recognition of African-American culture.
7:30pm - Episode 9 THE WEB OF LIFE (SALMON PART 1)
Pacific Salmon are under threat. We explore the balance between the traditional and western knowledge used to preserve them.
8:00pm - Episode 10 THE WEB OF LIFE (SALMON PART 2)
First Nations peoples are using new technology to preserve and restore Pacific Salmon populations in their traditional territory.
Arrkula Yinbayarra: Join us for a night of language, culture and song with Arrkula Yinbayarra (Together We Sing). A celebration of resilience through music, it’s performed by the Songwomen from the remote Northern Territory Borroloola community with Dr Shellie Morris AO. These nine performers, along with a live band, will showcase original songs as the reawaken the Yanyuwa, Garrwa, Gudanji and Marra languages.
As the home of First Nations storytelling, National Indigenous Television (NITV) will bring its 2026 #AlwayWasAlwaysWillBe programming slate across NITV and the entire SBS Network from Sunday January 18 to Monday January 26 to shine a light on Australia’s shared history.
January 26 remains a moment of national conversation, one that asks Australians to reflect on the history and complexity of this date, examine identity and consider what this day means to First Nations peoples and contemporary Australia.
Across the week, NITV and SBS invite all Australians to engage with distinctive, authoritative, deeply personal and unapologetically Blak perspectives that illuminate the truth of our shared history. The curated slate explores stories of strength, survival and pride, offering audiences the opportunity to reflect, understand and connect with the world’s oldest living continuous culture.
Tanya Denning-Orman, a proud Birri and Guugu Yimidhirr woman and SBS Director, First Nations, said: “With our Always Was, Always Will Be season, we’re proud to centre First Nations voices and perspectives, and to showcase resonant stories of strength, survival and pride that speak to tens of thousands of years of continuous culture.
“Through NITV’s distinctive First Nations storytelling, amplified by multiplatform and multilingual programming and coverage across the SBS network, Australians are invited to listen, learn and lean into the conversation around 26 January, inspiring reflection, understanding and constructive dialogue.”
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS – ALWAYS WAS, ALWAYS WILL BE 2026
PREMIERE – The Colleano Heart:
Monday 19 January, 8:30pm on NITV and SBS On Demand & Monday 26 January, 7:30pm on SBS
A landmark NITV commission, The Colleano Heart traces an extraordinary First Nations family whose courage, creativity and resilience propelled them from early 1900s racism and oppression to global circus stardom at the cost of hiding their Indigenous identity. Warm, joyous and deeply moving, the documentary uncovers a Hidden Generation story fuelled by love, ambition and survival.
WugulOra Morning Ceremony – Live from Barangaroo Reserve
Simulcast: Monday 26 January, 7:30am on NITV, SBS and SBS On Demand
A sacred and unifying start to January 26, WugulOra (‘One Mob’ in the Gadigal language) honours the culture, strength and continuity of the Gadigal peoples of the Eora Nation through dance, song and storytelling. Hosted by NITV’s John Paul Janke and Shahni Wellington and broadcast live from Barangaroo Reserve – a smoking ceremony and celebration of the world’s oldest living culture.
SBS Elder in Residence Oration
Simulcast: Monday 26 January, 11:00am on NITV, SBS and SBS On Demand
Delivered by Widjabul Wiabul woman Rhoda Roberts AO, the annual Elder in Residence Oration reflects on challenges, aspirations and the path forward for all Australians.
NITV News: Day 26
Simulcast: Monday 26 January, 5:30pm on NITV, SBS and SBS On Demand
Along with a wrap of the day’s marches and events from an Indigenous perspective, NITV News: Day 26 will be hosted by Natalie Ahmat and John Paul Janke and focus on truth-telling, historical context and Australian identity in 2026. Filmmaker Rachel Perkins, historian Stephen Gapps (The Australian Wars), and comedian Dane Simpson will discuss the relevance of January 26, what it means to be Australian, and how our national identity has been shaped.
ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
The Idea of Australia – Episodes air 18, 19, 25 and 26 January, 7:30pm,NITV & SBS On Demand
Presented by Academy Award nominee Rachel Griffiths AM (Total Control, Muriel’s Wedding, Hacksaw Ridge, Brothers & Sisters), the landmark documentary event The Idea of Australia isn’t a retelling of history; it’s a reimagining of the future. This ambitious series features over 60 master interviews with historians, experts, and significant public figures, and features personal opinions, testimony and popular culture archives.
Troy Cassar-Daley: A Journey Between the Fires – 18 January, 8:30pm,NITV & SBS On Demand
A Journey Between The Fires is a deeply personal and compelling documentary following Award-winning singer songwriter Troy Cassar-Daley as he navigates profound grief and sadness to embark on his most challenging and rewarding album to date.
Our Medicine – Episodes 3 & 4 on 21 January, 7:30pm,NITV & SBS On Demand
Our Medicine is a ground-breaking observational series which takes viewers behind the frontline of our strained medical services and joins patients on their emotional journeys through the system. With unique access to First Nations doctors, nurses, paramedics, traditional healers, and other medical professionals, it shines an important light on First Nations professionals and communities taking back control of Indigenous health.
Earth Oven (Australia episode) – 21 January, 8:30pm, NITV & SBS On Demand
Host Temuera Morrison visits Cairns in this episode of Earth Oven, a cultural, round-the-world series that explores the earth oven – a way of cooking that transcends location and time. Here he explores a UNESCO World Heritage site and reconnects with an old friend to delve into Aboriginal traditions, including the bang-gaa earth oven – a powerful expression of culture, connection to land, and the enduring spirit of the world’s oldest living culture.
Emily: I Am Kam – 21 January, 9:30pm, NITV & SBS On Demand
Emily: I Am Kam (pronounced karma) is a heartfelt documentary about internationally renowned artist, Emily Kam Kngwarray from the Utopia community in the Northern Territory. It examines Kngwarray’s transformative impact on the international contemporary art world providing a rare opportunity to witness her journey and the profound influence of her art and the power of her work to protect her Country, Alhalker.
Going Places with Ernie Dingo S3 Ep 3 – 22 January, 7:30pm, NITV & SBS On Demand
Australian icon Ernie Dingo returns in another epic episode of the long running Going Places, yarning with proud locals and exploring the idyllic locations this country has to offer. In this episode, Ernie visits the small community of Yirrkala in the Northern Territory to reconnect with some of the local Yolngu People and to learn more about what’s happening on Country.
Reckless Ep 1 – 22 January, 9:30pm, NITV & SBS On Demand
SBS and NITV Original Reckless, is a bold First Nations drama set in Fremantlewhere guilt, family and dysfunction collide in a wickedly funny, high-stakes thrill ride. When feuding siblings June (Tasma Walton) and Charlie (Hunter Page-Lochard) cover up a hit and run in their hometown of Fremantle, their lives spiral wildly out of control, and as the lies pile up, so do the consequences and soon, everyone in town has something to lose.
The New Boy – 22 January, 9:30pm, NITV & SBS On Demand
Writer/director Warwick Thornton’s The New Boy is set in 1940s Australia, in a mission for Aboriginal children run by a renegade nun, Sister Eileen (Cate Blanchett). A new charge (Aswan Reid) is delivered in the dead of night – a boy who appears to have special powers – in this story of spiritual struggle and the cost of survival.
Rabbit-Proof Fence – 23 January, 7:30pm, NITV & SBS On Demand
This 2002 Australian film directed by Phillip Noyce tells the true story of three Aboriginal girls who are taken from their home and sent to a remote settlement 1,500 miles away. They embark on a daring escape and epic journey along the rabbit-proof fence to find their way back home across an unforgiving landscape that will test their very will to survive.
In-language content across more than 60 languages from 18–26 January, including an Always Was, Always Will Be explainer in Arabic, English, Greek, Mandarin, Punjabi and Vietnamese.
