Repeats and reruns - the proliferation of new free-to-air digital channels in Australia has not necessarily meant fresh new viewing content.
In fact, media analyst Steve Allen says there's been an overall downturn in viewership for digital channels like Gem, GO!, 7Mate and SBS 2.
“Their biggest problem is finding new content to fill them,” he said.
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But SBS 2, which was launched in June 2009, is getting a radical makeover -- starting on-air today.
The digital channel, which until now showed repeats and World Watch, a range of foreign-language news services, will now offer prime-time programming aimed at a younger audience.
SBS Managing Director Michael Ebeid said the new channel will showcase emerging culture and comedy.
"It will be a very different channel [to SBS ONE], it's going to be irreverent, it's going to be light, it's going to be fun and it's not going to take itself too seriously. It's going to offer audiences something that they really can't get anywhere else in Australia," Mr Ebeid said.
SBS 2's bolder, edgier content will be aimed at a "thinking-thirties" audience -- a notoriously difficult demographic to please.
It's a fickle audience that watches what it wants, when it wants via laptops, mobiles and tablets.
"Well it's an interesting experiment in as much as SBS is going for a very defined demographic, quite an edgy demographic, that they have never truly addressed - certainly not on a channel basis,” Mr Allen said.
“Whilst it's a highly desirable target group, it's very risky from a number of points of view, that they are not loyal, they don't stick with you season after season."
The 16-39 year old TV demographic is dominated by Go!, which pulls 73 per cent of that audience with ABC2 attracting 57 per cent.
“I think it's going to be different very different to both ABC2 and Go!, in that the sort of content that we are going to have will really be showcasing stuff from around the world, in a way that ABC and Go! don't today," Mr Ebeid said.
SBS 2 will also feature a new-look news program called "The Feed".
Journalist Jeannette Francis says the new show will reflect the huge role social media plays in its viewers' lives.
“When we engage in content we want to able to decide when, how and how much of things we see -- this is something that The Feed is going to cater to,” Ms Francis said.
World Watch will remain on SBS 2 during the day, with the channel's new-look evening schedule kicking off from 6pm on April 1.
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