How will Indigenous news and perspectives be covered on SBS Radio programs? At the moment, the Cantonese program has an acknowledgment of country at the start of each day’s episode, and there is in-program promo for NITV channel, but that’s about it.
Kathryn Fink named SBS Director of Television
Australian-born former Director of Programming for Sky Italia and senior Fox Networks and Disney executive to lead SBS’s TV and Online Content Division.
SBS has announced that international media executive Kathryn Fink will take up the role of Director of Television.
Australian-born Fink has over 30 years’ industry experience, having worked in major media markets including Los Angeles, New York and Hong Kong, and in senior roles overseeing content and operations for television and streaming services including at the Walt Disney Company, Sky Italia and News Corp.
James Taylor, SBS Managing Director, says: “I am very pleased to announce the appointment of Kathryn Fink as SBS’s new Director of Television. Kathryn brings a real breadth of experience to the role having worked across multiple continents, including America, Asia and Europe, and on all aspects of the global TV and streaming space – from content production, to operations and distribution, and across entertainment, fiction, factual and sports programming.
“She also shares a passion for the distinctive content that defines SBS, underpinned by the SBS Charter,” he said. ”Among the standout programming she has commissioned is Romanzo Criminale, a crime drama series that was a catalyst for change in the Italian TV industry, Le Fate Ignoranti which recently won the Nastro D’Argento award for best TV series and Where are You, a National Geographic documentary which traced the human stories behind a migrant boat arriving on the shores of Italy.
“Kathryn is exceptionally well placed to drive the ongoing success of our TV and SBS On Demand channels as we continue to grow and evolve as a network.”
“I feel very privileged to be to be given this opportunity to be a part of an organisation like SBS,” says Fink.
“I am excited by the prospect of working with the talented and dedicated team to continue to deliver innovative, world-class content that explores, challenges and celebrates contemporary Australia, with the most distinctive multiplatform offering in the country.”
Fink was most recently General Manager, Media for the Walt Disney Company in Italy responsible for Disney+, PayTV channels, original content production and content sales up until 2021.
She has also served as Managing Director at the Fox Networks Group in Italy and played a key role in the launch of Sky Italia in 2003. Remaining with the business for eight years she was for much of that time as Head of Programming, where she was responsible for commissioning hundreds of hours of content each year and managed all partner channels on the Sky Italia platform as well as Sky’s owned and operated cinema and entertainment channels. Fink oversaw original productions including Romanzo Criminale, Fiorello Show and the launch of Sky Uno which is the platform’s primary entertainment channel.
Fink is bilingual, speaking fluent English and Italian, and was recently appointed an independent board director of the Juventus Football Club, which is listed on the Milan stock exchange and the club with the largest fanbase in the Italian football league.
Her appointment follows an international search, following the departure of Marshall Heald after 14 years with the organisation, earlier this year.
James Taylor added, “I’d also like to take this opportunity to recognise and thank Chris Irvine who has been acting in the role since the beginning of the year, including leading the team through major initiatives and announcements such as the launch SBS’s Commissioning Equity & Inclusion Guidelines, SBS’s Upfront, and the launch of SBS’s Commissioning Roadshows this month.”
Fink’s appointment is effective 4 July 2022.
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Final selection criteria for SBS 2021-22 Language Services Review released
As part of SBS’s commitment to continue evolving to meet the needs of contemporary Australia, SBS has today announced the final selection criteria it will use as part of the 2021-22 Language Services Review.
SBS received more than 2000 submissions, representing 80 languages, during the public consultation period – running from 5 October to 26 November 2021 – offering people and organisations the opportunity to provide feedback on the criteria that was being proposed.
The Language Services Review encompasses SBS’s audio and language offering including radio, podcasting, and other digital platforms.
The feedback from the public consultation helped shape the final selection criteria, published today, which will now be used in conjunction with the 2021 Census data to the languages to be serviced. and help inform the way those services are delivered, for the next five years.
The last Language Services Review was conducted during 2016-2017, SBS has committed to reviewing its language services every five years in line with the Australian census.
The revised SBS language services will be announced before the end of 2022.
For more information and to view the final selection criteria, go to SBS.com.au/LanguageServicesReview
SBS helping migrants navigate everyday life in Australia with the release of Learn English video series
SBS’s Learn English has released a new digital series designed to help people ease into learning the English language and understand more about Australian culture.
Titled Meet the Changs, the drama comedy series - consisting of ten, five-minute videos - follows the newly settled Chang family as they navigate daily life in Australia. The episodes cover various day-to-day situations including parent/teacher interviews, what to do in the event of a car crash, buying a new fridge and going to the doctor, and are intended to help the 820,000 Australians self-reported to have no or low English proficiency. The videos are designed for audiences with a pre-intermediate level of language proficiency to help them build on and develop their abilities.
SBS Director of Audio and Language Content, David Hua , says the expansion of SBS’s Settlement Guide offering with SBS Learn English will help migrant Australians to be successful in Australia.
“We are extremely excited to be launching the next part of our Learn English offering. SBS Learn English supports settlement and social cohesion through a distinctive and accessible approach to learning English and understanding everyday life in Australia.
