Content commissioning
SBS commissions programs that explore the SBS Charter and reflect the changing nature of Australian society, both on and off screen. We are seeking bold ideas and distinctive stories that are innovative, prioritise authenticity of voice, push boundaries, challenge perceptions and inspire change. We want all Australians, including those who are traditionally under-represented in the media, to see themselves, their family, friends and communities in the stories we tell.
In this article
Do you have a program proposal, or a story idea to pitch to us?
SBS has genre-specific commissioning needs, outlined here. Find out more about what we’re looking for in Unscripted, Scripted, NITV and Online, including documentaries, factual, food, entertainment, drama and online content and how to submit your idea.
If you have not worked in television before, please ensure you have an experienced television producer attached to your project.
Click here to meet the SBS Commissioning team.
Read more about the SBS Commissioning Equity & Inclusion Guidelines (2025 - 2028), which apply to SBS Unscripted and Scripted commissioned programming.
Click here to visit the SBS Producers’ document hub, which contains information about the commissioning and production process, and how we work with independent production companies.
SBS UNSCRIPTED
SBS Unscripted commissions documentaries, food and entertainment. Learn more about what we're looking for.
FACTUAL
Documentaries
Everything we commission in SBS Documentaries must reflect the SBS Charter and explore multicultural Australia and diversity in all its forms. Our Charter makes us distinctive and gives us a clear vision, which is enhanced by four key values: To provoke debate, push boundaries, surprise audiences, and inspire change. This ensures bold and distinctive documentaries that would only play on SBS. We commission hour-long documentaries, either as singles or series.
'Our content includes’ factual hits series such as Alone Australia, Who Do You Think You Are, The Secret DNA of Us, The People Vs Robodebt, The Hospital: In The Deep End to Award winning single documentaries such as Hitler’s Jewish Soldier which is part of the prestigious ‘Australia Uncovered’ single documentary strand.
History
We are actively looking for big bold series that explore Australia's Indigenous and multicultural history. We'd encourage alternative forms of exploring this history be that through archive, drama recreations, a presenter, oral history or living history. We encourage fresh and innovative ways to bring the past to life. Scale, ambition and contemporary relevance are vital as we explore how our diverse and multicultural past is central to the makeup of Australia today.
Contemporary Documentaries
We are looking for creatively ambitious ideas that are big in scale that get us into contemporary issues of social cohesion in a memorable way. This can be anything from high concept constructed ideas, to observational documentaries.
First Nations Documentaries
We are looking for documentaries which focus on First Nations Australians. We are looking for documentaries that tackle big subjects and make a difference. One quality which is important is to find a way of surprising audiences in terms of the story, and we would encourage innovative approaches to storytelling.
Australia Uncovered
Australia Uncovered is a returning strand of stand-alone documentaries, which explore contemporary Australia. The strand tackles some of the biggest issues in Australia today, in the most revealing, surprising and compelling ways. We are looking for new single documentaries for this strand in 2026.
Proposals for factual projects
To contact SBS regarding factual commissions, email: [email protected].
If you have a proposal for a factual project, please visit the SBS Producers’ document hub here to access the SBS Commissioned Content Project Submission Form.
FOOD
At SBS we aim to inspire Australian and international audiences to explore and celebrate our diverse world through the universal language of food. With an entire channel dedicated to food, SBS Food is our home for food commissions and acquisitions.
Our world-class commissions occupy a unique position in the Australian food media landscape and offer a genuine alternative to food programming available elsewhere, while using food as a conduit to cultural insight and understanding on Australia’s only free-to-air Food channel.
Our content includes popular series – such as The Cook Up, Shane Delia’s Malta, Memory Bites with Matt Moran, The Streets with Dan Hong, Marion Grasby’s Flavours of Heart and Home, A Girl’s Guide to Hunting and Fishing and Lara Lee’s Beyond Bali.
We pride ourselves on attracting the best chefs and food presenters to host our food programs, including Adam Liaw, Marion Grasby, Shane Delia, Luke Nguyen, and Dan Hong. While each has their own personal style, they all share an insatiable curiosity and passion for the world of food and a flair for immersing audiences in a particular culture and cuisine.
Proposals for food projects
To contact SBS regarding food television commissions, please make an enquiry.
If you have a proposal for an unscripted project, please visit the SBS Producers’ document hub here to access the SBS Commissioned Content Project Submission Form.
ENTERTAINMENT
At SBS, we are committed to informing, educating and entertaining all Australians in a way that reflects Australia’s multi-cultural and diverse society. For over 40 years SBS has been the home of Eurovision Song Contest, connecting local audiences to one of the world’s biggest cultural events. We are always on the lookout for our next entry!
SBS Entertainment continues to champion smart and surprising programming across entertainment and factual entertainment series. Recent successes such as Mastermind and Celebrity Letters and Numbers demonstrate the power of formats that are accessible, distinctive and driven by curiosity and wit. Entertainment and Factual Entertainment programming needs to be engaging, educational and of course, entertaining with a strong focus on representation and a distinctive SBS flavour.
