SBS appoints new Director of Audio and Language Content

Media releases

13 August 2009

SBS today announced the appointment of Dirk Anthony as Director of Audio and Language Content. Mr Anthony joins SBS having recently returned to Australia after more than a decade working in radio markets in the UK, Europe and Africa.

“Dirk comes to SBS with a wealth of experience from one of the world’s most competitive and developed markets (the UK) as well as developing markets in Eastern Europe and Africa. He is an extremely capable leader who will help the SBS Audio and Language Division to meet the challenges of the digital era,” said SBS Managing Director, Shaun Brown.

Prior to joining SBS Mr Anthony was Group Content Director at GCAP Media plc, the UK’s largest commercial radio group. While at GCAP, and its predecessor GWR Group, he oversaw major change processes in analogue and digital radio and online resulting from the expansion of the network and the introduction of new work practices and technologies. As part of his role, Mr Anthony managed GCAP’s staff of over 150 journalists providing local, national and international news for the network.

During his time in Europe, Mr Anthony was also a consultant to Radio Africa, helping to establish services in Kenya and Uganda. He was actively involved in creating multilingual services in English and local languages. Mr Anthony has also worked in the Republic of Ireland and Eastern Europe. Mr Anthony will take up his position on 7 September 2009.

“It is a very exciting time to be joining SBS. Digital radio and online audio services create so many opportunities for the SBS Audio and Language Content Division to build on the rich legacy of SBS’s Radio service and reach out to all Australians with new and varied multilingual offerings,” said Mr Anthony.

“As the child of Dutch migrants who had to make their way in a new and strange country, I have the greatest respect for the work of SBS Radio which has for 34 years helped new arrivals to settle in Australia, while also preserving links to their cultural and linguistic heritage.”

“SBS has changed the name of the Radio Division to Audio and Language Content to emphasise that multilingual content remains at the heart of what SBS does, but that in the future it will be available to audiences in many more forms and on multiple platforms,” said Mr Brown.