“Meet the Changs is an educational and entertaining video series that speaks to our Charter and demonstrates the diversity of what we do at SBS. The series has been produced from a distinctly multicultural perspective; using diverse writers from migrant backgrounds with lived experience of learning English as an adult to help underpin the concept and scripts for authenticity and to offer the best value for audiences.”
All ten episodes are available now on the SBS Learn English website, SBS On Demand and SBS Australia’s YouTube page. Each episode also has an accompanying syllabus available for download with worksheets and tools to assist students and English language learning teachers. The video series is available with English captions and will soon offer subtitles in twelve languages to assist audiences with understanding and learning.
SBS Learn English is a free, multi-platform English language learning service for Australian migrants with additional in-language support. SBS Learn English helps adult migrants to settle and live well in Australia by assisting them to learn the English language through settlement information, news and everyday life from a distinctly Australian multicultural perspective.
In addition to the videos, the SBS Learn English podcast provides regular lessons in conversational English on everyday life in Australia. The podcast helps to breakdown common phrases and local lingo. To provide context and maximise accessibility, the podcast title and episode description, as well as a recorded introduction, is available in a number of languages with fortnightly episodes being published in Arabic, Assyrian, Burmese, Cantonese, Dari, Hakha Chin, Karen, Khmer, Korean, Mandarin, Mongolian, Persian, Thai and Vietnamese.
Since its launch, the Learn English podcast has had over 116,000 downloads. SBS’s Learn English podcast is available via the SBS Radio App, SBS website and all major podcast platforms
Daily Telegraph reporting that SBS headquarters may move out of Artarmon as early as this year to new facilities in Western Sydney. The Labor government is keen to do this to move the broadcaster closer to a multicultural community that it serves.
SBS launches multilingual Australian Census Explorer
What are the most spoken languages in your suburb? How old is the average Australian? How has your community’s population grown over the last five years? Discover this and more with SBS’s visually dynamic platform available for the first time in eight languages
SBS is today launching a new interactive tool inviting all Australians to explore the 2021 Census results in eight different languages, extending the reach of the national snapshot to multilingual communities across Australia.
Alongside English, the SBS Australian Census Explorer is available for the first time in Arabic, Greek, Italian, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Spanish, and Vietnamese, presenting a powerful visual of who are as Australians today through fun and easy-to-use interactive elements.
Launched during NAIDOC Week, SBS’s unique tool also provides insights into First Nations peoples and communities, enabling all Australians to gain a deeper understanding of the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, languages and cultures.
SBS’s Census Explorer will be a useful and practical tool for any organisation that wishes to learn more about the makeup of an increasingly diverse Australia. Settlement services and community groups can use the platform to better understand migrant demographics, educational institutions can engage students with new insights about their region, and business and government groups can rely on trusted, easy-access data to inform effective practice.
The SBS Australian Census Explorer is driven by the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census 2021 data, including data from 2016 and 2011 for comparison purposes.
Mandi Wicks, SBS Director of News and Current Affairs said, “the SBS Australian Census Explorer is unique and invites Australians to be curious about their neighbourhood, town or city, to see for themselves how our population is changing and how our diversity is increasing; all brought alive by the Explorer’s interactive platform.
“The accessibility of the SBS Australian Census Explorer, released for the first time in eight languages, speaks to our purpose – to encourage all Australians to explore and appreciate Australia’s diversity and in doing so increase our understanding of each other”.
David Hua, SBS Director of Audio and Language Content said “For new migrants, the SBS Australian Census Explorer offers an opportunity to unearth new information about their own communities as well as learning more about the diverse cultures and backgrounds of their neighbours. It’s a unique tool that supports social cohesion, especially as it provides a means for new Australians to gain deeper understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages and cultures.”
The SBS Australian Census Explorer drills down into the detail of the Census’ key findings, illustrating a larger and increasingly diverse population with more than half of all Australians being first or second-generation migrants and with 5.5 million Australians speaking a language other than English at home.
Users can explore Census data collected from more than 250 ethnicities and 350 languages, which for the first time highlighted India as the third largest country of birth after Australia and England, and Punjabi as the fastest growing language.
The SBS Census Explorer also invites Australians to explore the rich diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages, presenting the 167 Indigenous languages spoken in Australia, with the Census counting 812,728 First Nations people (3.2 per cent of the population).
Discover for yourself how Australia is changing. Access the SBS Australian Census Explorer here.
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SBS championing diverse Australian writers as the SBS Emerging Writers’ Competition returns for 2022
SBS is looking to unearth a new crop of talented Australian writers, with the return of the SBS Emerging Writers’ Competition for 2022.
An initiative from SBS Voices, the competition aims to uncover bold new voices that reflect the diversity of contemporary Australia by inviting aspiring writers to share their stories and have their voices heard.
Open for entries from 16 August - 13 September 2022, the theme of this year’s competition is ‘Emergence’. Entrants are invited to interpret this theme as they choose, whether it’s a story of emerging fully into their true selves, or an event arising in the narrative of their life.
This year’s entries will be judged by acclaimed Australian writers Alice Pung and Christos Tsiolkas.
Alice Pung is the bestselling author of memoirs Unpolished Gem and Her Father’s Daughter, and her most recent novel One Hundred Days was shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Award. Christos Tsiolkas is the author of seven novels including the award-winning The Slap, Damascus and 7 1/2.
