SBS marks one year of âMind Your Healthâ this World Mental Health Day
SBS is providing more educational and uplifting stories through its Mind Your Health portal including a new season of the popular meditation podcast Great Minds, new health explainer videos and more.
As part of SBSâs Mind Your Health initiative, new content is launching including a new season of the popular Great Minds podcast, a video explainer on the importance of breast cancer screening in ten languages and a comprehensive explainer on accessing free medical services, produced by SBSâs Australia Explained in 21 languages.
The launch of this new series coincides with World Mental Health Day (October 10) and is part of an expanded offering that will also see new videos on cervical cancer screening, harnessing positive stress and an explainer on dental healthcare.
Director of Audio and Language Content, David Hua said, âItâs great to have these important stories and resources available in our most widely spoken languages in Australia.â
âLooking after your health can be hard at the best of times, but it can be even more challenging when you have just arrived in Australia or have low English proficiency, so Iâm thrilled we are celebrating the first birthday of Mind Your Health with more useful and important content for our audiences in their first languages.
âItâs important to know where to get help and our upcoming explainers on the importance of cancer screening and accessing free medical services will help support more Australians get the care they need.â
Season two of the guided meditation podcast Great Minds hosted by Walkley-award winning journalist Sarah Malik is among the new content available, featuring five experts from different cultural disciplines. The first three episodes feature Warrimay Birrbay artist Nicole Smede and includes a Ngarayamƫrah[1] meditation, which focuses on listening to Country.
A new video on the importance of breast cancer screening in ten languages is available and an explainer video on accessing free medical services in 21 languages will be available on October 12.
Launched in October 2022, the Mind Your Health portal is an online collection of stories and resources from across the SBS network designed to inform and inspire multicultural, multilingual and First Nations audiences to care for their mental health and general wellbeing.
The Mind Your Health portal provides an array of trusted content from the practicalities of booking a doctorâs appointment to finding mental health services in your language. The portal also features Mind Your Health in your language a collection of articles on health and wellbeing in ten languages â Arabic, Cantonese, English, Filipino, Hindi, Korean, Mandarin, Punjabi, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
Mind Your Health articles, videos and podcasts are available all year round here
SBS Learn partners with the Australian Media Literacy Alliance to support young peoplesâ literacy in television and media across Australian classrooms
SBS Learn launches a newly refreshed website to provide a better digital experience to support teachers and students
SBS Learn has joined the Australian Media Literacy Alliance (AMLA) to empower students with the ability to critically engage with media, to explore perspectives, and to challenge their perceptions and their sources of information with two bold and innovative resources ahead of Media Literacy Week on 23-29 October.
Two SBS Learn resources featured on AMLAâs growing platform equips students with the skills to critically analyse media through language, perspective, form and purpose.
SBS Learn â SBSâs educational arm of the wider SBS Outreach initiative - is supporting young people with tools to critically engage with media and television as media literacy becomes a national priority in this digital age. Created for primary and secondary students from Years 6-10, the resources focus on deconstructing different representations of facts, reporting and narrative in the media landscape through a series of activities accompanying each resource.
Emily Yong, Education Lead at SBS Learn, said: "Strong media literacy enables students to be safe and effectively participate in the ever-changing digital world. SBS Learn delivers current and relevant teacher resources, especially as more students use devices in the classroom and beyond, media literacy is crucial now more than ever. We are proud members of the Australian Media Literacy Alliance, and advocate for stronger media literacy to create safe, well-informed, active citizens.â
SBS Learn has also launched a newly refreshed website as part of its delivery of quality, accessible, curriculum-aligned materials for teachers across Australia. The new website provides a better digital experience to support teachers and students to more easily find credible and quality educational resources linked to some of SBS and NITVâs biggest programming and cultural celebrations, all written by subject-matter experts or those with cultural authority and lived experience.
The first of the resources being shared for Media Literacy Week is based on SBSâs gripping original drama, Safe Home, written in collaboration with author, journalist and consent educator Jane Gilmore. The resource provides students the opportunity to better understand the way family and domestic violence is covered in the media. The resource also includes short clips with insights on family violence from the series creator and writer, Anna Barnes, alongside actors Aisha Dee (Phoebe), Mabel Li (Jenny) and Virginia Gay (Eve).
Discover Australiaâs First Fake News Story with SBS Learnâs second resource, paired with SBS interactive documentary Kâgari created in collaboration with Butchulla artist Fiona Foley and academic Larissa Behrendt. The innovative resource uses discussion questions and classroom activities to debunk one of Australiaâs first fake new stories by exposing the largely untold Aboriginal version of events accompanied with an immersive animation by Torres Strait Islander artist, Tori-Jay Mordey.
The perspectives and stories that SBS Learn uplifts for the resources included for Media Literacy Week are also part of SBSâs continuous commitment to its Elevate Reconciliation Action Plan 2022-2026, which outlines SBSâs commitment to increasing the prominence of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories and perspectives across its network, to contribute to greater recognition of First Nations knowledges and stories that enrich and contribute to a thriving, multicultural Australia.
SBS Annual Report 2022-23
The SBS Annual Report 2022-23 was tabled in Parliament by the Minister for Communications on October 20, 2023.
SBS celebrates the Festivals of Light with unmatched, distinctive content to light up all Australians
The Nara family featured in the Diwali video series hosted by celebrity chef Kishwar Chowdhury (pictured far left)
SBS is celebrating Diwali, Deepavali, Bandi Chhor Diwas and Tihar for the second year with an exciting collection of digital, video and audio content to entertain and share the colour and festivities of Diwali with all Australians.
