SBS Upfronts 2026

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SBS kicks off a confident slate with the 2026 FIFA World Cup, premium drama and distinctive documentaries that go where other networks won’t

• 550 hours of exclusive FIFA World Cup 2026™ content and dedicated FIFA+ FAST channel with unmatched access, world-class commentary and a trusted team of football experts.

• SBS has secured the exclusive FTA rights to the Tour de France Femmes through to 2030.

• Launch of three FAST channels on SBS On Demand; Insight, Dateline and The Cook Up with Adam Liaw.

• John Safran, Matt Preston, Jelena Dokic, Ruby Rose, Essie Davis, Chrissie Swan, Aaron Pedersen, and Bruce McAvaney lead bold, thought-provoking documentaries with real impact.

• SBS’s standout hit series Alone Australia returns for a fourth season in its most ambitious location yet; the spectacular and intimidating wilds of the Arctic Circle.

• SBS and NITV co-commissions elevate First Nations storytelling with powerful documentary event 2.6 Seconds, the return of Going Places with Ernie Dingo, and audacious drama Reckless starring Tasma Walton and Hunter Page-Lochard.

• New SBS Original Drama The Chaplain, and three new series from SBS and Screen Australia’s Digital Originals initiative with Fish Boi, Homebodies and Miss Sultanah.

• NITV continues to elevate First Nations stories with a powerful line-up of content that speaks to the heart and strength of Community.

• SBS remains the top destination for food programming, serving up refreshing bites from Australia and abroad with Rick Stein, Matt Preston, Shane Delia and Lara Lee.

SBS today unveiled a powerhouse 2026 line-up that combines the biggest global events with daring homegrown storytelling across its distinctive multiplatform network. From the FIFA World Cup 2026™ to fearless documentaries, from bold new Australian drama to food that connects cultures, SBS continues to go where others won’t, telling stories that reflect the Australia of today and connect us with the world.

Acting Managing Director, Jane Palfreyman said: “Next year will be our biggest year ever. We’re delivering a bold content slate that’s proudly diverse and deeply engaging — from global formats to bold, original storytelling that Australians won’t find anywhere else. In 2026, we’ll also feature a FIFA World Cup TM like no other – with 104 matches across three countries, it will captivate the nation and bring Australians together as we cheer for the Socceroos and celebrate the world game.”

SBS Director of Television, Kathryn Fink said: “At SBS, we connect with diverse audiences through a dynamic, multi-channel approach and innovative storytelling. In 2026, we have an exceptional line-up that’s sure to entertain, delight, and at times provoke, with a powerful slate including The People Vs Robodebt, the return of Alone Australia, premium Australian dramas The Chaplain and Reckless, and the return of popular unscripted series like Shaun Micallef’s Origin Odyssey, The Hospital: In the Deep End and The Jury. We’re also deepening our commitment to Indigenous storytelling, amplifying its presence and prominence, so all Australians can see their stories reflected on screen. We have a clear strategic vision with key content moments throughout the year that spark conversation and connection."

Home to the sporting events that stop the world

In just 282 days, the single largest sporting event in the world, the jewel in the crown of football, kicks off – the FIFA World Cup 2026™. For six weeks, the world will be gripped by football fever, and SBS will do what it does best; deliver inclusive, impactful coverage that celebrates diversity and unites cultures through the beautiful game. Hosted across Canada, Mexico and the USA, spanning 16 cities and featuring a record-breaking 104 matches in a newly expanded 48-team format, SBS will take audiences straight to the heart of North America with unmatched access, world-class commentary and a trusted team of football experts.

As the exclusive broadcaster of the FIFA World Cup 2026TM, SBS will deliver over 550 hours of coverage including every match live in HD, replays, highlights and exclusive pitch-side crosses during the Socceroos’ campaign. On SBS On Demand, fans can dive into the tournament their way via a dedicated FIFA World Cup 26TM hub — the ultimate destination for live matches, catch-up, classic moments and rich behind-the-scenes access. SBS Sport will amplify the action across digital and social with bold, engaging storytelling both on and off the pitch, with a sharp focus on the Socceroos. Rounding out the experience is FIFA+, a new FAST channel offering fans around-the-clock FIFA content and global football stories from both the men’s and women’s games.

Today, SBS is excited to announce the network has secured the exclusive FTA rights to the Tour de France Femmes through to 2030. As Australia’s undisputed Home of Cycling, SBS will once again deliver the world’s most iconic cycling events — free and live to all Australians – including the Tour de France, Tour de France Femmes, La Vuelta a España, and the thunderous charge of the one-day Classics across Europe.