When discussing the competition, Christos Tsiolkas urged entrants to have the courage to come forward and tell their unique stories.
“It’s a brave thing to commit your thoughts, ideas [and] passion to the page,’’ he said. “Someone entering this competition is maybe someone who wants to do what I’m doing, which is write for the rest of my life. But there may be also people who have a story to tell, and it’s important to get that story out.”
Pung emphasised she is looking for good storytelling over perfect English, sharing that her mother, a Cambodian migrant, was illiterate.
“One thing Christos and I have in common is we understand what it’s like to live every day with illiteracy. We are not looking for the most finely polished pieces.”
She continued “I read last year’s winning entries and they’re all so wonderful. They were so diverse. I’m excited to find the diversity of voices that will emerge this year.”
John Godfrey, Head of SBS Unscripted, said the competition plays an important role contributing to the diversity of Australian storytelling.
“We’re thrilled the SBS Emerging Writers’ Competition is returning for its third year. Last year, we received more than 4000 compelling stories from across Australia, exploring family, loss, love, culture and country told with plenty of heart and a fresh perspective. We look forward to discovering new talent and championing diverse voices with the return of the competition in 2022.”
The winning submission will be awarded a $5,000 prize to support further development of the writer’s skills and knowledge. There will also be a $3,000 prize awarded for second place and two honourable mentions who will each receive a $1,000 prize. All winners and runners up will have their works published on the SBS Voices website.
In addition, all entries will be considered for inclusion in an official anthology of the SBS Emerging Writers’ Competition, published by Hardie Grant. Approximately 30 entries from this year’s competition will be selected for the anthology, to be published in 2023.
The official anthology of the 2021 SBS Emerging Writers’ Competition, Between Two Worlds, is set to be published by Hardie Grant on 3 August 2022.
The 2022 SBS Emerging Writers Competition opens for submissions on 16th August. Further information can be found on the competition website: sbs.com.au/writers
About the SBS Emerging Writers’ Competition
Entries are open from 16 August – 13 September 2022.
How to enter:
Writers aged 18 and over are asked to submit a first-person memoir piece, between 1,000-2,000 words. The winners will be announced on 22 November 2022.
Writers (Australians aged 18+, yet to be published authors of a book) are asked to submit a first-person memoir piece, between 1,000 – 2,000 words on the topic of ‘Emergence’. Go to www.sbs.com.au/writers for more information, and for the competition Terms & Conditions.
Prizes:
The winner will be awarded $5,000 to support the development of their storytelling. A $3,000 prize will be awarded for second place, and $1,000 each for two honourable mentions. Winners and runners up will be published on the SBS Voices website.
https://twitter.com/SBS/status/1552163074315915264?s=20&t=9ZjA7gytR7nIuSPOP_uVrg
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SBS’s Living with Aussie Wildlife series helps new migrants navigate everyday life in Australia and learn English
Do you know what to do if a snake slithers into your garden, or how to protect our endangered koalas?
Coinciding with National Threatened Species Day (7 September), SBS Learn English has released its second digital video series designed to help new Australian migrants improve their English language skills – with the added bonus of learning how to live with snakes, koalas and other wildlife common to their new home environment. A free service across platforms, SBS Learn English was launched in June 2022 as an expansion of the SBS Settlement Guide, helping migrants to be more successful in Australia.
The Living with Aussie Wildlife series, voiced by SBS News presenter Virginia Langeberg over 10x three-minute-long episodes, was developed in partnership with Navitas Skilled Futures and WIRES to help the 872,000 Australians who self-reported to have no or low English proficiency1. Featuring in-language support and employing content-centred learning techniques, the videos target migrants with a pre-intermediate level of English language skills who want to build on their abilities and knowledge of Australian culture.
SBS Director of Audio and Language Content, David Hua, said: “For many new migrants, Australia’s unique wildlife can be fascinating and sometimes even frightening when encountered for the first time. Understanding Aussie wildlife is part of understanding Aussie culture and succeeding in a new environment. The SBS Learn English Living with Aussie Wildlife series helps our diverse audiences learn about common Australian animals and improve their English at the same time.
“As Australia’s multicultural and multilingual broadcaster, SBS is committed to working with industry to positively impact and reach new Australian migrants wherever they are, and we are thrilled to collaborate with both Navitas Skilled Futures and WIRES on this project.”
Each Living with Aussie Wildlife episode has a companion student worksheet developed in collaboration with Navitas Skilled Futures which was trialled in classrooms with their teachers and students to help refine content and optimise user experience. The series is captioned in English and sub-titled in five languages – Arabic, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Korean and Vietnamese – to further assist audiences with understanding and learning.
Navitas Skilled Futures General Manager, Jetinder Macfarlane, said: "We are delighted to partner with SBS and WIRES to deliver this unique project that educates people of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in an engaging way, while improving their English language skills. Navitas Skilled Futures is proud to be able to share our innovative learning practices with a wider audience through the SBS network. This is just one shining example of great collaborative work being done to bring positive outcomes to our diverse communities.”
The series was also developed in collaboration with WIRES to ensure accurate and easy-to-understand information about the 10 animals featured – snakes, possums, kookaburras, koalas, spiders, parrots, magpies, lizards, waterbirds and flying foxes. These species were carefully chosen as the ones people are most likely to encounter in their everyday lives, with the videos further teaching new migrants important knowledge about the broader Australian ecosystem.