Also known as the Festivals of Light, SBS will mark the occasion loved and celebrated by over one billion people globally with curated television programming including culinary adventures, documentaries and movies which recognise diversity and facilitate greater cultural understanding.
SBS Audioâs Bangla, Gujarati, Hindi, Malayalam, Nepali, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu programs will produce a feast of new content including: explainers; a guide to community festivals in 2023; a new video series on what Diwali looks like in Australia with celebrity chef Kishwar Chowdhury; audience competitions; videos showcasing multifaith families and second generation Australians celebrating the festival in their own way; and a bespoke SBS podcast My Diwali featuringinterviews with ex-Masterchef contestant Depinder Chibber, female dhol drum player Priya Gakhar and COO of One Future Football, Rohit Bhargava. The podcast will explore what itâs like celebrating Diwali in multicultural Australia including traditions, spirituality, food, games and more. SBS PopDesi will also provide the best playlist for a Diwali party.
Managing Director, James Taylor said, âWeâre thrilled to be the Australian home of the Festivals of Light for a second year and to share this wonderful cultural celebration with all Australians.
âWeâre incredibly proud of this yearâs vibrant and distinctive content across the SBS network which is unmatched in its in-depth perspectives and content breadth. SBSâs Diwali content will be in prime television slots from 5 October to 17 November and take-over SBS World Movies on Sunday 12 November. Our language programs will also publish explainers and articles to enhance cultural understanding in more than eight languages.â
SBSâs free online streaming platform, SBS On Demand, will feature a collection of movies inspired by themes of the festival including The Man Who Knew Infinity starring Dev Patel as Srinivasa Ramanujan, an exceptionally gifted mathematician navigating Trinity College in Cambridge; the rousing and true story of women in the film industry in Women Beyond Bollywood premiering on SBS VICELAND on Sunday 12 November at 9.30pm; acclaimed feminist comedy-drama Angry Indian Goddesses; Hindi romantic musical Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam starring celebrated Indian actors Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai as a married couple gone wrong; and Bangladeshi drama The Salt in Our Waters where progressive sculpture artist Rudro moves to a local village only to attract suspicion when the fish start to disappear.
Get ready for a SBS World Movie marathon on Sunday 12 November with non-stop feature films from Anandi Gopal (7.25am) to The Warrior Queen of Jhansi (10.25pm). and including the premiere of comedy-drama India Sweets and Spices (9.30pm), winner of the prestigious Academy Nicholl Fellowship in screenwriting and a Gold List Award for Breakout Indie Film.
India Unplated with Indian-Australian chefs Helly Raichura, Adam DâSylva and Sandeep Pandit
A tastebud sensation curated by SBS Food will celebrate adventures to the land of spices, including the premiere of Luke Nguyenâs India(Monday 13 November, 7.30pm), two episodes of Anthony Bourdain No Reservationsin India (Monday 6 November, 7.30pm and Wednesday 15 November, 4.30pm), Season One of David Roccoâs Dolce India(Monday 6 November - Friday 17 November, 4-4.30pm), Season One of Rick Steinâs India, India Unplatedwith acclaimed Indian-Australian chefs Helly Raichura, Adam DâSylva and Sandeep Pandit*,* a special episode of Gordon Ramsay Uncharted in India and The Cook Up with Adam Liaw with episodes on Indian cuisine and Diwali*.* The feast continues on SBS Food online with recipes, stories of family and food with first-person memoir pieces, and a special three-part recipe series with Anchal Verma on sweets including kaju katli, mango ladoo and coconut rose barfi.
SBS Learn will celebrate Diwali with a ready-to-go resource for teachers on how to make a kolam or rangoli guided by primary school teacher Vakula Bhattar. The video is also available in Bangla, Gujarati, Hindi, Malayalam, Nepali, Punjabi and Tamil.
Around the nation, SBS will be on the ground at community events and festivals, partnering to deliver festive fun from the Diwali Street Festival in Wentworthville on Saturday 18 November to the Alice Springs Town Council Night Markets for Diwali on Thursday 9 November. SBS is a proud partner for 11 events around the country in New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia, to directly support celebrations and will be on the ground for an additional six events.
SBS Learn is celebrating Diwali in classrooms with a ready-to-go resource for teachers across Australia
SBS Learn is giving teachers the opportunity to share a greater understanding of the South Asian cultural celebration Diwali/Deepavali in alignment with the Australian curriculum
SBS Learn is celebrating the Festival of Lights for the second year with an exciting creative educational video resource to help share the festivities of Diwali in classrooms.
Filmed in collaboration with Primary School teacher, Vakula Bhattar, this multilingual âCelebrate Diwaliâ educational resource is based on creating a kolam /rangoli artwork for the Festival of Lights, an important celebration in the South Asian cultural calendar. The resource includes inclusive practical activities in seven languages â including English â to reflect the cross-cultural connections which define the spirit of Diwali/Deepavali.
Primary School teacher at Girraween Primary School, Vakula Bhattar, said: âDiwali is an important time for many Australians and is marked as one of the biggest and most important days of the calendar for many South Asian households. Itâs a time of religious rituals, community bonding and a moment to share traditions with the younger generation, with stories that Iâm excited to extend to my classroom.â
âBuilding on the strength from last yearâs resource, I had many people from the community, even those who werenât teachers, use the resource and feel a sense of pride in our work. I was beyond happy.â
To connect with more communities and classrooms across Australia, SBS Learn has also translated the step-by-step instructional videos across seven languages â Bangla, Gujarati, Hindi, Malayalam, Nepali, Punjabi and Tamil, as well as captions in English.