Documentaries that shift the conversation

In 2026, SBS continues to push the envelope when it comes to tackling the big questions and provoke national conversations starting with The People Vs Robodebt which premieres Wednesday 24 September on SBS On Demand. A political thriller at its core, the searing three-part documentary-drama spotlights the people who took on a powerful system in one of Australia’s darkest recent chapters.

Australia Uncovered returns, with the first documentaries in the strand announced today. Shut Your Big Fat Mouth John Safran! sees the author, documentarian, and satirist dissect a very heated topic – the censorship wars raging across Australia.

We Are Jeni follows the journey of a woman with 2,500 alter personalities whose battle to be believed by the justice system culminates in a stunning legal first.

Two popular SBS commissions return for their second seasons; The Hospital: In the Deep End sees Matt Preston, Jelena Dokic, and Ruby Rose shine a light on the coalface of healthcare alongside workers at St. Vincent’s Hospital.

The ambitious five-part true crime event The Jury is back to recreate a historic, closely contested manslaughter case – word for word – in front of a brand-new jury.

Marc Fennell returns to put contestants through their paces in a new season of the iconic game show Mastermind, as well as two new documentaries; Tell Me What You Really Think is a very different kind of dinner party that sees Marc joined by extraordinary Australians to candidly discuss complex health issues, and in There is No John, he uncovers one of Australia’s greatest unsolved mysteries; the wild true-crime story of John Friedrich.

Alone Australia is back; bolder and harsher

In 2026, the record-breaking smash hit survival series Alone Australia returns for its highly anticipated fourth season in its most ambitious location yet; the spectacular and intimidating wilds of the Arctic Circle. Flipping the globe and dialling up the intensity, this next season puts 10 new participants directly into the face of an oncoming and ever-intensifying Northern Hemisphere winter with subzero temperatures, deep snows, frozen lakes and icy forests. With no camera crews they must try to survive by their own wits and ingenuity to be the last person standing and take home $250,000.

From ancestry to anthems here and abroad

For 16 years, popular genealogy series ***Who Do You Think You Are? *** has surprised and delighted audiences with secrets from the past. In 2026, Essie Davis, Chrissie Swan, Aaron Pedersen, and Bruce McAvaney are among the next line-up of iconic Australians.

Shaun Micallef’s Origin Odyssey returns for a new season where the comedian will whisk six well-known Australians on six immersive odysseys through the countries of their origin, delving deeply into their culture, history, and identity, while uncovering tales that just might redefine the rest of their lives… or at the very least make them laugh in the moment.

After captivating 2.62 million Australians this year, the Eurovision Song Contest returns with star commentary team Tony Armstrong and Courtney Act to guide Australians through the glittering spectacle LIVE from Vienna, Austria.

Curated collections of global blockbusters and hidden gems

SBS continues to bring audiences premium international drama, from blockbusters to the next big series everyone will be talking about; King & Conqueror, an epic saga of power and betrayal starring James Norton and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, and three highly anticipated book adaptations that will soon steal the spotlight.

What It Feels Like for a Girl is a Y2K coming of age story based on the life of Paris Lees that explores gender identity and self-discovery.

Trespasses starring Gillian Anderson looks at forbidden love, family tensions, and the dangers of the Troubles in Northern Ireland in the 1970s.

From the producers of acclaimed series Salisbury Poisonings and The Responder (Dancing Ledge) comes the brand-new landmark BBC One series A Love Story which follows the emotional true story of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s imprisonment in Iran and long-awaited reunion with her family.

Also on offer, a strong selection of world movies to choose from, including the critically acclaimed mystery Anatomy of a Fall, Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla starring Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi*,* French period romance starring Juliette Binoche The Taste of Things, and Australian horror flick starring Shari Sebbens The Moogai.

Australian drama with heart and bite

SBS will be unveiling two ambitious new SBS Original dramas in the year ahead.

The Chaplain is a big-hearted airport drama inspired by the real-life experiences of Melbourne Airport’s Chaplain. The fast-paced series dives into the high stakes of a bustling international airport to reveal our shared humanity with deep emotion and humour.

A co-commission with NITV, Reckless is an audacious First Nations drama by writer and Executive Producer Kodie Bedford, starring Tasma Walton and Hunter Page-Lochard as two feuding siblings whose lives spiral wildly out of control after covering up a deadly hit and run.

SBS is proud to continue elevating new and under-represented voices in front of and behind the camera and is excited to reveal three new Australian drama series through SBS and Screen Australia’s trailblazing Digital Originals initiative.

