SBS showcases success of ‘Audience First’ approach at SBS 2024 Upfronts

• SBS showcases digital leadership, highlighting the success of Alone Australia as the case study for platform agnostic TV programming in Australia.   
• Announces shift in audio programming strategy which sees its 60+ language shows move to an on demand/podcast led model.  
• Introduces greater personalisation options for SBS On Demand, including a new recommendation engine and End of Year wraps.  
• Announces new opt-out feature on SBS On Demand for advertising categories of wagering, alcoholic beverages & quick service restaurants (QSR), from Q1 of 2024. 

31 October 2023

SBS has used its 2024 Upfronts to highlight its success in digital transformation across both its television and audio businesses, while announcing a number of key initiatives aimed at continuing to improve the audience experience.   

Executives from its television and audio businesses spoke at the event, held at Sydney Town Hall, highlighting how 2023 has been a transformational year for SBS with the hybrid national broadcaster executing a new “Audience First” platform agnostic audience strategy. SBS used the event to signpost major milestones such as Alone Australia being named the “breakout hit of the year” after it became SBS’s most successful ever original commission with an average of 1.44 million viewers per episode – half of those coming from SBS On Demand.  

Alone Australia, Rogue Heroes and The Handmaid’s Tale are among the TV franchises that have performed strongly on both linear TV and SBS On Demand

SBS also confirmed the success of its rebrand from SBS Radio to SBS Audio with the broadcaster earlier this month going live with a new linear radio schedule which sees programs across 60+ languages move to a more platform agnostic model where much of its audio content is then published online at 5pm each day. In the past 12 months, SBS was also named Podcaster of the Year at the Australian Podcast Awards.    

SBS Audio broadcasts in more than 60 languages and this year added Bislama, Malay, Oromo, Telugu and Tetum to the schedule.

“SBS is the contemporary national broadcaster, one which authentically reflects Australia and which has digital, belonging and sustainability at its heart,” said James Taylor, SBS Managing Director.

“2023 has seen us take great leaps in our digital transformation across television and audio, be it with the success of Alone Australia or the transformation of SBS Radio to SBS Audio. Next year will be no different as we continue to adapt to the consumer expectation of personalisation and world-class advertising experience.”

Among SBS’s announcements were a range of enhancements to its streaming platform, SBS On Demand, that underscore the network’s investment in its digital properties and position the platform as Australia’s premium free streaming destination for both audiences and commercial partners.

Central to the offering, alongside the addition of new ad products and FAST channels, is an improved recommendation engine that inspires content exploration and the launch of SBS Rewind which will show users a summary of their viewing in the year prior and recommend new programming based on these preferences.

Images from the SBS Rewind feature which will roll out later this year.

SBS also signalled it will take a leadership position regarding responsible advertising with confirmation the hybrid-funded national broadcaster will introduce a feature which allows SBS On Demand users to opt-out of receiving advertising in the categories of wagering, alcoholic beverages and quick service restaurants (QSR) from 2024.

SBS will launch the beta opt out functionality in Q1 2024, with users able to register their interest via the SBS Help Centre from today.

The move has been endorsed by Endeavour Drinks and Tabcorp.

“SBS already takes significant steps to ensure we are meeting the responsible advertising expectations audiences have of us,” said Taylor. “We have age restrictions on SBS On Demand and we remove certain ad categories from particular programming, especially shows that deal with difficult or sensitive topics, such as Addicted Australia.

“For certain categories, SBS will utilise the benefits that digital provides and put greater control into the audiences’ hands. Audiences have always had complete control over what they watch on SBS On Demand. Now they will benefit further by having 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.”

For a pdf of copy of this release, click here.