2025 World Radio Day – 13 February

This World Radio Day, SBS reflects on its 50^th year on the airwaves, producing multilingual radio programming that tells the stories of all Australians.

Founded in 1975 as two small “ethnic” radio stations – 2EA in Sydney and 3EA in Melbourne – SBS’s initial purpose was to inform Australians from non-English speaking backgrounds about the new national healthcare scheme Medibank (now Medicare). Its inaugural programs in Arabic, Greek, Italian, Maltese, Spanish, and Yugoslav reflected Australia’s growing migrant population of the time.

Today, SBS Audio broadcasts in over 60 languages – including First Nations languages – providing news and current affairs, entertainment, and music on linear and digital platforms. Fostering critical links between community and culture, SBS plays an ongoing role in building connection and a sense of belonging for all Australians.

To understand more, we chatted with two of its team members – Efthymios (Themi) Kallos, SBS Greek Executive Producer and Sumeet Kaur, SBS Punjabi Executive Producer – who share their thoughts on SBS Audio’s journey until now and into the future.

Efthymios (Themi) Kallos | SBS Greek, Executive Producer

Q: What do you enjoy most about your job?

Greek was one of SBS’s original language programs in 1975 and now serves more than 230,000 Greek speakers in Australia. Going to visit communities is particularly memorable and rewarding. Meeting people gives me an opportunity to meet our listeners, hear their feedback and concerns, and celebrate SBS Greek together.

I describe SBS as a microcosm of the United Nations and the bastion of Australia’s multiculturalism, which is the most important part of social cohesion. When you work at SBS, you share and live its values, and you understand how to break stereotypes.

Q: Tell us about your own journey of coming to Australia?

My relationship with Australia is threefold. First, my family arrived in 1970 on the ship “Patris”. I was 3.5 years old. The next year, my parents sent us back to Greece to our grandparents. Their plan was to work two years and resettle in the homeland. Instead, in 1976 they brought us back to Australia. Two years later, I returned to Greece to complete high school and military service, and in 1988 I returned to Australia.

In 1990 at the age of 23 I joined SBS (2EA) as a casual journalist and I loved following news in Australia, Cyprus, Greece and globally. I can confidently say SBS and its values have shaped my whole life. It was thanks to SBS News colleagues that I went to study journalism at the University of Technology Sydney.

Q: What’s the most common feedback you hear from SBS Greek audiences?

The younger members, born in Australia, want more music and culture segments in Greek that they can understand. On our SBS Greek digital platform more and more English is used.

However, many older listeners consistently want more news from their place of birth. They want to return to their Greek roots as they approach retirement age and seek greater interaction with language and traditions. Those in advanced age tend to want more “happy” segments, not segments that may cause them to be depressed.  Also, more and more children caring for elderly parents listen to SBS Greek with their mothers and fathers.

Q: What do you think about the increasing shift towards digital?

Digital platforms have allowed SBS to reach listeners beyond traditional radio frequencies, ensuring content is available on demand, across different time zones, and through various formats like podcasts, streaming, and social media.

What I find most remarkable is how this shift has strengthened connections with diaspora communities. The ability to integrate multimedia elements – such as interactive content, videos, and digital storytelling – has enhanced the way we deliver news, culture, and community stories.

 Looking forward, SBS will always play a key role in pioneering new ways to engage audiences – whether through the use of new technologies, interactive storytelling or expanded multilingual digital services.

Q: What are your thoughts on SBS 50 years from now?

SBS will continue to play a most crucial role in shaping a future Australia that is more inclusive, diverse, and connected. As the country’s leading multicultural broadcaster, SBS provides a platform for voices that might otherwise go unheard, fostering greater understanding among different communities.

Most importantly, SBS will remain a unifying force, bridging cultures, challenging misinformation, and fostering a shared national identity that embraces diversity. It will continue to be a trusted source for accurate, multilingual journalism while promoting Australian multicultural arts, cinema, and storytelling.

Sumeet Kaur | SBS Punjabi Executive Producer

Q: Why did you join SBS?

I was drawn to SBS because it genuinely connects with diverse communities. I wanted to join a place where I felt at home, doing work that was both meaningful and rewarding. SBS isn’t just about delivering trusted news, it’s about building community, fostering inclusivity, and giving a voice to stories that matter and help shape the narrative for the migrant communities that truly represent Australia. That’s what motivated me to join SBS.

Q: SBS has vastly expanded its language offering since the 70s – why is that?

Every five years in line with the national Census, SBS conducts a Language Services Review to ensure its offering reflects contemporary Australia, the face of which has changed dramatically over the past 50 years.

The Punjabi program started on 2EA in 1976 and was part of a combined seven Indian languages format on 3EA. In 1984, all seven of these languages moved to their own programs. Today, there are almost 240,000 Punjabi speakers in Australia (up from 26,000 in 2006!). SBS Punjabi is also part of the SBS South Asian channel available on linear and digital, including a dedicated fast channel on SBS On Demand, reflecting the burgeoning growth of Australia’s South Asian diaspora.

Q: What’s the most common feedback you hear from SBS Punjabi audiences?

Our audience consistently tells us that they tune in to SBS because they trust that what they hear is real news – authentic – and not driven by sensationalism. Also, in an era of AI, where information is abundant, and misinformation and disinformation are rife on several channels, this feedback is a reminder for us to evolve and ensure our voices aren’t lost in the noise. It is heartening to hear our audiences comment about trending stories, ” We’ll only believe it when we hear it on SBS”.

Listeners have also shared the role SBS Punjabi plays in language preservation – including for second-generation kids who were born here and for older generations. They say we make language learning more accessible and engaging, and keep families connected to their cultural roots and heritage. Also, several Punjabi schools around Australia have been using our podcasts as learning resources for their students.

Q: Tell us about your own journey of coming to Australia?

I arrived in Australia in 2015 with a Master’s in computer science and some experience working with Indian tech giants like Tech Mahindra and Infosys. However, my true passion was the world of newspapers and beauty of the languages. I also read a lot of Punjabi literature, which helped me top the nation in that subject during Year 10.

Shortly after arriving in Melbourne, around the time of the Indian festival of Rakhi (which celebrates the brother-sister bond through a thread tying ritual), I was missing home and came across an SBS Punjabi post on Facebook inviting Punjabi migrants to share a poem or song to mark the occasion. On a whim I made a submission and this small act of creativity not only gave me a voice, but also connected me to a community that helped me feel at home in a new land. I got hooked on SBS Punjabi’s program and eventually got a job with them in 2021, becoming the Executive Producer in 2024.

This is a great reminder that while our careers may start on one track, our hearts can lead us to unexpected, fulfilling destinations. I’m incredibly grateful to be part of a platform like SBS – one that values diverse voices, inspires and nurtures the spirit of togetherness, and connects us through voice, words, and news. I am proud to be a part of this legacy.

Q: What is one of the biggest shifts you are seeing in today’s audience?

People are now seeking more personalised, flexible content consumption that fits their busy schedules, and SBS Punjabi is getting great engagement on social videos and online audio content. It’s truly remarkable to see long-time listeners evolving with us. They, along with newer generations, have seamlessly adapted to this digital shift, making the connection between producers and audiences increasingly dynamic.

As Australia grows ever more multicultural, SBS stands out as the one national broadcaster that not only continues to inform, but also to unite Australia, ensuring that our trusted voice remains at the heart of Australia’s multicultural narrative.