SBS and Screen Australia’s Digital Originals

Fish Boi

A scorned hustler fights to save his family’s livelihood and win back their respect by starting Western Sydney’s biggest fish delivery business
Producers: Dulce Aguilar, Robertino Zambrano (KAPWA Studioworks)
Executive Producers: Gabrielle Joosten, Libbie Doherty, Dulce Aguilar, Robertino Zambrano
Writer/Director: Robertino Zambrano

Homebodies

When Darcy’s forced home to look after his estranged mother he discovers that she has an unexpected housemate: the teenage ghost of his pre-transition self. Darcy must now face the past or risk losing himself completely.
Producer: Cyna Strachan
Executive Producer: Liam Heyen (Mad Ones), Kirsty Fisher
Writers: AP Pobjoy, Charlotte Mars
Directors: Harry Lloyd, AP Pobjoy

Miss Sultanah

In a desperate bid to save their beauty-queen mother’s legacy, sisters Alana and Nicky band together to host Sultanah’s first disabled-only beauty pageant, only to learn they’re being played. By each other.
Producer: Molly O’Connor (Float Films)
Executive Producer: Hannah Ngo (Lazy Susan Films)
Writers: Artemis Muñoz, Rhian Wilson Ruge, Alistair Baldwin
Director: Alistair Baldwin

Unmissable First Nations stories

NITV continues to champion bold, unapologetic Blak stories that capture the strength and spirit of Community across the nation.

Landmark documentary series 2.6 Seconds is a co-commission with NITV that powerfully examines the fatal, shocking moments behind the headlines that gripped the nation and the world; when 19-year-old Walpiri Luritja teenager, Kumanjayi Walker was shot three times in close range by 27-year-old police officer Zachary Rolfe.

In Colleano Heart, a circus family’s hidden legacy unfolds as descendants reunite across continents, uncovering their Aboriginal ancestry, global stardom, and the extraordinary secrets they kept to survive. Their story is brought to life through the Colleano family’s remarkable home funded movies, never-before seen footage, family interviews and archival recordings.

Our Medicine returns to shine an important light on First Nations frontline workers taking back control of Indigenous health.

NITV will also continue to curate a unique collection of locally and globally acquired programs, including Earth Oven where Māori actor Temuera Morrison heads off on a globe-trotting adventure to visit communities and uncover how earth ovens shaped their cultures.

Going Places with Ernie Dingo also returns with Mark Coles Smith and Brooke Blurton amongst some of the guests who visit some of Australia’s most significant landmarks, exploring local secrets, diverse inhabitants and the history of a majestic environment.

Beyond recipes, into the world

SBS remains Australia’s leading destination for premium food programming, serving up mouthwatering flavours and breathtaking locations from across the globe.

Starting later this month Beyond Bali with Lara Lee, acclaimed television personality, author and chef embarks on an intimate and unexpected adventure to the islands of the Indonesian archipelago, discovering a world of surprising new flavours and her own rich culinary heritage.

In Shane Delia’s Malta, the culinary force returns to the land of his ancestors to explore the flavours, stories, and history that define Malta’s food identity.

Adam Liaw returns with SBS’s largest commissioned food series, The Cook Up with Adam Liaw.

Also launching is Adam Liaw’s Great Football Feasts, a new series filmed across FIFA World Cup host nations Canada, Mexico and the USA. Adam explores the delicious intersection of food and sport, meeting locals and creating game-day dishes inspired by each country.

For Rick Stein’s Australia, the celebrated chef embarks on a deeply personal and revelatory journey, retracing his life-changing adventures as a 19-year-old, as he uncovers how Australia and its food is changing in exciting new ways.

Also out on the road is Matt Preston’s Food Adventures, the gregarious food critic travels through some of Australia and New Zealand’s finest wine regions, connecting with locals, farmers, foragers, winemakers, artisans, and other colourful characters to shine a light on the great people who grow our amazing produce.

Also, step into the vibrant heart of North and Far North Queensland with the second season of Taste of the Tropics; a series created through an initiative between SBS, Screen Queensland and Screenworks, the series showcases three episodes created by three teams of emerging regional storytellers, capturing the flavour of a region where food is a conduit for connection, identity and pride.

News that recognises the other 192 countries on the planet

In 2026, SBS’s news line-up will again be underpinned by SBS World News; a trusted cornerstone of evening TV viewing and one of Australia’s most read news websites, while SBS’s dedicated 24-hour channel SBS WorldWatch features news bulletins from leading international broadcasters in more than 35 languages.