First Nations resources aligned with the Australian Curriculum including The Point in Time clips page, complete with classroom questions and activities, as well as teacher guides on How to Deliver and Acknowledgement of Country, by Shelley Ware. This video content is also available in Mandarin and Arabic to support broader community engagement.
This year’s Always Was Always Will Be offering continues the work of SBS’s Elevate Reconciliation Action Plan 2022–2026, which outlines SBS’s commitment to reflecting, exploring and embedding First Nations stories, knowledges, cultures and languages across the network.
So fascinating how far advanced some networks can be when doing their schedules. The week towards Australia Day on NITV has some pretty good shows - from factuals and docos, to some good movies too. Well done to NITV for this week long schedule.
It screened at Adelaide Film Festival in October this year. A Wildbear Entertainment production, it is directed by Pauline Clague, and written by Pauline Clague and Ljudan Michaelis-Thorpe.
Nat King Cole was the only Black television star in Hollywood at a time when America groaned under the weight of racial segregation and prejudice. Yet he possessed a natural talent so great that these issues were seemingly swept to one side to allow him to become one of the greatest jazz icons of all time. However, behind closed doors, those around him were trying to think of a way to package him as something he was not: bi-white. This candid account of what really happened in and around his ‘fairytale’ life is taken from his private journals, interviews with his widow Maria and contributions from other family members, as well as Tony Bennett, Buddy Greco, Harry Belafonte, Nancy Wilson, Sir Bruce Forsyth, George Benson, Aaron Neville, Johnny Mathis and many more. Featuring never-before-seen archival footage, it reveals Nat King Cole’s feelings behind his ultimate calling as a ‘beacon of hope’ to the legions of the oppressed.
Proud Gamilaraay woman Loren Ryan is a musician, Aboriginal culture teacher, and now a trainee reporter with ABC New England North West.
DIANA ROSS: SUPREME SENSATION
Monday 22 December 9:00pm
From being the queen of Motown to taking on the world stage, this ‘Supreme’ diva has sold over 100 million records worldwide. Her career has spanned decades, attracting generation after generation of loyal fans. It can only be the legendary, the iconic - Diana Ross. Big hair, sequins, scandals and sensational performances; Diana really did turn the world ‘Upside Down’.
In this highly anticipated feature length documentary, the absolute instigator of rock ‘n’ roll, Chuck Berry, is truly revealed, with unprecedented exclusive access.
Despite his iconic status, and reverence for his talent by rock’s heroes John Lennon, Keith Richards, Steven Van Zandt, Joe Perry, Nils Lofgren and Alice Cooper, all featured, Chuck Berry was a family man. He was a prolific craftsman of word and chords; an undisputed and stunning combination of talent and charisma. Director Jon Brewer was personally selected by the Berry Estate to produce and direct the inside story of the man known as the bedrock of rock ‘n’ roll.
Gifted with an amazing voice and guided by his strong connection to culture, Jack’s music has a unique quality that is sure to make himself, his family and the people of the Torres Strait proud.
It is truly difficult to overstate the achievements of Dolly Parton. One of the most successful musicians of all time, Dolly has managed to stay relevant in pop culture for over 60 years.
From humble beginnings in the heart of the Smoky Mountains to becoming an Icon of American culture, Dolly has conquered not only the music scene but the entire entertainment industry as a whole.
She’s topped charts, made millions, toured around the world and all the while kept her southern country girl charm and self-deprecating humour. Over her tenure, Dolly has spread love, happiness and positivity to all. This documentary examines her long and storied career in the music industry.
NEW YEAR’S EVE 2025
CHUCK BERRY: BROWN EYED HANDSOME MAN
7:30pm
A collection of performances by the greatest rock icons in history performing favourite songs by their self-proclaimed hero Chuck Berry.
ALICIA KEYS LIVE IN NEW YORK
8:30pm
Alicia Keys celebrates the 20th anniversary of her groundbreaking album, The Diary of Alicia Keys, performing the full album for the first time in front of a live audience in New York City.