The resource is based around an art activity to create a kolam â meaning beauty in Thamizh (Tamil) which morphs into a rangoli of geometric patterns and curved loops. Guided by Vakula, students learn how to create their own kolam and rangoli whilst also learning key differences between the two. The resource on kolam / rangoli artwork also includes context about how Diwali is celebrated in Australia, and the different rituals people undertake to prepare for the festivities.
SCREEN AUSTRALIA, SBS AND NITV ANNOUNCE DIGITAL ORIGINALS SHORTLIST FOR 2023
Screen Australia, SBS and National Indigenous Television (NITV) have selected 10 projects to progress in the first round of this yearâs Digital Originals initiative. Now in its fourth year, the initiative is aimed at developing exciting and innovative short-form drama projects to premiere as a single hour-long episode program on SBS On Demand, SBS VICELAND and NITV, from screen creatives historically under-represented in the sector.
The 10 teams selected are currently attending a workshop in Melbourne hosted by Screen Australia, SBS and NITV, to provide them with an opportunity to work on narrative writing skills and develop their projects to align with the SBS Charter, SBS Commissioning Equity and Inclusion Guidelines, and SBS and NITV platforms â ultimately culminating in a pitch to Screen Australia, SBS and NITV. Up to five projects will then be selected to take their projects into further development, and from these up to three will later be chosen for production funding and commissioning with SBS, NITV and Screen Australia.
Screen Australia Head of Online and Games, Lee Naimo said, âDigital Originals is a genuine talent escalator for emerging and under-represented creative talent in Australia. This initiative offers participants a truly unique opportunity to not only create a premium online series, but to also learn from the best in the business and develop their projects in a nurturing environment. Weâre absolutely thrilled to continue our partnership with SBS and NITV to deliver Digital Originals and most importantly, continue to help elevate the careers of all the creators weâll have in the room over the next couple of days.â
SBS Scripted Commissioning Editor, Loani Arman said, âWeâre thrilled to be back for another round of Digital Originals and warmly welcome the next crop of teams. The Digital Originals initiative is an unbeatable career pathway for creative talent from excluded or under-represented backgrounds who are burning to tell stories that are rich in culture, courageous in their points of view, and delivered with a level of excellence that sees their stories connect with audiences here in Australia and around the world. We canât wait to work closely with the teams to support them in developing their projects, along with our initiative partners, Screen Australia and NITV.â
NITVâs Head of Commissions, Marissa McDowell, added, âThe Digital Originals initiative assists in creating career pathways and elevating First Nations creatives, by providing meaningful support for emerging talent, and a platform to share contemporary stories from fresh perspectives. Iâm once again looking forward to seeing all thatâs ahead for this yearâs cohort.â
The selected Digital Originals projects and teams for the workshop, are:
- Blak Coffee: Dynamic Aunty Laureen and her headstrong but wayward niece Alysha strive for success in their mobile coffee van in a competitive industry, enticing caffeinators with their special bush blend. But the inconvenient arrival of a space alien who looks just like a Hollywood celebrity makes it ultra-challenging for them. Team: Edoardo Crismani, Colleen Raven Strangways, Josh Trevorrow.
- Boundaryâs End: Two Blak Queens living on Boundary St, are thrust into the unknown when their onsite landlord dabbles in spellcasting, accidentally blurring the boundary between reality and fantasy. Now at the centre of a fairy-tale with a confused prince and his esquire, theyâll need to complete wacky quests in order to find normality again. Team: Kisha Broome, Miriam Dynevor.
- Jennifer Eric is Cancelled: When trans comedian Jennifer Eric suddenly becomes a viral sensation, she must navigate fame, success and true love at a breakneck pace â begging the question of who will be there for her when it all comes to a crashing halt. Team: Chloe Black, Olivia Bilic, Claudia Holmes.
- Fish Boi: Second-gen Filipino-Aussie Kiko âFish Boiâ Cablog takes audiences on a wild ride through clan, crew and culture as he cruises the highways and streets of Western Sydney â delivering fish for his familyâs Filo (Filipino) store, while scheming his way to âescape the Westâ. Team: Robertino Zambrano, Dulce Aguilar.
- Dismissable: When their local beauty pageant becomes disability-only, disabled Alana and her able-bodied sister Nicky clash over whether to make it a success or take it down. As the disabled community competes for the crown, sometimes true equality is getting to be as shallow and backstabbing as everyone else. Team: Rhian Wilson Ruge, Artemis Munoz, Alistair Baldwin.
- Influenced: Eric, a charismatic paraplegic motivational speaker, is on the cusp of his biggest national tour yet. But when mysterious messages from his deceased ex-girlfriend begin to surface, they threaten to shatter the carefully constructed facade of Ericâs inspirational empire. Over six pivotal days, as the pressure mounts and his empire teeters on the edge of collapse, Eric must take drastic measures to take back control of his narrative. Team: Isaac Elliott, Lucy Knox.
- Lingered: When millennial Darcy returns to their regional hometown after transitioning gender, they reunite with their semi-estranged mother Nora, whose sudden decision to sell the family home unearths strange occurrences. But after stepping inside, Darcy discovers that Noraâs actually been hiding someone Darcy thought theyâd never have to meet again. Team: AP Pobjoy, Cyna Strachan, Kirsty Fisher, Jean Tong, Liam Heyen.