On Tuesday nights, Insight returns with host Kumi Taguchi to provide a judgment-free forum for nuanced discussions around taboo topics. Award-winning current affairs will continue to deepen your understanding, with Australia’s longest running international current affairs program. Dateline delivering brave and compelling stories from around the world.

Next year, Insight and Dateline will be extended on SBS On Demand as two FAST channels, meeting audiences where they are.

Innovation beyond content

In addition to its bold content slate for 2026, SBS announced a series of innovations across its SBS On Demand platform, including new restart, pause and rewind functions and three new FAST channels. The broadcaster also announced the launch of industry-leading sustainability initiatives, market-first research into advertising effectiveness, a new closed loop unified data product offering, and the ongoing success of the Beyond 3% initiative driving investment in First Nations media.

Screen Australia provided production investment for newly announced projects including The Chaplain with VicScreen, Shut Your Big Fat Mouth John Safran with VicScreen, and returning seasons of The Hospital: In the Deep End with Screenwest and Our Medicine with Screenwest.

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World-first opt-out function to become full feature on SBS On Demand

• National broadcaster SBS will elevate the world-class audience experience on SBS On Demand by incorporating its opt-out feature into the consumer preferences on the platform.
• In 2024, SBS launched a beta program where it became the first TV broadcaster in the world to give users the option of opting-out of receiving advertising in certain categories.
• The move sees SBS build on the success of the beta opt-out program to deliver continuous improvements to its unrivalled advertiser and UX experience.

National broadcaster SBS has announced it will move its trial of an opt-out functionality in certain categories of advertising into a fully-fledged feature of its streaming platform SBS On Demand.

In 2024, SBS became the first TV broadcaster in the world to allow customers to sign up to a beta trial program where they could elect to exclude themselves from certain categories of advertising, specifically wagering, alcoholic beverages and quick service restaurants (QSR).

Making the announcement at the SBS 2026 Upfronts, Acting SBS Managing Director Jane Palfreyman told the room: “At SBS we have always put a world-class advertising experience alongside a world-class consumer experience. Last year we were the first in the world to experiment with an opt-out feature, allowing consumers who wanted to exclude themselves from certain categories of advertising to do so.

“It was a win for the consumer, but importantly it was also a win for the advertiser who was not paying to reach consumers who weren’t interested in that category of advertising. Today I can confirm that in 2026, we’ll move the opt-out from beta, and make it a fully-fledged feature of SBS On Demand.

“At SBS, we believe that consumers need to have control of not just their viewing experience on SBS On Demand but also be able to guide their advertising experience.”

When SBS announced the original opt-out, it was endorsed by major brands in the space as an example of the power of self-regulation.

Commenting on the successful beta test of the opt-out and its integration into the platform, Palfreyman said: “At SBS, we are very proud to have led the industry in driving responsible advertising and meeting audience expectations. In the case of wagering, advertising giving consumers an opt-out has led to a 45% decrease in complaints.

“We move into this next stage of integrating these functions into the SBS On Demand platform in consultation with our commercial partners who know and recognise this as an important societal issue.

“Ultimately, empowering audiences in this way is a win/win. Audiences have always had complete control over what they watch on SBS On Demand, but the opt-out gives them further benefit by providing greater control over the ads they see as well. The advertiser benefits by not paying to reach people who have no interest in their product. This is responsible advertising at its best.”

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SBS On Demand to take consumer experience to next level with introduction of restart, pause and rewind functions

• The national broadcaster also announced the launch of three new FAST channels with some of SBS’s most iconic brands –
  The Cook Up with Adam Liaw, Insight and Dateline
• SBS Audio to bring podcasts into SBS On Demand and expand video podcast offering

SBS will launch major product developments, including the launch of a restart, pause and rewind function on live television on the SBS On Demand platform.

This will significantly improve the consumer experience in time for the FIFA World Cup 2026™, when SBS will stream all 104 matches from Canada, Mexico and the USA in full HD across both linear TV and SBS On Demand.

“We are very proud that SBS On Demand has long been the top-rated Australian streaming app,” said Jane Palfreyman, Acting Managing Director SBS. “Today we commit to driving that consumer experience to new levels with the introduction of restart, pause and rewind functions for all video streamed on the platform from next year.

“We will introduce these features in time for the FIFA World Cup 2026™, along with a commitment to stream all 104 matches in full HD across both linear and digital. This will be a World Cup like no other and we want the viewing experience to reflect this.”

SBS to launch three new fast channels for iconic SBS brands
The national broadcaster has also announced that it will launch three dedicated FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV) channels for some of its biggest and most iconic lifestyle and news/current affairs brands.