WIRES CEO, Leanne Taylor, said: “This much-needed native wildlife initiative introduces Australian newcomers to the amazing animals that live in our city and rural environments, sharing the simple message that we can all live happily alongside each other. WIRES hopes to encourage people from all backgrounds to consider volunteering with their local wildlife rescue groups to help raise and rehabilitate orphaned, injured and displaced native animals so they can be released back into their natural habitats where they belong.”
All 10 episodes are available now on the SBS Learn English website and will feature across SBS social media channels, including WeChat and Weibo. Watch here.
SBS’s The Cultural Atlas expands to include religion
Profiles on Roman Catholic Christianity, Protestant Christianity, Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Theravāda Buddhism and Mahāyāna Buddhism have been added to SBS’s The Cultural Atlas.
The Cultural Atlas has announced it has expanded its online directory offering to include detailed profiles of eight of Australia’s most observed religions.[1]
The update sees profiles on Roman Catholic Christianity, Protestant Christianity, Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Theravāda Buddhism and Mahāyāna Buddhism added to the popular online resource.
The Cultural Atlas was developed by SBS in partnership with digital platform Incluude as part of the SBS Inclusion Program, and has become one of SBS’s most visited websites, receiving over 4.5 million unique visitors each year. It is designed for government, educational, business and community groups providing them comprehensive information on the cultural background of Australia’s many diverse communities.
“The Cultural Atlas has become the go-to source of information for a large range of organisations seeking to better understand Australia’s increasing diversity among communities. It is fantastic to see these religion profiles being added to the Atlas which already explores more than 70 cultures,” said Leon Coningham SBS’s Head of Distribution.”
“The aim of The Cultural Atlas is to improve social cohesion and promote inclusion in an increasingly culturally diverse society through creating better understanding,” said Luke Latimer, MD of Incluude.
The new religion profiles provide detailed and reliable information including key figures, historical and geographical details as well as the doctrines, philosophies, social structure/institutions and rituals/practises for each religion.
The Cultural Atlas also includes the key dates, events and festivals of each of the eight religions including a description of how the events are practised.
All published content in the Cultural Atlas is the result of a collective effort between researchers, editors and members of the Australian community that have cross-cultural identities or familiarities. Further religious profiles are in development with the Sikhism religious profile well advanced.
To receive updates on new profiles and additions to The Cultural Atlas you can sign up here.
SBS launches Mind Your Health, a new multilingual portal aimed at improving health and wellbeing for multicultural and First Nations Australians
An estimated two in five Australians aged 16 to 85 will experience a mental health condition during their lifetime[1] - a widespread issue still considered taboo in many communities[2]. In response, SBS has launched its Mind Your Health online content portal featuring articles, podcasts and videos in multiple languages, aimed at sharing the rich diversity of cultural knowledge and experiences across communities and showing pathways to support improving the mental and physical wellbeing of all Australians.
This follows the success of SBS’s multilingual Coronavirus portal launched in March 2020, which has received 11 million unique Australian visits accessing trusted in language information throughout the pandemic, from updates on changing restrictions to the vaccine rollout.
Mind Your Health targets culturally diverse and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander audiences, with key focus on 10 languages – Arabic, Cantonese, English, Filipino, Hindi, Korean, Mandarin, Punjabi, Spanish, and Vietnamese – plus bespoke content for specific communities. Mind Your Health also partners with industry bodies, such as Embrace Multicultural Mental Healthon an in-language tool to help users assess their health and wellbeing.
SBS Director of Audio and Language Content, David Hua, said: “There’s such a diversity of traditions, experience and knowledge about health and wellbeing amongst Australia’s multicultural and First Nations communities. SBS’s Mind Your Health portal aims to share these stories in our audience’s preferred languages to show what’s needed and what works to benefit the health and wellbeing of all Australians. This includes combating prejudice and stigma, as well as improving the visibility of pathways to support and assistance.”
The portal will be updated regularly and serve as a hub for in language health and wellbeing content from across SBS and National Indigenous Television (NITV). It features SBS’s award-winning “Great Minds” meditation and mindfulness podcast, which shares practices such as Filipino Hilot, Japanese forest bathing, Hawaiian Ho’oponopono and is now available in Arabic, Cantonese, Hindi, Mandarin and Punjabi; a video on the “early signs of mental illness”; and information on Australia’s mental health services in language.
Mind Your Health
SBS has launched Mind Your Health, a new multilingual portal aimed at improving health and wellbeing for multicultural and First Nations Australians.
Mind Your Health is a health and wellbeing initiative launched by SBS featuring articles, podcasts and videos in English and in a number of languages.
This initiative showcases diverse perspectives on mental, physical and community health in Australia while improving the visibility of pathways of support and assistance to diverse sections of Australia.
Why are we doing it?
According to the National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing , over two in five Australians aged 16-85 years (43.7 per cent or 8.6 million people) had experienced a mental disorder at some time in their life.
One in five (21.4 per cent or 4.2 million people) had a 12-month mental disorder.
Now, more than ever, it is important to take stock of our broader wellbeing, and avenues to take as individuals and as communities.
