Annual Report 2020 SBS acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia. Contents About SBS 4 Letter to the Minister 5 Our Diverse Offering 8 Organisational Structure 9 SBS Board of Directors 10 SBS Corporate Plan 14 2019-20 Snapshot 16 Distinctive Network 17 Engaged Audiences 45 Inspired Communities 53 Great Business 67 SBS Values 80 Great People; Great Culture 81 Annual Performance Statement 89 Financial Statements 93 Notes to the Financial Statements 101 Appendices 125 Index of Annual Report Requirements 194 A world of difference 3 About SBS SBS was established as an independent statutory authority on 1 January 1978 under the Broadcasting Act 1942. In 1991 the Special Broadcasting Service Act (SBS Act) came into effect and SBS became a corporation. The Minister responsible is d) contribute to the the Hon. Paul Fletcher MP, retention and continuing Minister for Communications, development of language Cyber Safety and the Arts. and other cultural skills; and e) as far as practicable, SBS Charter inform, educate and SBS Purpose The SBS Charter, contained in the entertain Australians in their SBS Act, sets out the principal preferred languages; and “SBS inspires all function of SBS. f) make use of Australia’s Australians to explore, 1. The principal function of the diverse creative resources; respect and celebrate SBS is to provide multilingual and and multicultural broadcasting our diverse world, and and digital media services g) contribute to the overall in doing so, contributes diversity of Australian that inform, educate and to a cohesive society.” entertain all Australians and, broadcasting and digital in doing so, reflect Australia’s media services, particularly multicultural society. taking into account the contribution of the 2. The SBS, in performing its Australian Broadcasting principal function, must: Corporation and the a) contribute to meeting the community broadcasting communications needs sector; and of Australia’s multicultural h) contribute to extending society, including ethnic, the range of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait broadcasting and digital Islander communities; and media services, and reflect b) increase awareness of the the changing nature of contribution of a diversity of Australian society, by cultures to the continuing presenting many points of development of Australian view and using innovative society; and forms of expression. c) promote understanding and acceptance of the cultural, linguistic and ethnic diversity of the Australian people; and 4 SBS Annual Report 2020 Letter to the Minister From the Chair and News and information about the with the Federal Department of Managing Director severity of Australia’s drought Health to deliver essential health The Hon Paul Fletcher MP conditions, and the associated and safety messages through its Minister for Communications, bushfire risk, were a continuing ‘Coronavirus Explained’ videos in Cyber Safety and the Arts focus. As the bushfire threat 59 languages. became real, SBS communicated Parliament House ACT 2600 NITV News provided critical key safety information in multiple updates on the impact of Dear Minister, languages and reported on COVID-19 and issues facing the devastating loss of life and On behalf of the SBS Board of Indigenous Australians, including property, and the toll on regional Directors, we are pleased to concerns about those living in communities and volunteer present the Annual Report of remote communities. SBS was firefighters. SBS also amplified Special Broadcasting Service the only Australian television news inspiring stories of individuals and Corporation (SBS) for the year bulletin providing comprehensive diverse community organisations ending 30 June 2020. daily coverage of the pandemic’s giving back, and shared insights impact across the globe – This Annual Report was approved into how business owners particularly focusing on the by a resolution of the Corporation were coping. Directors on 26 August 2020 and homelands of many of our largest has been prepared in accordance In early 2020, Australians faced migrant communities. The impact with the relevant requirements the transition from a national and value of SBS’s trusted news of the Public Governance, bushfire emergency to a global coverage was evident, with record Performance and Accountability pandemic – a once-in-a-century audience numbers and digital Act 2013 and Special event that has disrupted and traffic to our language services, Broadcasting Service Act 1991. reshaped the health, economic as well as SBS World News. and social strands of life, both It also assesses the organisation’s COVID-19 has also had a here and abroad. SBS will performance against the SBS major impact on Australia’s be a vital tool in Australia’s 2019-2020 Corporate Plan. creative industries, including ongoing recovery from the the production sector. As the This year has been like no other. COVID-19 pandemic. Australians have experienced an pandemic developed and unprecedented need for trusted As the crisis began to escalate, restrictions were put in place, and reliable news and information, SBS launched its Multilingual SBS programming was impacted and a desire to feel connected in Coronavirus Portal in just four in a range of ways with events times of disruption and physical days, with an unparalleled cancelled, local and international separation. As one of the country’s capacity to deliver critical productions temporarily halted, most trusted media brands,1 with updates and health information and restrictions in place. SBS a unique ability to reach Australia’s in 63 languages, on a rolling has been working closely with diverse communities, SBS has basis. SBS promoted the ‘stay its many partners to continue played a vital role in responding home’ messaging, dispelled work on productions where it has to these needs. Through our myths and deepened community been safe to do so, and has also multiplatform offering in more understanding of key issues. invested in the development of than 60 languages, in 2019-20 SBS Radio gave audiences direct projects to support the sector. SBS continued to be an essential access to health experts via The Eurovision Song Contest service, delivering distinctive talkback in their own language, is an example of SBS’s agility, content and news to keep and brought comfort by finding new ways of working Australians informed and safe. encouraging people to share tips and producing alternative to stay connected with family and programming to allow the annual friends. SBS also worked closely celebration, loved by so many 1. Roy Morgan Risk Monitor, April 2020. A world of difference 5 “SBS will continue to provide our valued services to the community in innovative ways, telling stories otherwise untold, supporting cultural, economic and civic participation, and inspiring all Australians to experience the benefits of social inclusion.” Australians, to continue despite SBS is a valuable institution, heard, and a unique and vital the event itself being cancelled helping Australia become more perspective for all Australians. for 2020. inclusive and participative. SBS and NITV news teams We know inclusion yields covered the global and local news Beyond the impact of COVID-19, economic benefits – for all. stories. The Point examined the SBS’s total audience is growing. Research SBS commissioned parallels between injustices in In 2019-20, SBS reached from Deloitte Access Economics the United States and Australia, 11.9 million Australians each in August 2019 demonstrated that highlighting the deaths in custody month2, despite linear audiences improving social inclusion could of Indigenous people in Australia declining across the market generate a $12.7 billion annual and other systemic institutional At the same time, SBS engaged boost to the Australian economy. failures, and Living Black more Australians on its digital provided in-depth coverage and platforms, with more than Guided by our Charter, SBS shared powerful stories from 70 million hours of programming delivers impactful content that communities. SBS On Demand streamed on SBS On Demand3 raises awareness of important also curated a Black Lives Matter and registered users climbing to social issues. Observational collection of programs and 8.3 million.4 SBS’s digital video documentary series like documentaries, exploring these consumption as a share of its Filthy Rich & Homeless and topics further. overall video consumption is Struggle Street returned in 2020, the highest in the Australian exploring challenges of poverty, Storytelling is an important free-to-air television market. homelessness and disadvantage vehicle to enable people to Digital is growing at a rate faster experienced in our cities and feel empowered, included and than the linear decline, meaning regional areas, while Where connected. The Hunting5 explored SBS is connecting with more Are You Really From? used first- the issue of online safety and people than ever before. person stories to explore the was the most successful original contributions of migrants to drama series in the history of June 2020 marked 45 years since Australian communities, delving SBS, with a combined reach of the first multilingual messages into issues such as racism, social 1.6 million. In partnership with hit the airwaves on 2EA and integration, and financial and the eSafety Commissioner, SBS 3EA – two small radio stations intergenerational struggles. Learn created discussion guides that would become SBS. SBS’s for teachers and families about founding