- Little Korea: A film crew follows a naĂŻve Korean migrant single mother who embarks on a journey to conquer the food industry in the brutally competitive Korean restaurant community. Team: Lark Lee, David Gim, Katrina Irawati Graham.
- Scrubbers: A black-owned roadhouse comedy based in the Nullabour plains. With the Nullabour road connecting East and West, it attracts holiday travellers, truckies and a lot of misfits â meaning that lots and lots of strange things happen out there. Team: Iya Ware, Emele Ugavule, Tommy Misa.
- Six Suspects: A prized Indonesian ruby brooch, entrusted by the cityâs mayor to the Melbourne Fashion Gala Festival for its grand finale runway, vanishes just before its unveiling by local hijabi model and showstopper, Inayah Muhammad. Suspect 1# Inayah Muhammad. Team: Kauthar Abdulalim, Nazli Sevinc, Santilla Chingaipe.
The Digital Originals initiative continues to prove itself as an effective stepping-stone for creators to advance their skills, and as a launch-pad for their projects to attract local interest and break into international markets. Recent recipients include Night Bloomers, which premiered on SBS On Demand and SBS VICELAND last month; Appetite, which was selected as one of 10 seriesâ in the Short Form Competition at Canneseries 2023; and Latecomers, which was among six series featured in the Short Forms Competition at Series Mania in Lille, France this year - with both Appetite and Latecomersbeing the only Australian productions selected for each of the prestigious festivals and this week were both announced as finalists in C21âs International Drama Awards for Newform Drama Series. Appetite has also been nominated for a Rose dâOr this week. Alumni of Digital Originals have also gone on to take on key creative roles across SBS original series and elsewhere in the industry, including, producer Liam Heyen (Latecomers, Erotic Stories), director Madeleine Gottlieb (Erotic Stories), Mohini Herse (Appetite) who will soon direct Four Years for SBS, Stevie Cruz-Martin (The Tailings, Safe Home), as well as Corrie Chen and Michelle Law (Homecoming Queens), and Dylan River (Robbie Hood).
Celebrate strength, resilience and survival as part of Always Was, Always Will Be this January 26 on NITV and SBS
- Poignant feature-length documentary Her Name is Nanny Nellie premieres on NITV, SBS and SBS On Demand on Sunday 21 January at 8.30pm.
- Award-winning film The Droverâs Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson airs on NITV on Thursday 25 January at 8.30pm.
- Watch a special edition of NITV News on 26 January from 5.30pm on NITV and SBS.
- Programming across the network from Sunday 21 January to Friday 26 January champions First Nations voices and Blak excellence.
National Indigenous Television (NITV) and the wider SBS network invite audiences to deepen their understanding of January 26 in 2024 through a curated week of First Nations programming including powerful documentary Her Name is Nanny Nellie, Leah Purcellâs award-winning film The Droverâs Wife and special updates from NITV News. The suite of content explores the history of First Nations peoples including trailblazers whoâve made a difference.
Tanya Denning-Orman, a proud Birri and Guugu Yimidhirr woman and SBS Director of Indigenous Content, said: âAt NITV, every day is an open invitation for all Australians to connect with First Nations stories and perspectives. As we approach January 26, SBS â with NITV at its heart â wants to encourage and empower all Australians to understand more about the 65,000+ years of history and cultures we have across this continent, the views and experiences within communities, and the role we can all play in Australiaâs future.â
Premiering on NITV and SBS on Sunday 21 January, Her Name is Nanny Nellie tells the story of a trio of nameless statues buried in the archives of the Australian Museum which trigger a great granddaughterâs journey to rewrite how Aboriginal people are represented in Australiaâs public history.
The week of programming continues with The Droverâs Wife, Australiaâs first feature film with an Indigenous woman writing, directing and performing the lead role. Leah Purcellâs award-winning film airs on NITV on Thursday 25 January at 8.30pm and on SBS World Movies on Saturday 27 January at 8.30pm.
On January 26, the strength and diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, cultures, stories and histories will be given prominence across NITV, beginning with Bamay at 5am. The morning will focus on cultures and ceremonies, with programs including the buĆgul from Garma Festival, DanceRites 2023 followed by the Elder in Residence Oration from Widjabul Wia-bal woman from the Bundjalung Nation, and SBSâs Elder in Residence, Rhoda Roberts AO.
The afternoon begins with a special, updated episode of Living Black which explores the Indigenous Voice to Parliament Referendum, followed by Ganbu Gulin: One Mob, a documentary about a councilâs decision to stop observing January 26 as Australia Day, directed by Daniel King. Ningla A-Na airs at 1.10pm, the only documentary shot from within the Aboriginal Tent Embassy, chronicling the events surrounding the establishment of the embassy on the lawns of Parliament House.
Also on January 26, NITV News coverage and updates across broadcast and digital platforms will provide ongoing reporting and insight on the dayâs events from every state and territory. The coverage will be led by NITV News presenter and NITVâs Head of Indigenous News and Current Affairs, Natalie Ahmat, a proud Mudburra and Wagadagum woman.
Two-minute bulletins air hourly on NITV from 2pm, culminating in a news program, Day 26 â NITV News, premiering at 5.30pm and simulcast on SBS. The program will look at how communities across the country are marking the day.