What we offer
Digital stories - Health and wellbeing stories from across SBS, including the SBS Settlement Guide, SBS Food, [Insight ] (https://www.sbs.com.au/news/insight/collection/health/9ik9awj08) and SBS News
Video - Signs of mental illness in languages including English, Arabic, Mandarin, Cantonese, Nepali, Hindi, Punjabi, Vietnamese, Korean, Filipino and Spanish.
Audio - Great Minds meditation podcast in English , and in Arabic,
Mandarin, Cantonese, Hindi and Punjabi.
SBS lights up Diwali with distinctive content line-up including extensive coverage across SBS Radio and an expanded subtitled collection of programs on SBS On Demand
SBS is encouraging all Australians to celebrate Diwali, Deepavali, Bandi Chhor Diwas and Tihar with a distinctive content line-up to mark the Indian sub-continental Festivals of Lights, celebrated by over a billion people around the world – including more than a million Australians. To showcase the diversity of the celebration and increase cultural understanding, specially curated programming through October will include documentaries, dramas, movies, food programs and recipes across the SBS network.
SBS Radio’s language programs, including SBS Bangla, Gujarati, Hindi, Malayalam, Nepali, Punjabi and Tamil, will deliver a wealth of content across radio and digital platforms, engaging with audiences to hear how Australians are celebrating Diwali in 2022. Enjoy interviews, videos, articles, podcasts and competitions, as well as social engagement and talkback with SBS’s diverse language communities. This includes an explainer article on the diversity of celebrations translated into several languages; a comprehensive guide to Diwali festivals around Australia; a Rangoli art culture and tradition video; recipes by India Unplated chef Sandeep Pandit and celebrity Indian Chef Damu; a podcast about the Diwali-themed coins launched in Australia; and special Diwali greetings videos from the broader SBS Radio team. On the actual day of Diwali (24 October), music channel SBS PopDesi will bring the best of Bollywood and classical hits from 3pm to 5pm.
SBS Managing Director, James Taylor, said, “The Festivals of Lights – Diwali, Deepavali, Bandi Chhor Diwas and Tihar – are significant events celebrated by a billion people worldwide, including a million Australians. Traditionally signifying the victory of good over evil, it’s a time for giving thanks and wishing others good health and prosperity. We’re excited to be marking the occasion with specially curated content right across SBS, inviting all Australians to come together to experience and learn about Diwali, increase cultural understanding, and celebrate Australia’s rich diversity.”
SBS On Demand will showcase a broad offering across food, travel, lifestyle and 25+ movies ranging from Bollywood and biography to romance and comedy, in Hindi, Punjabi and English. This includes the award-winning Australian film Lion about a five-year-old Indian boy who gets adopted by an Australian couple and goes searching for his lost family 25 years later, feature documentary Sherpa: Trouble on Everest which follows a 2014 expedition entirely from a Sherpa’s point of view, and a Dateline episode investigating the fallout from Sri Lanka’s decision to go 100% organic.
From 24 October to 4 November, SBS Food prime time will be a feast for the eyes and tastebuds with David Rocco’s Dolce India series 1 and 2 (5pm), while acclaimed Indian-Australian chefs Helly Raichura, Adam D’Sylva and Sandeep Pandit celebrate the diversity of Indian cuisine, including an episode dedicated to Diwali sweets, in India Unplated (6pm). SBS Food will also feature videos on Instagram and TikTok, as well as ‘Diwali at Home’ and Kashmiri Kitchen’ recipes on their website. On 24 October, SBS World Movies will feature a full-day Diwali movie marathon, plus the prime-time premiere of Warrior Queen of Jhansi, a historic tale of women’s empowerment,at 9.30pm. SBS VICELAND will show multi-award-winning documentary 2020 Indian Space Dreams about the launch of the country’s first astronomical satellite on a fraction of NASA’s budget, at 8.30pm.
SBS Learn – SBS’s dedicated website for teachers - has developed a special Rangoli art activity and resources to help students and families celebrate Diwali. The art activity is available in eight languages: Bangla, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Malayalam, Nepali, Punjabi and Tamil. Find the materials at https://www.sbs.com.au/learn/resources/celebrate-diwali
Additionally, SBS Voices has commissioned a memoir piece by Dr Ahona Guha, a Melbourne-based psychologist and acclaimed writer of Indian heritage, exploring the importance of community and how her life overlaps with what Diwali celebrates – “the victory of light over darkness …. knowledge over ignorance”. It is a personal piece with family photos from previous Diwalis.
SBS is also supporting Diwali community festivals taking place around Australia, including Melbourne’s “Celebrate India” at Federation Square on 29 October. Join the SBS Radio broadcast team who will be celebrating with local communities at 12 events across Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane and Hobart to learn what the Festivals of Lights mean to so many Australians and how truly diverse this celebration is.
Visit sbs.com.au/Diwali for more Diwali content across SBS.
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SBS statement on Federal Budget funding
SBS welcomes the funding announcement from the Federal Government as part of the Federal Budget, maintaining current levels of funding and providing certainty for SBS as we continue to deliver essential and evolving services to meet the needs of communities.
It is an outcome that recognises the value that SBS delivers to Australians and incorporates the additional funding that SBS has received in recent budgets for the expansion of our language services.
“SBS is working with the Government and the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts on both the Feasibility Study and the implementation of five-year funding terms for public broadcasters,” said an SBS spokesperson.