Insight’s Kumi Taguchi, The Cook Up with Adam Liaw, and Dateline’s Calliste Weitenberg

The move will see SBS bring dedicated 24-hour TV channels to SBS On Demand for The Cook Up with Adam Liaw, as well as current affairs programs Insight and Dateline.

SBS Director of Television Kathryn Fink said: “The Cook Up with Adam Liaw, Insight and Dateline are some of SBS’s biggest brands. They have loyal, devoted audiences. We believe the launch of these new channels will help further grow the audience and consumption on the SBS On Demand platform.”

Commenting on the launch of the FAST channels for its current affairs flagships, SBS Director of News and Current Affairs Mandi Wicks said: “Insight is Australia’s only TV forum for surprising conversations about tough and taboo topics. Dateline takes audiences to far flung places, shining a light into dark corners and telling bold and extraordinary stories. We are thrilled to be extending these bingeable brands to SBS On Demand as FAST channels.”

SBS Audio to bring podcasts to SBS On Demand and ramp up video podcasting

The public broadcaster also confirmed it would bring podcasting to the SBS On Demand platform in 2026, with an expanded video podcast offering.

Speaking at the SBS 2026 Upfronts, Director of Audio and Language David Hua told the room that SBS – which has been named Podcast Publisher of the Year for the past three years consecutively at the Australian Podcast Awards – would move to integrate its digital audio suite into SBS On Demand.

“Last year, SBS told you how we were bringing part of our audio offering into SBS On Demand with live streaming integrated into the platform,” said Hua. “In 2026 I am delighted to confirm that we are going one step further and bringing a suite of podcasts to SBS On Demand in a move that will continue to drive significant growth.

“We are seeing remarkable uplift in video podcasting, and SBS intends to be at the forefront of that growth in Australia.”

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SBS extends exclusive Tour de France Femmes Avec Zwift free-to-air broadcast deal to 2030

SBS has extended its exclusive free-to-air broadcast rights for the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift until 2030. The agreement ensures Australian audiences will continue to enjoy live and exclusive coverage of the race across SBS’s free-to-air platforms, including SBS On Demand, for the next five years.

The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift was launched in 2022 and has shown sensational growth in its first four editions, prompting SBS to extend its initial four-year agreement with the owners and organisers of the race, Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O).

This five-year extension reflects the network’s commitment to both the women’s and men’s races, giving Australian cycling fans certainty around the broadcast of all Tour de France races through until 2030.

Olympic road cycling champion Grace Brown, who joined the SBS commentary team this year, announced the deal at SBS’s 2026 Upfronts in Sydney today.

“This is a major milestone,’’ Brown said. “This is history. We are honoured to shine a national spotlight on the women’s peloton – the power, the grit, the drama – and deliver it to living rooms across the country.”

SBS Director of Sport Ken Shipp added: “SBS has long been a champion of women’s cycling, broadcasting many of the biggest Australian and international road races. We always believed the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift would resonate with our audience, and we’re proud to have supported its growth over the past four years. The way it’s tracking, it’s clear the Tour has enormous potential and is on course for lasting, meaningful success. We’re excited to continue bringing women’s cycling to an appreciative and growing audience.”

SBS has also extended its agreement to broadcast La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es to 2030, ensuring fans will have long-term free-to-air access to another of cycling’s Grand Tours.

Julien Goupil, Media and Partnerships Director of A.S.O, said: “SBS has been an all-time partner for over 35 years, and this extended broadcast of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift and La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es is excellent news for women’s cycling, further strengthening the growth of the sport. This initiative complements SBS’s ongoing commitment to cycling in general, reaffirming their role as one of the most valuable partners of the Tour de France and the cycling community as a whole.”

Over 100 million hours of the 2025 Tour de Frances Femmes avec Zwift were watched across 50 European countries (an 89% increase year on year) and almost 26 million French viewers tuned in (a 42% increase year on year)1.

In Australia, SBS achieved a Total TV Reach of 1.8 million for the 2025 Tour de France Femmes, and grew third-party platform views by 99% year on year (11.7 million)2.

This agreement sets up an extraordinary winter festival of global sport on SBS next year, as the FIFA World Cup 2026™, Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift combine in a thrilling broadcast schedule across two months, all live and free on SBS and SBS On Demand.

Fans will be glued to their screens from 11 June, when the FIFA World Cup 2026™ embarks on a five-week journey to the final (19 July), before the Tour de France begins in Barcelona on 4 July, ending in Paris on 26 July. Then the Tour de Frances Femmes avec Zwift launches in Lausanne on 1 August, bringing the sporting extravaganza to a fitting close in Paris on 9 August.