TINA TURNER LIVE 2009
10:00PM
An electric performance from Tina Turner live from Gelre Dome, Arnhem, Holland as part of the 50th Anniversary Tour.
Ornette: Made In America captures Ornette Coleman’s evolution over three decades. Ornette came home to Fort Worth, Texas in 1983 as a famed performer and composer. Documentary footage, dramatic scenes and some of the first music video-style segments ever made, chronicle his boyhood in segregated Texas and his subsequent emergence as an American cultural pioneer and world class icon.
Among those who contribute to the film are William Burroughs, Brion Gysin, Buckminster Fuller, Don Cherry, Yoko Ono, Charlie Haden, Robert Palmer, Jayne Cortez and John Rockwell.
KARLA GRANT PRESENTS – SINGING COUNTRY
Monday 5 January 8.30pm
EPISODE 6: STIFF GINS
Stiff Gins, Nardi Simpson and Kaleena Briggs, are one of Australia’s most loved Indigenous music acts. They combine humour and stunning harmonies to transport you to a world of joy, spirit and song.
This feature length documentary tells the story of Mahani Teave who grew up on Rapa Nui (Easter Island) and left at age 9 to pursue her dream of being classical pianist—a journey that takes her from mainland Chile to The Cleveland Music Institute to Berlin and the great concert halls of Europe. At the age of 30, on the brink of international success, Teave gives up her career to pursue a new dream, coming back full circle to Rapa Nui to found a free music school for the island’s children. The resulting school—named Toki, after the basalt tool once used to shape Easter Island’s iconic sculptures—is a model of sustainability, incorporating tons of tires, bottles and Pacific Ocean plastic; surrounded by agri-environmental gardens to grow food. With Toki, Mahani hopes to shape a bold new future for Rapa Nui and inspire hope and change.
The story of a vocal virtuoso. Using rarely seen archives, Luther tells his own story with assistance from his close friends and collaborators including Mariah Carey, Dionne Warwick and Roberta Flack. The film relives the many stunning moments of Luther’s musical career, while exploring his unrequited love life, health struggles and a lifelong battle to earn the respect his music deserved.
Coronavirus played havoc with the live entertainment industry in 2020, and Singer Songwriter Troy Cassar-Daley certainly felt the brunt of it. But despite the shutdown and loss of his father at the same time, Troy has come through the pandemic stronger and with a new album under his belt. Troy sat down with Living Black to share the story of his career, the musical rivalry he shares with his wife Laurel, and how he found inspiration to write music again at such a hard time in his life and career.
Sammy By Sammy examines in depth, like no other documentary, the ten most singular years in the life of the legendary performer of “Mr. Bojangles”, Sammy Davis. From 1957 to 1968, he was both at the height of the star system and confronted with a violently racist and segregated America. The film addresses the five pillars of his career and his intimate life that come together in the pursuit of his dream during this decade.
Armed with his love of hāngī and grounded in the principles of te ao Māori, Temuera Morrison uses kai as a powerful vehicle to connect cultures and celebrate Indigenous knowledge. From the steaming pits of Aotearoa to traditional earth ovens across the world, Earth Oven reveals how the ancient cooking technique of underground cooking has shaped civilisations for thousands of years. With his trademark warmth and humour, Tem explores awe-inspiring landscapes, samples unforgettable cuisine, and shines a light on the deep cultural roots of communal cooking. Guided by values like whanaungatanga (relationship), manaakitanga (hospitality and respect), and tapu/noa (sacred/ordinary), this series is as heartwarming as it is educational—sharing Māori joy and wisdom in every episode. At a time when we’re all hungry for connection, Earth Oven serves up food, fun, and a taste of Indigenous cultures to the world.
EPISODE 1 – JORDAN
In Jordan, Temuera meets the Bedouin people and gets a real taste of their way of life while learning their customs, and digging into the smoky, slow-cooked flavours of a traditional Zarb.