“The outcomes of the Feasibility Study will be carefully considered by the SBS Board, which as the Minister said recently, holds ultimate responsibility for any decision. Our priority will remain accessing the talent, tools and technologies we need to continue fulfilling our Charter each and every day for our audiences who are in all corners of Australia.”
Six emerging screen creatives announced for 2022 Emerging Writers’ Incubator initiative
Top (L-R) Skye Leon, Patrick Hogan, Aven Yap; bottom (L-R) Elena Carapetis, Becki Bouchier, Kelli Cross
SBS has today announced the six screen writers selected for the 2022 SBS Emerging Writers’ Incubator, chosen from hundreds of submissions tojoin leading Australian production companies for a year of paid employment as they forge their careers in the sector.
The SBS Emerging Writers’ 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 second year, the initiative is delivered in partnership with Screen Australia, state and territory agencies Screen NSW, Screen Queensland, Screen Territory, Screenwest, the South Australian Film Corporation and VicScreen, and with the assistance of the Australian Writers’ Guild.
Each year, six writers join the teams of Australian production companies acclaimed for their delivery of Australian drama, for a 12 month paid placement where they will gain significant work experience and further develop their skills, knowledge, and networks while working across the production companies’ slate of drama productions. They are also supported by the Australian Writers’ Guild with access to creative and training workshops.
The successful emerging writers selected for 2022, and the production companies they are joining, are:
- NSW: Skye Leon joins Jungle, supported by Screen NSW
- NT: Patrick Hogan joins Brindle Films, supported by Screen Territory
- QLD: Aven Yap joins Hoodlum Entertainment, supported by Screen Queensland
- SA: Elena Carapetis joins Highview Productions, supported by the South Australian Film Corporation
- VIC: Becki Bouchier joins Sweetshop & Green, supported by VicScreen
- WA: Kelli Cross joins Easy Tiger Productions (who will welcome Kelli into their NSW offices), supported by Screenwest.
Loani Arman, Commissioning Editor, SBS Scripted, said: “The Emerging Writers’ Incubator reflects our commitment at SBS to investing in an increasingly inclusive sector. Over the last year, we’ve seen the benefits that the initiative brings to both the writers involved, and the production companies they join, and we’re really excited about the impact that will have on the future of storytelling. Congratulations to all those that applied this year, especially our six successful candidates who’ve taken different paths to get to this point in their careers and bring their unique perspectives to their work that reflects voices and experiences historically under-represented in our sector. We believe in their voices and are proud to be working with our industry partners to support their continued development.”
Screen Australia’s Head of Development, Louise Gough, said: “Congratulations to these impressive storytellers, we’re pleased to support them deepen their skillset and take the next step in their careers through these year-long placements. Thank you to all who applied and the interest shown in the program. We were thrilled to see the gains made in the first year, both by the talented writers and the host companies, and it’s exciting to be partnering again with SBS and the state agencies to facilitate this opportunity for a new group of diverse voices and the capacity and meaningful engagement of host production companies.”
Kyas Hepworth, Head of Screen NSW, said: “The Emerging Writers’ Incubator is about focused skill development and nurturing of our home-grown talent. As the NSW film industry continues to expand, we need to create more opportunities for our practitioners and writers. I am excited to see how this opportunity will propel Skye Leons’ career forward as she learns from the best at Jungle.”
Screen Queensland Chief Creative Officer, Dr Belinda Burns, said; “Screen Queensland is proud to support the SBS Emerging Writers’ Incubator initiative, which provides a platform for underrepresented screenwriters to create and share vital, innovative stories for the screen. Congratulations to Queensland writer Aven Yap, who will join the team at award-winning production company Hoodlum Entertainment and have the opportunity to work on incredible, Australian-made stories for the next 12 months."
Jennie Hughes, Director Screen Territory, said: “Screen Territory is very pleased to participate in the SBS Emerging Writers’ Incubator, a wonderful initiative in providing a stepping stone for the upskilling and training of our emerging Territorian screenwriters.
“Brindle Films is one of the NT’s premiere production companies, and we look forward to seeing the growth in Patrick’s career as he is mentored by Rachel Clements and Trisha Morton-Thomas across their exciting slate of projects.”
Rikki Lea Bestall, Screenwest CEO, said:“We’re incredibly proud to be supporting Kelli Cross as she embarks on the next stage of her career through this wonderful opportunity. Easy Tiger has a fantastic track record for producing high quality Australian drama; we’re excited to see Kelli gain invaluable experience and share her storytelling talents with the team.”
Kate Croser, CEO of the South Australian Film Corporation, said: “The SAFC is delighted to once again support this initiative as part of our ongoing commitment to grow and diversify the pool of credited South Australian key creatives, and foster a screen industry which reflects the diversity and vibrancy of the South Australian community. We congratulate South Australian writer Elena Carapetis on being selected to work and collaborate with Adelaide’s award-winning Highview Productions, led by producer Lisa Scott.”
CEO of VicScreen, Caroline Pitcher, said: “VicScreen is committed to supporting the development and growth of the future generations of our industry. Congratulations to Becki Bouchier and all the shortlisted Victorians, who demonstrate the extraordinary depth of our local talent pool. Sweetshop & Green are globally renowned for their artistic vision and advocation of diverse stories, and we look forward to following Becki and all the other participants’ careers through the program and beyond.”