SBS On Demand will feature a curated Always Was, Always Will Be collection of programming. SBS Food will air a selection of programs throughout the day, celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures through cuisine with episodes of The Cook Up with Adam Liaw and Strait to the Plate. From 12.15pm, SBS VICELAND will air Sing About This Country.
SBS Audio will be covering January 26 in more than 60 languages. Stories will explore Australiaâs diverse communitiesâ perspectives on January 26 and deepen understanding and connections with First Nations peoples among multicultural communities.
SBS Learn will showcase Always Was, Always Will Be teaching resources exploring the histories, languages and cultures of Australiaâs First Peoples. Teachers can use the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Protocols Guide to create a culturally enriching learning environment for the school community to engage respectfully with First Nations Peoples and perspectives. This guide is authored by Wonnarua and Kunja woman, Shiralee Lawson and Wiradjuri woman, Jarin Baigent.
More content highlights will be announced next month.
Andrew Mudgway resigned from SBS as its national TV and digital sales manager following the broadcasterâs decision to relocate the role back to Sydney from Melbourne.
After much discussion, Mudgway has chosen not to relocate due to family reasons.
SBS welcomes Nakul Legha as new Scripted Commissioning Editor
SBS has announced that Nakul Legha has joined the network as Commissioning Editor in its award-winning Scripted team.
He joins SBS from Netflix where for the last three years he has helped grow the platformâs local content strategy in Australia and New Zealand. As Creative Executive, he worked across Netflixâs pipeline of original Australian content developing, commissioning and overseeing scripted and unscripted productions including Boy Swallows Universe, Wellmania, and ONEFOUR: Against All Odds. He also led local film and TV licensing and co-productions including co-commissioning the upcoming childrenâs animated series, Eddieâs Lilâ Homies, with National Indigenous Television (NITV), based on the childrenâs books by AFL legend, Eddie Betts.
Along with experience in business and legal affairs including at the ABC prior to his time at Netflix, Nakul also brings an enduring commitment to creating a more inclusive sector to his new role at SBS, which has seen him work across industry initiatives supporting emerging and diverse talent.
At SBS, he will play a leading role in the development and production of a distinctive slate of original scripted drama. Alongside key flagship commissioned series, he will also work across the ground-breaking Digital Originals initiative which, in partnership with Screen Australia, continues to produce innovative and contemporary Australian storytelling showcasing a new wave of creative talent historically under-represented in the sector.
Julie Eckersley, Head of SBS Scripted,said: âNakul has a wonderful enthusiasm for Australian storytelling, a passion for supporting and elevating voices that reflect the dynamic diversity of contemporary Australia, and sharing these stories with a global audience. Weâre delighted to have to have him join the team at an exciting time for SBS as we continue to push boundaries in creating distinct, exciting and entertaining television.â
Born in Rajasthan, India, Nakul spent his formative years in Bhutan before moving to Australia, and he speaks fluent Hindi. On his appointment, he added: âAs a migrant kid, who didnât speak any English and grew up in Western Sydney, watching and listening to SBS helped me understand my new home and find belonging here.
âYears later, Iâm so proud to be joining SBS and its award-winning Scripted team. I look forward to the privilege of working with Australiaâs best creatives in making bold, distinctive Australian stories that continue to define what it means to be Australian and resonate with audiences at home and across the world.â
Nakul joins the team as SBS original dramas continue to receive recognition and acclaim, collecting a number of Australian and international award wins and nominations over the last 12 months, including for the networkâs three flagship dramas of 2023 â While the Men Are Away, Erotic Stories and four-part series Safe Home, whichis also currently airing in the United States through Hulu. SBS Digital Originals have also been recognised on the global stage including Latecomers which featured in the Short Forms Competition at Series Mania in France last year, and Appetite which was one of 10 series in the Short Form Competition at Canneseries 2023, and was also nominated for a prestigious Rose dâOr.
He commences in the role today.
Nominations open for Les Murray Award for Refugee Recognition
Nominations are now open for the third Les Murray Award for Refugee Recognition, presented by SBS and Australia for UNHCR
The award is named in honour of the beloved sports broadcaster Les Murray AM, who hosted The World Game on SBS and was himself a young refugee who arrived in Australia in 1956 from Hungary.
âThis award celebrates people from refugee backgrounds who are promoting positive awareness of refugees through their work in the community, including in the arts, sport, and as community leaders,â said Australia for UNHCRâs CEO Trudi Mitchell.
âEvery year, the judges have the challenging task of choosing from a list of outstanding candidates from across Australia; people who in many instances have endured great hardship and are now contributing to their communities in remarkable ways,â she said.
Managing Director of SBS, James Taylor said the award is a tribute to Les Murrayâs legacy.
âWeâre delighted to once again open nominations to recognize the outstanding achievements of former refugees who have been quietly making positive contributions in their communities through arts, sports or media, through this special award dedicated to Les Murrayâs memoryâ, he said.
âWe invite nominations for this award from authors, artists, actors, community leaders, sports people, film makers and journalists who have resettled in Australia as refugees, a homage to Lesâs own story as a refugee from Hungary who became an iconic Australian and had an impact on so many through his love of football, advocacy and passion for uniting communities.â
In 2023, former refugee Anyier Yuol won the Les Murray award for her diverse achievements across sport, womenâs empowerment and refugee advocacy. In 2022, Danijel Malbasa, a lawyer from Melbourne who grew up in the former Yugoslavia, won the inaugural award.