Troy Cassar-Daley: A Journey Between the Fires is a deeply personal and compelling story following award-winning singer songwriter Troy Cassar-Daley as he navigates through profound grief and sadness to embark on his most challenging and rewarding album to date.
This insightful documentary explores Troy’s journey of returning to his childhood home to record his latest album on Gumbayngirr Country in Northern New South Wales in September 2023.
A landmark NITV commission,The Colleano Hearttraces an extraordinary First Nations family whose courage, creativity and resilience propelled them from early 1900s racism and oppression to global circus stardom at the cost of hiding their Indigenous identity. Warm, joyous and deeply moving, the documentary uncovers a Hidden Generation story fuelled by love, ambition and survival.
For the riders, the spectators and the town of Alice Springs, the Finke Desert Race is more than a race. Finke: There and Back delves below the surface to uncover what makes them tick, what drives them to put their lives on the line when they strap their helmets on. Paraplegic Isaac Elliott is attempting to complete the race that he started a decade earlier. Scruff Hamill, who lives in a shed full of bikes in Sydney, makes the trip to tick off a bucket list event. Meanwhile, the factory race teams at the head of the field fight for pride and to be named King of the Desert.
In tropical Cairns, Australia, Temuera delves into Aboriginal traditions, including the ancient earth oven known as the bang-gaa - a powerful expression of culture and connection to land.
Emily: I Am Kam celebrates the legacy of Australia’s most significant female artist - Emily Kam Kngwarray -and explores the power of her work to protect her country, Alhalker. We follow her descendants as they revive awely ceremonies and collaborate on a major retrospective exhibition, helping us gain real understanding of who she was and why she painted, while reaffirming her enduring connection to Country and community. Archival recordings give Kngwarray the opportunity to speak for herself, revealing her legacy is so much more than the 3,000 or so paintings she left behind.
When Gillian Moody and Adrian Russell Wills met making their first short film together, little did they know that 25 years later they would be best friends. The pair turned to each other in navigating the emotional rollercoaster of being adopted into white families and connecting back with their bloodlines. Kindred explores the importance of discovering your place in the world, and realising that home and love truly can be found in the people and places your heart connects to.
Part of NITV’s Always Was, Always Will Be programming.
Temuera heads to Hawaii to explore the ancient tradition of the imu. He connects with friends and local experts to discover the powerful expression of Hawaiian identity and Aloha 'Aina.
Strength, Survival and Pride this January 26 on NITV, SBS and SBS On Demand
As the home of First Nations storytelling, National Indigenous Television (NITV) will bring its 2026 #AlwayWasAlwaysWillBe programming slate across NITV and the entire SBS Network from Sunday January 18 to Monday January 26 to shine a light on Australia’s shared history.
January 26 remains a moment of national conversation, one that asks Australians to reflect on the history and complexity of this date, examine identity and consider what this day means to First Nations peoples and contemporary Australia.
Across the week, NITV and SBS invite all Australians to engage with distinctive, authoritative, deeply personal and unapologetically Blak perspectives that illuminate the truth of our shared history. The curated slate explores stories of strength, survival and pride, offering audiences the opportunity to reflect, understand and connect with the world’s oldest living continuous culture.
Tanya Denning-Orman, a proud Birri and Guugu Yimidhirr woman and SBS Director, First Nations, said: “With our Always Was, Always Will Be season, we’re proud to centre First Nations voices and perspectives, and to showcase resonant stories of strength, survival and pride that speak to tens of thousands of years of continuous culture.
“Through NITV’s distinctive First Nations storytelling, amplified by multiplatform and multilingual programming and coverage across the SBS network, Australians are invited to listen, learn and lean into the conversation around 26 January, inspiring reflection, understanding and constructive dialogue.”