Susie Hamilton, Professional Development Manager, Australian Writers’ Guild, added: **“**The Emerging Writers’ Incubator has become one of the most valuable and practical industry opportunities available to promising, new writers. This year’s successful candidates are an exciting group of talented creatives who will undoubtedly thrive with the program. The AWG is delighted to continue its support this year.”
The six successful writers for 2022 were selected by SBS, Screen Australia and state and territory agencies from hundreds of applicants. The following applicants were shortlisted from each of the participating states and the Northern Territory this year:
- NSW: Roji Augustin, Taofia Pelesasa and Tim Spencer
- NT: Onil Lad, Samantha Alexis Laughton
- QLD: Amelia Pitcher and Tiana Roberts
- SA: Stephanie Jaclyn and Christina Soong
- VIC: Vivian Nguyen and Holly Tosi
- WA: Jessica Bailey, Rafeif Ismail and Emma Vickery
Six writers who were selected in the initiative in its first year in 2021 have undertaken placements around the country with Sebastian Chan at Bunya Productions (supported by Screen Canberra), Lâle Teoman at Goalpost Pictures (supported by Screen NSW), Nicholas Lin at Ludo Studio (supported by Screen Queensland), Ansuya Nathan at Closer Productions (supported by the South Australian Film Corporation), Alberto Di Troia at Tony Ayres Productions (supported by VicScreen) and Cassandra Nguyen at Komixx Entertainment (supported by Screenwest).
Co-funded by SBS and Screen Australia, with participating state and territory screen agencies, the SBS Emerging Writers’ Incubator will support the careers of 18 emerging writers over the three years of the program, with six successful candidates partnered with production companies around Australia each year.
This initiative 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.
NITV announces senior appointments to leadership team
Marissa McDowell becomes Head of Commissions, and Rhanna Collins takes on new role as Head of Business and Operations, as NITV counts down to ten-year milestone of free-to-air broadcasting as part of SBS.
National Indigenous Television (NITV) has announced the appointment of two senior Indigenous leaders to key roles overseeing the commissioning of content and channel operations, with Marissa McDowell and Rhanna Collins stepping into new roles within the team.
Marissa McDowell, a proud Wiradjuri woman, has been appointed Head of Commissions for NITV. She joined NITV as Commissioning Editor in early 2021, and has recently been acting as the head of the commissioning team. She will manage NITV’s distinctive and diverse content slate including documentaries, drama, entertainment and children’s programs, reflecting, exploring and celebrating First Nations stories.
Her appointment comes as NITV prepares to deliver its biggest ever original commissioned content line-up over the year ahead, including the latest ground-breaking children’s show, Barrumbi Kids, currently being screened in communities across the country ahead of a broadcast premiere on NITV on 18 November. During her time with NITV, Marissa has been overseeing the delivery and development of a wide range of NITV projects, including recent documentaries Black Empire, Sistas in Mining, and Un-Locked, part of the Curious Australia initiative, and documentary series, Our Law.
Rhanna Collins, a proud palawa woman who first joined NITV in 2014, takes on a new position in NITV’s leadership team as Head of Business and Operations. She will play a key role in coordinating key operational activities for the channel including, supporting the continued growth and evolution of NITV.
Collins steps into the position after most recently leading NITV news and current affairs where she oversaw daily news output and weekly current affairs show, The Point. She led the team during a period which included the COVID-19 pandemic, when the importance of the trusted national news service NITV provides Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities was amplified. She also oversaw the launch of Australia’s first all-Indigenous breakfast TV show, Big Mob Brekky, as part of NAIDOC Week in 2020, and which has continued to be a highlight of the SBS network’s NAIDOC celebrations.
General Manager of NITV, Peter Noble, a Girramay and Bandjin man, said: “At NITV we proudly champion Indigenous excellence on and off the screen, I’m thrilled to have Marissa and Rhanna stepping up into these critical positions that are central to NITV’s ongoing success.
“NITV is going from strength to strength, delivering outstanding programming and growing audiences. We’re reaching more Australians than ever with multiplatform content that champions First Nations voices, and the coming year will see us share our strongest ever collection of original content – our stories, in our hands, shared with everyone. It comes as we prepare to mark a major milestone; on 12 December, we’ll reach a decade of NITV being available free-to-air and to every Australian, as part of the SBS network. I look forward to working closely with Marissa, Rhanna and the rest of the NITV team as we deliver even more for our communities, and all Australians.”
McDowell and Collins commence in their new roles immediately.
Winners of the SBS Emerging Writers’ Competition 2022
Five winners have been chosen from the SBS Emerging Writers’ Competition
SBS announces senior commissioning team appointments
John Godfrey (left) and Joseph Maxwell (right)
The network’s largest ever original content line-up is coming in 2023.
SBS today announced John Godfrey as SBS’s new Head of Commissioning, stepping into a newly created role to oversee the network’s unscripted and scripted commissioned content slate, with Joseph Maxwell promoted to Head of SBS Unscripted.