The winner of the Les Murray Award receives $10,000, donated by SBS, to encourage positive awareness for refugees.
Nominations should be emailed to LMA@unrefugees.org.au Submissions must include a brief biography, examples of work, details on the nomineeâs community work and two references.
The closing date is 29 February 2024.
For further information visit www.unrefugees.org.au/lesmurray
Sounds of Solidarity and WugulOra added to NITV and SBSâs Always Was, Always Will Be programming slate for January 26
National Indigenous Television (NITV) and the wider SBS network have announced additional programming for the day of January 26 including celebratory music program Sounds of Solidarity and a live broadcast of the WugulOra Morning Ceremony from Gadigal land, as part of Always Was, Always Will Be, a curated week of content across the SBS network.
From 7.30am, SBS and NITV will simulcast WugulOra, which means âone mobâ, is hosted by proud Jerrinja and Wandi Wandiaan woman Shahni Wellington (Big Mob Brekky, First Nations Arts Awards) and proud Wuthathi and Meriam man John Paul Janke (The Point, Sunrise Ceremony). Taking place at Barangaroo Reserve, the ceremony is a sacred and reflective start to January 26, celebrating Aboriginal cultures with special performances by singers and dancers, and providing a reminder that First Nations peoples are the foundation of Australiaâs story and caretakers of the worldâs oldest continuous living culture.
At 2.30pm, NITV brings Australians the best in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music with Sounds of Solidarity, a program celebrating the powerful and enduring legacy of First Nations music and cultures by showcasing iconic music videos, interspersed with news updates. Sounds of Solidarity is hosted by proud Wiradjuri and Western Arrernte woman, Executive Producer and Presenter of NITV Radio, Lowanna Grant, proud Yuin and Thunghutti man, rapper and presenter Nooky and Australian Indigenous Butchulla Songman Fred Leone.
Each year, Always Was Always Will Be across the whole SBS network, invites all Australians to deepen their understanding of January 26 through a curated week of First Nations programming. In 2024, the line-up includes powerful new NITV documentary Her Name is Nanny Nellie on Sunday 21 January, Leah Purcellâs award-winning film The Droverâs Wife on Thursday 25 January, and special updates from NITV News on January 26, culminating in a special one-hour bulletin at 5.30pm. The networkâs suite of content explores the history of First Nations peoples including trailblazers whoâve made a difference.
Tanya Denning-Orman, a proud Birri and Guugu Yimidhirr woman and SBS Director of Indigenous Content, said: âEvery year, in the lead up to and on January 26, the whole of the SBS network â with NITV as its heart â comes together to present a special line-up of programming and content across our platforms and in more than 60 languages, which celebrates the strength, beauty and power of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and the resilience and achievements of First Nations peoples.
âThis year, we are excited to be providing more new programming on January 26 including our live broadcast of the WugulOra morning ceremony from Barangaroo, and a celebration of Blak music with Sounds of Solidarity during the day, adding to the collection of premieres and program encores inviting all Australians to connect, engage and reflect throughout the week.â
Celebrate the Year of the Dragon with SBS Learn this Lunar New Year
SBS Learn is giving teachers the opportunity to share the different traditions, histories, and celebrations of the Lunar New Year with an exciting creative resource
SBS Learn has launched curriculum-aligned teacher resources to ring in Lunar New Year, helping primary and secondary students celebrate the Year of the Dragon in classrooms Australia-wide.
As millions of people across Australia celebrate from Saturday 10 February to 24 February, SBS Learn has curated downloadable worksheets, including a comprehensive guide on how Lunar New Year is celebrated in Australia across many different communities, and activities navigating the history and traditions of Lunar New Year.
Emily Yong, Education Lead at SBS Learn, said âLunar New Year is an important calendar event that is celebrated across Australia, with different communities having their own unique traditions for the annual celebrations.
At SBS, we share annual Lunar New Year celebrations across our channels and platforms and in communities. Through SBS Learn, we also teach young people to be curious learners in classrooms and beyond. Building on last yearâs SBS Learn teacher resource, which observed the Year of the Rabbit and Cat, this year our resource unites the different cultural traditions and histories by celebrating the Year of the Dragon â a symbol of success, strength, and good luck for many communities in Asia.â
This yearâs resource also features clips from the SBS documentary series Where Are You Really From? presented by comedian Michael Hing. He explores life in the Australian Chinese community, while simultaneously challenging assumptions about cultural identity in Australia.
Alongside a range of engaging activities, this yearâs teacher resource is designed to embrace the different cultural traditions of Lunar New Year, whilst also delving into the experiences of the Australian-Chinese Community through visual aids and introductory activities to commence the new school year.
The SBS Learn resource helps teachers share the celebrations of Lunar New Year with Foundation to Year 9 students and is available to download for free from the SBS Learn website. Download now!
SBS Scripted TV Lunch sessions return for another year of connecting with creatives
The popular virtual events are back to continue to open doors and break down barriers
in the screen industry.
SBS are set to resume their successful TV Lunch Sessions for 2024, providing a unique opportunity for early to mid-level screen practitioners to connect directly with the SBS Scripted commissioning team. The series of one-hour online events will be held monthly on the second Friday of every month throughout 2024, from next Friday, 9 February, from 12-1pm (AEDT).