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS – ALWAYS WAS, ALWAYS WILL BE 2026
PREMIERE – The Colleano Heart:
Monday 19 January, 8:30pm on NITV and SBS On Demand & Monday 26 January, 7:30pm on SBS
A landmark NITV commission, The Colleano Heart traces an extraordinary First Nations family whose courage, creativity and resilience propelled them from early 1900s racism and oppression to global circus stardom at the cost of hiding their Indigenous identity. Warm, joyous and deeply moving, the documentary uncovers a Hidden Generation story fuelled by love, ambition and survival.
WugulOra Morning Ceremony – Live from Barangaroo Reserve
Simulcast: Monday 26 January, 7:30am on NITV, SBS and SBS On Demand
A sacred and unifying start to January 26, WugulOra (‘One Mob’ in the Gadigal language) honours the culture, strength and continuity of the Gadigal peoples of the Eora Nation through dance, song and storytelling. Hosted by NITV’s John Paul Janke and Shahni Wellington and broadcast live from Barangaroo Reserve - a smoking ceremony and celebration of the world’s oldest living culture.
SBS Elder in Residence Oration
Simulcast: Monday 26 January, 11:00am on NITV, SBS and SBS On Demand
Delivered by Widjabul Wiabul woman Rhoda Roberts AO, the annual Elder in Residence Oration reflects on challenges, aspirations and the path forward for all Australians.
NITV News: Day 26
Simulcast: Monday 26 January, 5:30pm on NITV, SBS and SBS On Demand
Along with a wrap of the day’s marches and events from an Indigenous perspective, *NITV News: Day 26 will be hosted by Natalie Ahmat and John Paul Janke and focus on truth-telling, historical context and Australian identity in 2026. Filmmaker Rachel Perkins, historian Stephen Gapps (TheAustralian Wars ), and comedian Dane Simpson will discuss the relevance of January 26, what it means to be Australian, and how our national identity has been shaped.
ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
The Idea of Australia – Episodes air 18, 19, 25 and 26 January, 7:30pm, NITV & SBS On Demand
Presented by Academy Award nominee Rachel Griffiths AM (Total Control, Muriel’s Wedding, Hacksaw Ridge, Brothers & Sisters), the landmark documentary event The Idea of Australia isn’t a retelling of history; it’s a reimagining of the future. This ambitious series features over 60 master interviews with historians, experts, and significant public figures, and features personal opinions, testimony and popular culture archives.
Troy Cassar-Daley: A Journey Between the Fires – 18 January, 8:30pm, NITV & SBS On Demand
A Journey Between The Fires is a deeply personal and compelling documentary following Award-winning singer songwriter Troy Cassar-Daley as he navigates profound grief and sadness to embark on his most challenging and rewarding album to date.
Our Medicine – Episodes 3 & 4 on 21 January, 7:30pm, NITV & SBS On Demand
Our Medicine is a ground-breaking observational series which takes viewers behind the frontline of our strained medical services and joins patients on their emotional journeys through the system. With unique access to First Nations doctors, nurses, paramedics, traditional healers, and other medical professionals, it shines an important light on First Nations professionals and communities taking back control of Indigenous health.
Earth Oven (Australia episode) – 21 January, 8:30pm, NITV & SBS On Demand
Host Temuera Morrison visits Cairns in this episode of Earth Oven, a cultural, round-the-world series that explores the earth oven - a way of cooking that transcends location and time. Here he explores a UNESCO World Heritage site and reconnects with an old friend to delve into Aboriginal traditions, including the bang-gaa earth oven - a powerful expression of culture, connection to land, and the enduring spirit of the world’s oldest living culture.
Emily: I Am Kam – 21 January, 9:30pm, NITV & SBS On Demand
Emily: I Am Kam (pronounced karma) is a heartfelt documentary about internationally renowned artist, Emily Kam Kngwarray from the Utopia community in the Northern Territory. It examines Kngwarray’s transformative impact on the international contemporary art world providing a rare opportunity to witness her journey and the profound influence of her art and the power of her work to protect her Country, Alhalker.