Godfrey has led commissioning across SBS’s unscripted slate for the last six years, during which SBS has expanded and diversified its offering across both television and digital. He first joined SBS in 2008 and has been instrumental in positioning SBS as a leader in impactful documentaries including award-winning programs Go Back to Where You Came From, First Contact and Filthy Rich and Homeless, as well as overseeing the introduction of new factual formats like Mastermind, The Cook Up with Adam Liaw and Celebrity Letters and Numbers.
Godfrey has also played a leading role in the ongoing development of initiatives and opportunities designed to support career pathways for screen practitioners from under-represented communities, and SBS’s approach to inclusion in the sector through its Commissioning Equity & Inclusion Guidelines introduced earlier this year.
Joseph Maxwell, SBS’s Head of Documentaries, has also been promoted to Head of SBS Unscripted, which sees him overseeing documentaries as well as entertainment, food commissions and online content, including SBS Voices.
Since joining SBS in 2012, Joseph has delivered a number of SBS’s most successful and impactful documentaries that underpin the network’s position as a leader in compelling and distinctive original Australian storytelling, including landmark programs See What You Made Me Do, Who Do You Think You Are?, Addicted Australia, and most recently, The Australian Wars.
As Head of Unscripted, Joseph will continue to oversee SBS’s documentaries slate which over the year ahead includes a diverse collection of programs that will challenge, inform and entertain audiences, including one of its most ambitious projects ever undertaken in Alone Australia.He’ll also lead the delivery of SBS’sbroader u nscripted slate which in 2023 includes highlights like 40 years of Eurovision on SBS, and a number of new and returning food series exploring culture through cuisine.
Bernadine Lim also becomes Senior Commissioning Editor in the unscripted commissioning team, continuing to take a leading role across key original documentaries for SBS.Julie Eckersley continues as Head of SBS Scripted as SBS expands its commitment to original Australian drama with three prime-time series set to premiere in a year for the first time in 2023 in Safe Home, Erotic Stories and While the Men Are Away. Under Eckersley’s leadership, SBS’s scripted offering also continues to focus on supporting and progressing screen creatives currently under-represented in the sector, providing a platform for a new guard of contemporary Australian storytellers. This includes the successful Digital Originals initiative with Screen Australia, with the latest project, Latecomers, premiering on SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand on 3 December.
Kathryn Fink, Director of Television, SBS, said: “SBS is delivering our biggest ever original Australian content line-up over the year ahead, with an innovative and dynamic pipeline of projects in development. We’re bringing together our scripted and unscripted commissioning teams into one creative powerhouse, overseen by John Godfrey has Head of Commissioning, to support our plans for the year ahead, and ambition for the future.
“I’m delighted to have John taking on this important role at this pivotal and exciting time for SBS, and to also have Joseph, who has been key in cementing SBS’s position as a leader in compelling and impactful documentaries, extend his remit to oversee all of SBS’s unscripted offering.
“Our content plans for the year ahead are unlike anything else on offer, underpinned by our unique purpose at SBS, and delivering more for Australians. We want to continue raising the bar, and I look forward to working closely with John, Joseph and the wider commissioning team to continue pushing boundaries.”
The appointments come into effect from today.
SBS Learn English celebrates first birthday
SBS Learn English is celebrating its first anniversary producing bespoke Australian English content to help newly arrived migrants gain confidence to use English in everyday life scenarios.
Program Manager Janine Googan speaks to English learners at Granville TAFE.
The Learn English podcast covers topics from calling in sick to work, to cheering for a footy team – bringing simple and useful English to common situations.
The Learn English podcast is being published fortnightly and has generated over 340,000 downloads in its first year, across 16 languages including Arabic, Cantonese and Mandarin.
SBS Director of Audio Language and Content, David Hua said despite the array of English learning offerings, SBS Learn English is distinct in its belief that there is no perfect English.
“A lot of new migrants aim to have perfect or a ‘native’ English speaking level and there is no such thing – it’s a myth,” he said.
“All Australians have accents and we’re all different, which is why we use a number of different accents in our content – we even use recordings from current learners to make our content real and inviting.
“I’m also incredibly proud of our production team who understand the challenges of speaking English as a later language.”
In June, the SBS Learn English launched a ten-part video series Meet the Changs which is designed to ease people into English learning and understand more about Australian culture.
The series demonstrates how to troubleshoot everyday issues from minor car accidents, returning faulty fridges and doctor’s appointments in Australian English.
“It’s great to know that ‘rego’ is registration, and that ‘GP’ means your family doctor and that helps builds confidence. One of the common themes we hear from English learners is embarrassment: embarrassment when they don’t know something or misspeak,” said Hua.
“Even if you’re not learning English, Meet the Changs brings a fantastic insight into what it’s like navigating an English-speaking world and the new migrant experience.
“The strength of SBS Learn English is our accessibility in other languages. Yes – new adult migrants are learning English, but it’s their second language and we’re pleased to be part of creating new and more bilingual and multilingual speakers.”
SBS Learn English is a free, multi-platform English language learning service from Australian migrants with additional in-language support. It will continue to add to its offering in 2023 with short form wildlife videos, enunciation guides with SBS news reader Janice Peterson and more.
SBS Learn English helps adult migrants to settle and live well in Australia by assisting them to learn English through settlement information, news and everyday life from an Australian multicultural perspective.
It aims to support the more than 872,000 Australians who self-report as having no or low English proficiency. To access SBS Learn English, visit
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