Entertainment and Factual Entertainment on SBS must engage and entertain while offering depth, intelligence and strong representation. Programs should feel unmistakably SBS, bold in perspective, inclusive in casting and rich in cultural relevance.
We are looking for new cost-effective formats or series that play with form and content and cut through a crowded market. Series or shows may be studio or field based and can include fixed rig, hidden camera or presenter-led approaches. Central to this ambition is a commitment to discovering, developing and showcasing diverse on-air talent that reflects contemporary Australia.
Proposals for entertainment projects
To contact SBS regarding Entertainment commissions, email: [email protected].
If you have a proposal for an entertainment project, please visit the SBS Producers’ document hub here to access the SBS Commissioned Content Project Submission Form.
SBS SCRIPTED
SBS commissions channel defining drama that is distinctive, noisy and unapologetically entertaining. Ambitious shows with something to say and a point of difference that will provoke and delight broad audiences.
Our focus is on contemporary dramas with clear genre hooks, iconic characters, addictive narratives and dramatic stakes.
Our shows reflect the SBS Charter and explore the diversity of contemporary Australia in a way rarely seen on television.
SBS Original drama series have included FOUR YEARS LATER, RECKLESS, NEW GOLD MOUNTAIN, SAFE HARBOUR, THE HUNTING, HUNGRY GHOSTS and THE FAMILY LAW. They have achieved critical acclaim, including International Emmy, AACTA, Logie and AWGIE recognition, and commercial success, premiering globally on the BBC, Hulu, Netflix, and Sundance Now.
For information on what we look for in a pitch, please visit our Pitch Deck Guide.
Proposals for scripted projects
SBS Scripted accept pitches through our Scripted Project Proposals form.
If you have another inquiry for the Scripted team, you can reach us at [email protected].
Please note that short form pitches are only accepted once a year through Digital Originals.
Short form series
Central to SBS’ commitment to developing and commissioning bold and risk-taking scripted series from diverse voices on screen and behind the camera, we commission short-form comedy & drama series through Digital Originals.
The program provides opportunities for screen creatives from underrepresented communities to produce an original 6 x 10-minute series that is released on SBS’ broadcast channels and SBS On Demand.
A long-running flagship partnership with NITV and Screen Australia, this stream produces critically-acclaimed content that has consistently been recognised at the AACTA, AWGIE, and ADG awards, as well as Canneseries, Series Mania, and other prestigious world-renowned festivals.
Alumni of the program have gone on to be some of Australia’s most in-demand creatives and producers. Previous commissions have included LATECOMERS, APPETITE, MOONBIRD, MONI, HOMECOMING QUEENS, and ROBBIE HOOD.
Our complete collection of Digital Originals are available on SBS On Demand.
NITV
NITV commissions content with the purpose to tell premium and authentic First Nations stories from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for all Australians.
We seek to reach the widest possible audience and change how NITV is seen and heard across the nation and around the world.
Our ambition is to support high impact First Nations stories that kick start national conversations. NITV facilitates First Nations voices by providing strong editorial leadership for filmmakers. Our commissions team draws on best practice approaches to First Nations screen storytelling and is recognised for creative excellence and innovation.
NITV attracts the best Indigenous screen storytellers and premium Australian and International partners in building a prestigious pipeline of content and talent that garner acclaim, awards and commercial success.
We aim to commission world-class Indigenous stories that are Blak, broad & entertaining with a focus on factual, unscripted, and children’s series.
We are looking for contemporary, creatively ambitious ideas based on subjects that will:
- Engage, inform and entertain a broad audience.
- Open audiences to Indigenous voices across Australia.
- Reflect our diverse First Nations communities.
- Stories that are told from a First Nations perspective
Eligibility:
Two of the three key creative roles (writer, director or producer) must be filled by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people
Proposals for new projects:
Read about NITV’s commissioning process here.
If you have a new proposal for a project with NITV commissions, please access our online form here
To contact NITV regarding commissions, email: [email protected].
FACTUAL
Nat TV
Rebel with a Cause
Karla Grant Presents
Up to 4 x 1-hour documentaries celebrating trailblazers, change makers and quiet achievers who have helped shape the nation, past and present.
Up to 4 x 1-hour natural history documentaries, authentically capturing nature and Indigenous Peoples’ deep understanding of the environment.
Up to 6 x 30-minute documentaries, open to emerging and early mid-career filmmakers, dedicated to issue-based storytelling and spotlighting community leaders.
We’re calling on passionate First Nations storytellers to submit their ideas and be part of the next wave of Blak excellence on screen. Please send your submissions to [email protected] with the relevant strand in the subject line.
SBS Food Online
SBS Food Online includes recipes and food stories from across the country.
For online Food projects contact:
SBS Food Online: [email protected]
To pitch or write for SBS Food please take a look at our pitching guide.
SBS Podcasts
SBS is continually building our slate of podcasts that feature diverse Australian voices and align with the SBS Charter. We welcome pitches for original podcast series in any genre, language and format.
To contact SBS regarding podcast commissions, email: [email protected].
If you have a proposal for a podcast project, please click here to access the submission form.