Launched in 2022, this is the third year the sessions are being held, providing a regular forum for those pursuing careers in the industry to hear from and engage with the team responsible for developing and commissioning original Australian drama at SBS. Each month, the sessions will cover topics such as craft excellence, career development and how to pitch your TV series. Special guests will also form part of the line-up to share their knowledge and experience.
The TV Lunch sessions will continue their successful formula of with 25 minutes of expert insights followed by an âAsk me Anythingâ Q&A with members of the SBS Scripted Commissioning team, including Julie Eckersley, Head of SBS Scripted, Nakul Legha, Commissioning Editor, and Catherine Kelleher, Development Executive.
Julie Eckersley, Head of SBS Scripted, says, âWe are looking forward to speaking with more of the fantastic emerging talent in 2024, through the SBS Scripted TV Lunch sessions. These events are an open invitation to build your skills as well as gain valuable insights into how the industry operates, in an inclusive and informal way. They are free and as they are online, can be accessed by anyone in Australia with internet, ensuring they are available to creatives in regional areas as well.
âThere are so many incredible stories we are yet to tell in Australia and ensuring we are available and offering insights to fresh voices and talent is one way we can open the door to these creatives who may not yet have an agent or producer working with them. We especially encourage creatives from diverse backgrounds to join us in these TV Lunches.â
People interested in participating need to register to be provided with the virtual meeting link to attend. Following the popularity of the sessions in previous years, with each event reaching capacity, this year registrations for each event will open three weeks in advance to support them being available to as many practitioners as possible.
More information, and the link to register, is available on the SBS website, here.
SBS also has a Scripted Pitch Deck Guide available online as a resource to help practitioners to effectively communicate their story and ideas. The guide is designed to support creatives in putting their best foot forward and is available to download here.
Six screen creatives selected for the 2024 SBS Emerging Writersâ Incubator initiative
SBS has today announced the six screenwriters selected for the third year of the SBS Emerging Writersâ Incubator. The successful creatives were chosen from hundreds of submissions, and during 2024, they will each join a leading Australian production company acclaimed for their Australian drama, for a year of paid employment as they further develop their careers in the sector.
The SBS Emerging Writersâ Incubator is a nationwide industry initiative supporting the development of under-represented screenwriting talent in Australia, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; people who are from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds; people who are Deaf, hard of hearing or with disability; people who are female or gender diverse; people who identify as LGBTQIA+; and people located in regional and remote areas. In its third year, the initiative is delivered in partnership with SBS, Screen Australia, and state screen agencies Screen NSW, Screen Queensland, Screen Tasmania, Screenwest, the South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) and VicScreen, and with the assistance of the Australian Writersâ Guild.
The successful emerging writers selected for the initiative in 2024, and the production companies they are joining, are:
- NSW: Siobhan Domingo joins Endemol Shine Australia, supported by Screen NSW
- QLD: Rhianna Malezer joins Orange Entertainment Co, supported by Screen Queensland
- SA: Emily Steel joins Kojo Studios, supported by the South Australian Film Corporation
- TAS: Shauna OâMeara joins TAP (Tony Ayres Productions), supported by Screen Tasmania
- VIC: Michael Hudson joins Kindling Pictures, supported by VicScreen
- WA: Lata Periakarpan joins Curio Pictures, supported by Screenwest.
Since its launch in 2021, the initiative has supported 12 writers who have joined Australian production companies acclaimed for their delivery of Australian drama for a 12-month paid placement. Through the placement, they can gain significant, practical and meaningful work experience and further develop their skills, knowledge, and networks while working across the production companiesâ slate of drama productions. They are also supported by the Australian Writersâ Guild with access to creative and training workshops.
Catherine Kelleher, Development Executive, SBS Scripted, said:âThe Emerging Writersâ Incubator reflects our commitment at SBS to invest, support and elevate new voices and an increasingly inclusive sector. Congratulations to the shortlisted candidates and to the six emerging writers selected for the third year of this initiative. These writers all bring unique perspectives to their work and reflect voices and experiences that are historically under-represented. Weâve seen the benefits that the initiative brings to both the writers involved, and the production companies they join. It is fantastic to be working with our partners as we grow and develop the future of Australian storytelling. We canât wait to see the impact theyâll have as they continue their careers.â
Bobby Romia, Head of Development, Screen Australia, said: âA huge congratulations to the six talented screenwriters selected for the SBS Emerging Writersâ Incubator. Screen Australia is committed to discovering and developing new creative talent, particularly voices that represent contemporary Australia. We look forward to seeing the results from this yearâs participants and are delighted to support them as they develop their craft. This partnership with SBS is a showcase of the incredible diversity of talent working in Australia and a significant opportunity for us to work together to foster a more inclusive landscape for Australian storytelling.â
Kyas Hepworth, Head of Screen NSW, said:âWith its commitment to providing inclusive opportunities to new voices and showcasing Australiaâs stories on the world stage, Screen NSW is excited to again support the SBS Emerging Writersâ Incubator initiative in 2024. We look forward to hearing about the experiences that these six talented emerging writers will have with leading production companies, including NSW-based screenwriter and director Siobhan Domingo with Endemol Shine Australia, and see the skills and growth that they will gain from participating in this important program.â