SBS Audience Testimonials for the 2025 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.

“Huge thank you for the TdF Femmes. [ … ] Commentary was informed, and it was a breath of fresh air to see the respect the commentators showed for each other, and amazing to see a mixed gender commentary team where the female voices weren ’ t talked over and marginalised. Bridie O ’ Donnell and Matt Keenan particularly made a fantastic pairing. ”

“You have done a wonderful job this year with coverage of the TDF and TDF Femmes. Super job by commentating and complete coverage. Also really enjoyed the after-race coverage and the nightly recaps.”

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1. Source: Amaury Sports Organisation and France Television

2. Reach to Date Source: OzTAM VOZ data, When Watched 06/07/2025 – 10/08/2025, Total People, Reach (Broadcast 1 min and BVOD 15 secs), Includes all events with 2025 Tour de France Femmes. Total TV refers to Broadcast TV and BVOD. Social Media Source: Sprout Social

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SBS highlights effectiveness of advertising in uncluttered environments

New market-first research, done in conjunction with Samba.tv and Insighten, gives fresh insight into how ad loads compare across linear and live streaming platforms.

National broadcaster SBS has used its Upfront 2026 to highlight the effectiveness of media spend on the network amid an increasingly crowded and cluttered TV streaming landscape.

In market-first research, SBS commissioned Samba.tv and Insighten to showcase new insights on the ad load experience by consumers in live TV viewing environments across all the free-to-air commercial players.

“Across both linear and live streaming environments, Australians are exposed to an average of up to 16 minutes of ads per hour on some networks. In contrast, SBS has no more than five minutes per hour, giving audiences a better viewing experience and brands a clearer voice,” said Keiran Beasley, National Sales Manager – Digital and TV, SBS Media.

Beasley also connected this new research with a recent updated study by Ehrenberg-Bass which reinforces the power of shorter and fewer advertising breaks.

“The latest meta study from Ehrenberg-Bass reinforces why ad loads matter – because they demonstrate the clear connection between lower ad load and better recall,” he said.

“This research suggests that SBS’s low clutter environment delivers between 32 and 47 per cent better recall than our free-to-air competitors. Shorter ad breaks remain a cornerstone of SBS’s premium standout environment.”

SBS also committed to updating the ad load research in 2026 to include all streaming players in the Australian market.

“Early next year, we’re expanding this research further to include ad-supported SVODs and YouTube — helping agencies and clients understand clutter across the entire Total TV ecosystem,” he said.

“In a world where attention is scarce, smart marketers ensure their message stands out — not lost in the noise — and drives measurable results.”

Yasmin Sanders, Vice President APAC at Samba.tv, stressed the importance of this research in bringing further transparency to the sector.

“The media sector has requested more transparency on ad loads, particularly in streaming, as well as insights based on the real experience of viewers. With Samba.tv data, SBS has been able to deliver a combined live total TV view to further provide accuracy and transparency into how audiences engage across live and streaming,” said Sanders.

Gagan Batra, Director of Insighten, highlighted the future value of this work.

“This has been a novel use of Samba.tv data in the Australian context. It has required forensic examination of the data to model the viewing experience; however we are now in a great position to expand the analysis to the full range of BVOD and SVOD services.”

SBS also used the Upfront event to showcase a partnership with the South Australian Tourism Commission on a summer campaign that highlighted South Australia as a top holiday destination to viewers in New South Wales and Victoria.

“We know SBS offers a premium audience and world-class ad environment. We’re also working hard to prove the return on investment,” said Beasley.

“South Australian Tourism worked with us to prove that SBS viewers exposed to their campaign drove an uplift in foot traffic. Partnering with Azira and Merkle to measure precise footfall attribution, their campaign on SBS On Demand delivered a 42% uplift in foot traffic and over 12,000 verified visits.

“For the first time, they could measure cost per incremental visitor — and prove exceptional return on ad spend with SBS.”

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Record number of brands driving investment in NITV and First Nations media

Beyond 3% continues to support the growth of National Indigenous Television (NITV), which is celebrating a record commercial investment by major brands in First Nations Media.

NITV has used the SBS Upfronts in Sydney to celebrate the record investment being made by commercial brands in the First Nations media sector.

Among the major brands showcased at the event were Coles, NRMA Insurance and Toyota, who have all been major supporters of the Beyond 3% initiative.

“Every dollar invested in NITV builds a strong national platform for First Nations voices, which allows us to drive real impact for community and for brands,” said Anna Dancey, National Sales Manager, NITV.

“For clients seeking new communities to unlock or extra market share, this is a powerful opportunity to build brand relevance and loyalty with tomorrow’s buyers, leaders and trendsetters.

