SBS providing essential support for multicultural communities as COVID-19 continues
Reaching people who speak a language other than English with vital public health information is essential to protecting communities and saving lives as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
Mandi Wicks, Director of Audio and Language Content at SBS, who leads SBS Radio’s 63 language services, said: “With coronavirus restrictions and measures changing in each State and Territory, and growing concerns about controlling infection and transmission, it’s increasingly important to ensure Australians are getting the information they need to protect themselves and their communities.
“SBS is committed to informing all Australians about the latest coronavirus developments, with news and information about COVID-19 available in 63 languages. We are uniquely placed to reach and engage multicultural communities, and ensure they are supported at a time when they need it most.
“As the pandemic has unfolded, we’ve been particularly focused on ensuring those Australians who speak a language other than English at home have access to the news and resources they need to be informed and safe. At the core of our offering is the SBS Multilingual Coronavirus Portal at sbs.com.au/coronavirus, which has become a go-to destination for information and news curated from across SBS Radio and SBS News in more than 60 languages, supported by a growing number of other multilingual resources we’re sharing direct with communities.”
In addition to extensive coverage across SBS Radio and SBS News, SBS is continuing to produce a range of resources in dozens of languages to support culturally and linguistically diverse Australians. This includes videos in 59 languages explaining essential coronavirus information, and a growing suite of infographics and posters in more than 60 languages, clearly communicating and breaking down key COVID-19 messages as the crisis has unfolded.