More original programs in more languages for SBS

SBS managing director James Taylor says the multicultural public broadcaster is in the best shape of its near 40-year history.

SBS managing director James Taylor at the broadcaster’s Sydney studios. Picture: Britta Campion

SBS managing director James Taylor says the multicultural public broadcaster is in the best shape in its near 40-year history, in stark contrast to the ABC.

Amid fierce competition across the free-to-air television and radio, plus a string of free and subscriber streaming players, SBS is focused on expanding its content library, with more original programs and delivering its popular streaming service, SBS on ­Demand, in other languages.

Mr Taylor, who recently marked one year at the helm, said “the organisation feels like it's in about the strongest place its ever been in its history”.

‘‘If you look at the sort of array of competition in the market, I ­really feel SBS is a modern public broadcaster for a modern Australia,’’ Mr Taylor said ahead of SBS Upfronts on Tuesday.

‘‘I think we've become much better at funding our own growth, and funding our own growth through activities that are ­explicitly linked to our charter. The SBS inclusion program is ­really aligned with our purpose as an organisation,” he said, referring to its new online diversity education training program.

Mr Taylor's counterpart at the ABC, David Anderson, is working to broaden its appeal to Australians from the suburbs, regions and different ethnic backgrounds. Mr Anderson is also leading a review of its operations with a five-year blueprint to be delivered in March, which is set to lead to job losses.

The ABC last week came under fire over its decision to axe its radio coverage of the Olympics next year, citing budgetary pressures. It has also been criticised for its story about the horse racing industry and handling of a controversial Q&A episode, calling into question the broadcaster’s editorial policies and statutory duties.

Mr Taylor is focused on delivering value to Australians.

“We believe we’re hybrid-funded for a reason, and rather than wait on the hope of more funding, we should crack on and create our own future so that’s what we’re doing,” he said.

SBS has an annual budget of more than $400m, of which about $285m comes from the federal government and the remainder from its commercial activities. That compares to the ABC's annual budget of about $1bn.

Mr Taylor said there was an “urgency in the market” and a ­“voracious appetite for high-quality content”.

“We are very aware of the need for us to deliver value to audiences in keeping with our charter, we are very aware of the need to be hyper -distinctive and hyper-differentiated in this market,’’ he said.

The TV and radio broadcaster is looking to offer login and navigation on SBS on Demand in other languages, with the first few languages available around the middle of next year. Work is under way to increase the number of original SBS programs, such as Dateline and Insight, with ­Chinese and Arabic subtitles.

“Audiences are moving to digital, it would strike me as illogical for us not to be there, Mr Taylor said.

SBS on Demand would also be available on pay-TV operator Foxtel “very soon”, as part of a deal announced by Foxtel in July, which included Netflix.

Mr Taylor will announce on Tuesday that SBS has given the green light to a third series of its popular award-winning program, Filthy Rich and Homeless, plus a second series of indigenous children's animation show, Little J and Big Cuz, which will air on its indigenous channel, NITV.

SBS's four-part drama series, The Hunting, which is about teenagers caught up in a school sexting scandal, was its most successful drama in history, he said.

SBS, which has been the home of the annual Tour de France since 2013, recently bolstered its sporting coverage by securing the free-to-air TV coverage of the NBL and WNBL, as well as the NBA and WNBA.

"That is obviously helping us reach a younger multicultural audience, an audience that might not otherwise come to SBS," Mr Taylor said. The coverage is “helping leverage its digital assets because every game is live on SBS on Demand, he added.

SBS has the exclusive broadcast rights to the Tour de France until 2023.

Mr Taylor said the launch of SBS World Movies channel in July is a "centre, bullseye, slam dunk charter-centric service".