“NITV is the place to reach them. Total consumption is up 7 per cent, and in a declining TV market, our prime-time TV audiences are up 11 per cent year-on-year with our digital reach also surging.”

Dancey noted many of her conversations with marketers were around which brands were investing well and driving results for themselves and also the First Nations media sector.

She noted that 2025 had been a record year for commercial spend with NITV. NRMA Insurance extended its Beyond 3% partnership into a second year, Toyota sponsored the National Indigenous Cricket Championships, and brands such as Coles continued their long-held support of the Beyond 3% initiative.

“I often get asked, who is doing it well?” Dancey told the room. “NRMA Insurance led the way in 2023 by committing 3 per cent of their marketing budgets to First Nations media, diversifying their investment across NITV and other First Nations media in years since.

“Toyota backed Indigenous sport, helping us broadcast the National Indigenous Cricket Championships for the first time this year.

“And when Beyond 3% launched, Coles answered the call, recognising the value of including ongoing investment in NITV as part of their annual spend.”

According to the latest Census data, First Nations peoples represent 3.8 per cent of the Australian population, but it’s estimated that less than 0.3 per cent of advertising in Australia invested in media is dedicated to reaching these audiences.

Beyond 3% was launched in early 2021 seeking to engage media agencies and marketers to begin to address this gap by learning more about the role and value of First Nations media in Australia today.

“Beyond 3% is your call to act – to do more, learn more, and spend more reaching a market and audience that is growing,” said Dancey. “Your investment – be it with NITV, or the wider First Nations media sector – delivers.”

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SBS declares FIFA World Cup 2026™ ‘Will be biggest TV audience event of 2026’

SBS names Hyundai, Macca’s, Rexona, Hisense, bet365, Commonwealth Bank and Youi as major partners for the FIFA World Cup 2026™.

SBS has used its 2026 Upfronts event to remind brands and agencies that there will be no better or larger opportunity to reach Australian audiences at scale than the FIFA World Cup 2026™.

Speaking at the national broadcaster’s annual Upfronts, SBS Acting Managing Director Jane Palfreyman told the room: “In 2026 there will be no bigger event than the FIFA World Cup 2026™, and SBS will be the only place Australian audiences can watch what will be an incredible competition.

“Across June and July next year, Australians en-masse will turn to SBS, SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand for a world-class viewing experience, with an unprecedented 104 matches from across Canada, Mexico and the United States broadcast live and free.

“This will be a FIFA World Cup™ like no other and SBS will be the home of that competition delivering the passion, drama and triumphs of one of the world’s greatest sporting events.”

SBS has also named its tier one partners for the event, confirming that Hyundai, Macca’s, Rexona, Hisense, bet365, Commonwealth Bank and Youi were all supporting the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ as SBS official broadcast partners.

“We have some incredible partners who are joining us to help broadcast this remarkable competition,” said Palfreyman. “These brands recognise the incredible opportunity to reach Australians at large in an event which captures the hearts of millions of Australians.”

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SBS unifies data offering with launch of SBS Data Lab

SBS brings together multiple audience initiatives together in one unified data offering

SBS Data Lab aims to empower brands to reach high-value audiences with personalised campaigns across SBS On Demand – announces new closed loop reporting.

National broadcaster SBS has used its 2026 Upfront to unveil Data Lab a new unified data offering which capitalises on its various partnerships by bringing them into one offering.

“SBS Data Lab brings together years of data-led innovation under one roof – making it easier to reach SBS’s broad and diverse audiences across our digital ecosystem with personalised campaigns,” said Lee Callagher, SBS Acting Director of Media Sales.

“SBS Data Lab turns precision targeting into reality – empowering brands to reach high-value audiences with personalised campaigns. First-party data from our signed-in universe, rich data segmentation through our data partnerships with the likes of Experian and SMRTR.”

SBS used the Upfront event, held at the Hordern Pavilion, to highlight its success in activating via trusted, privacy-safe clean rooms including Adobe Real-Time CDP Collaboration, Snowflake and InfoSum.

The broadcaster also touted how it partnered with DataCo Technologies, giving it closed looped reporting capability and that it was the first Australian broadcaster to activate LiveRamp ATS Direct and Univeral ID 2.0 product across Connected TVs.

“I’m very pleased to announce a new data partnership with DataCo Technologies that provides our partners the ability to do closed loop reporting by bringing commerce data to streaming media. It will provide incremental campaign measurement and actionable insights for all our advertising partners,” said Callagher.

“In the end SBS DataLab is all about building a future of audience insights that drive ROI for our clients.”

