Annual Report 2014 “Since its inception, SBS has grown into a world renowned leader in multicultural broadcasting, and the service that SBS provides ensures that millions of Australians from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are actively engaged in Australian society.” – Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia, June, 2014. Contents About SBS 3 Letter to the Minister 4 SBS: Australia’s unique 6 broadcaster Organisational Structure 8 SBS Board of Directors 9 SBS Executive 12 Our Strategic Objectives 14 Year at a Glance 16 Content that explores and 18 celebrates diversity Organisation 52 Financial Statements 74 Appendices 134 Index of Annual Report 176 Requirements 2 SBS Annual Report 2014 SBS was established as an independent statutory authority on 1 January 1978 under the Broadcasting Act 1942. In 1991 the Special Broadcasting Service Act 1991 (SBS Act) came into effect and SBS became a corporation. The Minister responsible is the Honourable Malcolm Turnbull, Minister for Communications. During 2013-14 there was one other responsible Minister, the Honourable Anthony Albanese, Minister for Broadband, Communication and the Digital Economy (1 July to 18 September 2013). Charter The Charter of SBS, which sets out our principal function and duties, is contained in the SBS Act. (1) The principal function of SBS (e) as far as practicable, is to provide multilingual and inform, educate and multicultural radio, television entertain Australians in and digital media services their preferred languages; that inform, educate and (f) make use of Australia’s entertain all Australians and, diverse creative resources; in doing so, refl ect Australia’s multicultural society. (g) contribute to the overall diversity of Australian television (2) The SBS, in performing its and radio services, particularly principal function, must: taking into account the (a) contribute to meeting the contribution of the Australian communications needs Broadcasting Corporation and of Australia’s multicultural the community broadcasting society, including ethnic, sector; and Aboriginal and Torres Strait (h) contribute to extending the Islander communities; range of Australian television (b) increase awareness of and radio services, and the contribution of a refl ect the changing nature diversity of cultures to the of Australian society, by continuing development presenting many points of of Australian society; view and using innovative (c) promote understanding and forms of expression. acceptance of the cultural, A subsidiary function is to carry linguistic and ethnic diversity on, within or outside Australia, any of the Australian people; business or other activity incidental (d) contribute to the retention to the fulfi lment of the Charter. and continuing development of language and other cultural skills; 3 The Hon Malcolm Turnbull Minister for Communications Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 Dear Minister We were incredibly proud to secure the performance of Jessica Mauboy at the 59th Eurovision Song Contest in On behalf of the Board we have pleasure in presenting Copenhagen after a year’s negotiations with the European the Annual Report of the Special Broadcasting Service Broadcasting Union and Danish Radio (DR), which Corporation (SBS) for the year ending 30 June 2014, a culminated in the fi rst ever appearance of an Australian period in which SBS continued to experience change solo artist at Eurovision. Jessica’s performance was in the consumption patterns of audiences and growing watched by 180 million people globally and was invaluable multicultural complexities within Australian society, against in showcasing Australia and the talent of our Indigenous the backdrop of signifi cant international events which artists to the world. This event was an execution of the heightened our role in contributing to social cohesion SBS Charter at its best. through news and current affairs programming. SBS 2 and in particular news program The Feed, continued This Annual Report was approved by a resolution of to go from strength to strength, with a steady increase directors of the Corporation on 22 August 2014, and has in the number of younger viewers confi rming a strategic been prepared in accordance with the relevant requirements decision to shift the focus of our second digital channel. of the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997 The Feed earned recognition for its contributions to news and the Special Broadcasting Service Act 1991 (SBS Act). and current affairs, with one of its producers winning the It also assesses the Corporation’s performance against the Young Australian Journalist of the Year Award at the 2014 goals of the new SBS Strategic Plan 2013-16. Walkley Awards. SBS 2 broadcast the Sydney Gay and In 2013-14, SBS brought Australians distinctive programs Lesbian Mardi Gras, bringing it back to free to air television such as the documentary series Once Upon a Time in for the fi rst time in 12 years, secured the rights for the Punchbowl, which explored the history of the Lebanese world’s biggest short fi lm festival Tropfest, and as home to community in Australia and how