Save Our SBS

Multicultural Council of Tasmania
49 Molle Street, Hobart TAS 7000
PO Box 798, Hobart TAS 7001
mcot@tassie.net.au
4 April 2012

RE: Triennial Funding for the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS)

You may have heard that government funding for the SBS for the next triennium will be announced on Budget night, 8 May 2012 and that the SBS needs a massive increase in government monies to carry out its day to day operations and expand its services. The amount to be granted to the SBS will be decided this month.

Save Our SBS Inc – supporters & friends of SBS – made two submissions to the Commonwealth last year as did SBS and other stakeholders putting the case for a significant increase in public funding.

SBS has been underfunded for many years and is now at crossroads. For this reason Save Our SBS has commenced a public campaign at www.SaveOurSBS.org in which supporters of SBS may message the finance and communications ministers, and other politicians putting the case for greater funding for the SBS. The outcome could be a win-win-situation. The SBS could see a substantial increase in government funding coupled with a gradual de-commercialization of SBS television; advertisements between programs rather than in.

Save Our SBS Inc has studied the detail of a Bill that was recently introduced into the Senate, the Special Broadcasting Service Amendment (Natural Program Breaks and Disruptive Advertising) Bill 2012 which, if passed will phase out in-program advertising on SBS-TV by 2016. We believe the Bill is fair and sensible. It establishes a scheme whereby the SBS would ultimately be better funded and without intrusive breaks in SBS television programs. That would be welcomed by all viewers. SBS Radio would not be affected by the Bill.

SBS has the lowest operating budget of any mainstream broadcaster when compared to all other broadcasters. It was one sixth of Channel 7 and less than ¼ of the ABC. However, since the introduction of in program advertising on SBS TV five years ago, the rate of growth from advertising on SBS has decreased significantly. It has been negative since 2010.

The hybrid public-commercial model that was handed to the SBS, has now caused it to be facing a severe funding crisis. Public funding has not kept pace with basic operating costs. SBS is too important to all of us to see it continue to remain underfunded.

Forecasts are that this will worsen as long as the SBS is pushed to rely on advertising to the extent that has occurred. The passing of the Bill mentioned above would be an excellent solution.

We would like to invite you and your constituents and their friends, to take advantage of this opportunity to support the SBS and participate in this community wide request for a significant increase in government funding for the SBS and begin the process of sending a direct message to government seeking a steep increase in funding for the SBS along with the passing of the Bill referred to above.

Please feel free to inform others to add their voice to the community wide program at www.SaveOurSBS.org

Best wishes,

Steve Aujard
President
Save Our SBS Inc