Going Places with Ernie Dingo S3 Ep 3 – 22 January, 7:30pm, NITV & SBS On Demand
Australian icon Ernie Dingo returns in another epic episode of the long running Going Places, yarning with proud locals and exploring the idyllic locations this country has to offer. In this episode, Ernie visits the small community of Yirrkala in the Northern Territory to reconnect with some of the local Yolngu People and to learn more about what’s happening on Country.
Reckless Ep 1 – 22 January, 9:30pm, NITV & SBS On Demand
SBS and NITV Original Reckless, is a bold First Nations drama set in Fremantle where guilt, family and dysfunction collide in a wickedly funny, high-stakes thrill ride. When feuding siblings June (Tasma Walton) and Charlie (Hunter Page-Lochard) cover up a hit and run in their hometown of Fremantle, their lives spiral wildly out of control, and as the lies pile up, so do the consequences and soon, everyone in town has something to lose.
The New Boy – 22 January, 9:30pm, NITV & SBS On Demand
Writer/director Warwick Thornton’s The New Boy is set in 1940s Australia, in a mission for Aboriginal children run by a renegade nun, Sister Eileen (Cate Blanchett). A new charge (Aswan Reid) is delivered in the dead of night – a boy who appears to have special powers – in this story of spiritual struggle and the cost of survival.
Rabbit-Proof Fence – 23 January, 7:30pm, NITV & SBS On Demand
This 2002 Australian film directed by Phillip Noyce tells the true story of three Aboriginal girls who are taken from their home and sent to a remote settlement 1,500 miles away. They embark on a daring escape and epic journey along the rabbit-proof fence to find their way back home across an unforgiving landscape that will test their very will to survive.
In-language content across more than 60 languages from 18–26 January, including an Always Was, Always Will Beexplainer in Arabic, English, Greek, Mandarin, Punjabi and Vietnamese.
First Nations resources aligned with the Australian Curriculum including The Point in Time clips page*,* complete with classroom questions and activities, as well as teacher guides on How to Deliver and Acknowledgement of Country, by Shelley Ware. This video content is also available in Mandarin and Arabic to support broader community engagement.
This year’s Always Was Always Will Be offering continues the work of SBS’s Elevate Reconciliation Action Plan 2022–2026, which outlines SBS’s commitment to reflecting, exploring and embedding First Nations stories, knowledges, cultures and languages across the network.
Conservationist Nicola Toki and comedian Pax Assadi travel around New Zealand and the South Pacific to get up-close-and-personal with an array of species at risk of extinction. Not your typical nature documentary series, Most Endangered Species New Zealand captivates a new audience of armchair wildlife-enthusiasts through Assadi’s comedy and Nicola’s enthusiasm.
Episode 1 - Mackenzie Basin
Pax and Nicola make their way to Mackenzie Basin, which is home to many of Aotearoa’s native species.
Somewhere in the remote deserts of Australia lived an elusive nocturnal bird called the Night Parrot. Virtually nothing is known of its ecology and it disappeared at the end of the 19th century.
Night Parrot Stories was filmed in all the locations where Night Parrots once lived, during a time when stories of its extinction were everywhere.
Immersing himself in the traditions of the Mapuche and Huilliche peoples in Chile, Temuera discovers the communal magic of the curanto, and even finds himself on horseback.
Comedian Pax Assadi and conservationist Nicola Toki go on an epic journey to Pureora rainforest, where they will learn about the most vulnerable, controversial critters facing extinction today.
The Issue with Tissue documents the little-known, largely untold story of the boreal forest and the Indigenous First Nations peoples who call it home, which is being clearcut for the manufacture of toilet paper.
Told in the words and voices of the First Nations Elders and Leaders of the boreal, leading scientists and activists, The Issue with Tissue creates a kind of talking circle that inspires storytellers to speak with candour and intimacy about the issues confronting us all, and that the way forward lies in elevating and supporting Indigenous knowledge and stewardship rooted in an ages old connection to the boreal forest.
MEXICOSet in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, Tem explores sacred rituals, deep cultural roots, and rich flavours still thriving in the ancient Mayan tradition of the piib earth oven.