it overcame the odds to the A-League which although faced audience challenges, fi nd its place in our multicultural society, and SBS’s fi rst continued to help grow the game in Australia. drama in four years, Better Man, which attracted broad NITV reached over two million Australians each month and industry acclaim. These programs exemplify the essence in the past year has focused on commissioning a pipeline of the SBS Charter and speak to our multicultural society of content which speaks to its audiences, with football in a way no other broadcaster does. SBS also secured and children’s programming drawing industry acclaim and international drama series such as Borgen, The Killing, growing audiences. NITV news and current affairs program, Fargo, Vikings and The Walking Dead, demonstrating our Awaken, continued to carve out a voice in the mainstream talents in tapping into international television trends and media, demonstrating the channel’s unique ability to use its making those programs available to local audiences. insights and links to Indigenous communities to impact the SBS delivered the biggest and most multi-platform national conversation, and on a budget far below its fi rst coverage of a World Cup in our organisation’s history, nations’ broadcaster counterparts across the world. with an integrated sports and entertainment offering across Having implemented the fi rst new Radio Schedule in radio, television and online which sought to engage and 18 years in April last year, in 2013-14 SBS Radio reviewed connect all Australians with the World Cup of a lifetime. its program content, using audience insights and research SBS’s television coverage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup to ensure programs delivered even more relevant content 1 reached 10.8 million Australians , and there were 13.8 across all platforms, maximising its impact in aiding 2 million video streams viewed online. Commercial teams Language Other than English (LOTE) speakers to become achieved World Cup revenues in a tough advertising market participative members of the Australian community. and maximised return on investment for SBS. SBS’s radio news coverage provided vital in-language Sources 1 OzTAM Metro and RegTAM Regional FTA Database; 5 City Metro + Combined Aggregated Regional Markets inc WA; SBS ONE, SBS 2 and NITV; 13-Jun- 2014 to 14-Jul-2014; Sun-Sat 02:00-25:59; Total Individuals Inc Guests; 5 Minute Consecutive Reach; All Events containing ‘FIFA World Cup’ or ‘The Full Brazilian’; Consolidated (Live + As Live + TSV). 2 Adobe Analytics and Google Analytics; 12/06/14 to 14/06/14; sbs.com.au and World Game FIFA World Cup Edition app. 4 SBS Annual Report 2014 information on national issues and events, such as the to a period of transformation of the organisation in an 2013 Federal Election and continued to collaborate with environment of signifi cant changes in our society and in other content areas on major commissioned projects, such broadcast media. Elleni Bereded-Samuel also concluded as the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2014 Eurovision Song a fi ve year term on the Board of Directors, contributing Contest, adding depth and insights that enhanced the meaningfully towards steering the organisation in that time. experience of Australia’s diverse communities. During Joe’s chairmanship, there was a major review of SBS continued to cement its reputation as an industry the SBS Radio Schedule to refl ect Australia’s changing leader in the delivery of digital services, becoming the migration patterns, extending to 74 the weekly radio fi rst Australian broadcaster to introduce a suite of fully in-language programs, the launch of NITV as Australia’s responsive websites across sbs.com.au, fi lm and food fi rst national free-to-air Indigenous television channel, websites. A focus on bringing Australian audiences incorporation of subscription channels World Movies distinctive content, informed by our Charter, on new and STUDIO and the relaunch of SBS 2 to bring younger media platforms delivered interactive media projects such Australians to SBS. as Exit Syria: Diaries from Za’atari, The Other 9/11, JFK: The Smoking Gun and Cronulla Riots: The Day That Shocked the Over the past 40 years SBS has helped millions of migrants Nation, which attracted industry acclaim and awards. While embrace their new Australian identity, and this challenge SBS is well-placed to leverage investment in digital content, is more complex now than ever, with signifi cantly more of funding of online services without compromising other core Australia’s migration coming from countries of non-English parts of the SBS offering remains a key challenge in a tight speaking backgrounds and of people of different faiths. budgetary environment. Now, more than ever, Australia must intensify its efforts A continued focus on improving workplace culture has to maintain our internationally envied record of success resulted in a signifi cant lift in measured employee morale as a socially cohesive multicultural society and our position and engagement, translating into improved performance as the country of choice for skilled migrants.