Jacqui Feeney, Screen Queensland CEO, said: âScreen Queensland is delighted to support this program which will pair multi-talented First Nations practitioner Rhianna Malezer with local producers Orange Entertainment Co. (Audrey, Retrograde). The SBS Emerging Writersâ Incubator is a career defining opportunity for Rhianna to develop her voice as a writer with a company committed to producing screen stories from a wide range of perspectives. Rhianna has previously participated in Screen Queenslandâs Attachment program, development initiatives and Market and Travel Grants, and we are proud to now provide a boost to her screenwriting career through this year-long placement.â
Alex Sangston, Executive Manager, Screen Tasmania, said: âThe Emerging Writersâ Incubator is a fantastic opportunity for our writers to have their skills nurtured by industry professionals, allowing them to thrive and setting them up for success. We are thrilled to be supporting Tasmanian writer Shauna OâMeara for her placement with Tony Ayres Productions (TAP) this year and congratulate her on being selected from a strong bunch of shortlisted candidates. We canât wait to see where it leads Shauna next.â
Rikki Lea Bestall, Screenwest CEO, said: âThe SBS Emerging Writersâ Incubator has been an incredibly valuable program, establishing significant career pathways for emerging Western Australian writers. Weâre proud to have now supported three WA practitioners to hone their talents and skills with exciting Australian production companies.â
Kate Croser, CEO of the South Australian Film Corporation, said: âThe SAFC is pleased to support this initiative once again as part of our ongoing commitment to grow and diversify a pool of credited South Australian key creatives that reflects the diversity and vibrancy of the South Australian community. We congratulate South Australian writer Emily Steel on being selected to work and collaborate with Adelaideâs award-winning production company KOJO.â
Caroline Pitcher, CEO of VicScreen, said: âWeâre proud to continue our support of this meaningful initiative as it enters its third year. The SBS Emerging Writers Incubator has unearthed exceptional talent from across the country, and this year is no exception. Congratulations to all participants, including Michael Hudson who will join Victoriaâs critically acclaimed, Kindling Pictures. We look forward to following all the participantâs careers in the coming years as they grow to be future leaders of our industry.â
Susie Hamilton, Director, Professional Development, Australian Writersâ Guild, added: âThis remarkable program continues to deliver exceptional opportunities to some of Australiaâs most promising emerging writers. The AWG offers its whole-hearted support to the program and to this yearâs exciting cohort.â
The six successful writers this year were selected by SBS, Screen Australia and state and territory agencies, from hundreds of applicants. The following applicants were shortlisted:
- NSW: Emily Dash, Jacob Melamed and Emma Meyers
- QLD: Annisa Belonogoff, Katrina Irawati Graham and Wendy Mocke
- SA: Alexis West, Stephanie Jaclyn and Jamie Hornsby
- TAS: Chloe Black, Anthea Pritchard and Caitlin Richardson
- VIC: Fury, Holly Tosi and Tim Williams
- WA: Grace Chow and Zac James
Six writers who were selected in the initiative in its second year have undertaken placements around the country during 2022/23, with Becki Bouchier at Sweetshop & Green (supported by VicScreen), Elena Carapetis at Highview Productions (supported by SAFC), Kelli Cross at Easy Tiger (supported by Screenwest), Patrick Hogan at Brindle Films (supported by Screen Territory), Skye Leon at Jungle (supported by Screen NSW), and Aven Yap at Hoodlum Entertainment (supported by Screen Queensland).
Co-funded by SBS and Screen Australia, with participating state and territory screen agencies, the Emerging Writersâ Incubator is among the range of initiatives and partnerships delivered by SBS to invest in a more inclusive screen industry, and storytelling on Australian screens. Read more about this work here.
SBS announces new development fund to discover Australiaâs biggest and riskiest new factual hit
SBS is searching for its most daring, unflinchingly fearless and boundary-smashing factual format yet, issuing a call out for impactful ideas for new documentary series unlike anything seen on Australian screens before, with up to $50,000 in development funding on offer.
Announced this morning at the Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC) in Melbourne, SBS is looking for original and ambitious ideas that explore inequality and social cohesion and tackle the fault lines of Australian society today. How the topic is approached is up for grabs, with SBS on a mission to redefine what risk-taking looks like on television, with a new format that can have a meaningful and positive impact.
Head of SBS Unscripted, Joseph Maxwell said: âYou hear a lot about taking risks in our industry, but what does that really mean? At SBS, we want to genuinely break new ground in ways we havenât seen before.
âThis first-of-its-kind initiative in Australia is an opportunity for creatives across the country to reach for new levels of courageousness in their craft and redefine what cutting-edge means, while creating what could be a new, channel-defining factual format for SBS.
âWe want the biggest, boldest, and bravest ideas that get the nation-talking, and to challenge audience expectations. Surprise and even scare us through inventive approaches to help SBS unpack issues we face in society, and create must-see, talk-about TV that can create real impact.â
Entries are now open, with pitches being considered by SBS with a pot of up to $50,000 in development funding available. Ideas must have the SBS Charter at their core, and should also demonstrate scale, boldness and ambition in their approach to delivering something overwhelmingly new and fresh. Whether itâs genre-bending or format-flipping, ideas must be attention-grabbing, and have the ability to capture the hearts and minds of a wide Australian audience, on television and on SBS On Demand.
Submission information
SBS is seeking original factual format ideas that are anything from 3-6 x 1 hour episodes.
Ideas must explore the subject of inequality and social cohesion in Australia.
Project proposals should be no more than three pages, and submissions must include a title, a logline and a single paragraph synopsis.
Ideas must be submitted to the SBS factual pitching portal by emailing factual@sbs.com.au, with the subject title âNew Factual Formatâ.
All applications need to be eligible for state/federal documentary funding programs. Entries are now open and will close 5 May 2024.