Danny Tyrrell, Co-Founder of DataCo added: “As economic conditions shift, it’s more important than ever for brands to understand how consumer spending behaviours are evolving. We’re proud to partner with SBS to bring privacy-safe financial insights into the SBS Data Lab, empowering advertisers to refine campaigns and measure impact, while together supporting the continued delivery of quality content for Australia’s diverse multicultural communities.”

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SBS continues to lead Australian media in sustainability with launch of SBS Brief Green

SBS Brief Green is designed to help brands with a toolkit of sustainability resources, including the decarbonisation of media allowing brands to reduce advertising emissions without disrupting media outcomes.

The national broadcaster also launches its first-ever SBS Sustainability Report.

SBS has launched a market-leading Sustainability Report at its 2026 Upfronts as the national broadcaster seeks to further drive its leadership position in the sustainability space.

SBS has unveiled its new SBS Brief Green, a product that provides marketers a sustainability toolkit that includes the ability to design a brand’s media plan to reduce advertising emissions without disrupting media outcomes.

The broadcaster is using the framework launched by Ad Net Zero to help brands build tailored and accessible solutions which are cost effective. It has also partnered with Scope3 to ensure campaigns booked using SBS Brief Green’s carbon optimised media plan is measured for emissions.

“SBS Brief Green is a response to brands who have come to us looking for the chance to align their media strategy with their wider business climate commitments in a cost-effective way,” said Lee Callagher, SBS Acting Director of Media Sales. “It is an opportunity to achieve premium exposure and at the same time lead the industry toward a more sustainable future.”

SBS Brief Green is the national broadcaster’s umbrella brand for actions that SBS Media is taking in the sustainability space. It includes a toolkit of resources including:

• Using Scope3 measurement in a new Carbon-Optimised Media Plan — designed to reduce advertising emissions without disrupting media outcomes.
• A new SBS On Demand sustainability hub, featuring powerful documentaries, wonderous landscapes, everyday heroes and sustainably made drama.
• Partnering with SBS CulturalConnect to help brands produce creative to support more sustainable consumer behaviours.

The national broadcaster has long been leading the Australian media market in driving sustainability. It was the first broadcaster to measure its internal emissions, move to 100% renewable energy, and set bold targets for Net Zero on operational and supplier emissions.

SBS was the first Australian broadcaster to use the albert Toolkit to measure and reduce production emissions, starting with the program The Cook Up with Adam Liaw. It was also the first Australian broadcaster to have its near- and long-term carbon reduction targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) earlier this year.

As of January 2025, the Australian government legislated climate-related financial disclosures, mandating emissions reporting with a phased rollout starting with the largest companies by revenue, assets and employee count.​

Acting SBS Managing Director, Jane Palfreyman, highlighted for the room the growing importance of sustainability as an issue for marketers and agencies. SBS also used the event to launch its first ever Sustainability Report, helping pave the way for others in the industry to follow. Click here to download the SBS Sustainability report.

“SBS has been well ahead of the pack on sustainability, well before many in media started taking Net Zero seriously,” said Palfreyman. “Supplier emissions make up a large proportion of businesses’ footprints – and media has a responsibility here too. This is an issue that is increasingly coming to the fore for all business leaders, particularly in our sector.

“Today, I’m proud to launch SBS’s first Sustainability Report. It shows the work we’re doing here at SBS and, we hope, inspires and demonstrates a path for others – be they brands, agencies, and yes, even our competitors – to follow.”

Partners Ad Net Zero and Scope3 welcomed SBS’s focus on sustainability as an important issue for marketers, brands and agencies.

“We’re delighted to see SBS putting a concrete plan in place to help advertisers reduce their emissions and support more sustainable behaviours, using the Ad Net Zero Action Plan,” said Arum Nixon, Australia Chapter Lead, Ad Net Zero. “Ad Net Zero relies on action from across advertising’s supply chain, and we applaud supporters like SBS taking bold steps to help that happen.”

“SBS continues to demonstrate exceptional leadership in sustainable media. Their ability to drive business growth while actively working to decarbonise digital advertising sets a powerful example for the industry,” said June Cheung, Head of JAPAC at Scope3.

“Meaningful change starts with measurement. Visibility into the carbon footprint of media is essential to making smarter, more impactful decisions. And as we have seen across our partners, sustainable media not only reduces emissions but also delivers better performance outcomes. If we want to make real progress as an industry, media buyers need more sustainable choices, and SBS is showing exactly how it can be done.”

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SBS Upfront Event

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Trailer

SBS in 2026 | Trailer

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