ID :
17702
Mon, 09/01/2008 - 19:51
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/17702
The shortlink copeid
SBS seeks extra $70m a year to expand
The head of SBS has called on the federal government to boost the public broadcaster's funding by nearly 40 per cent to meet an ambitious expansion plan.
Managing director Shaun Brown said SBS was seeking about an extra $70 million a year to expand its services across four digital television channels and establish nine new digital radio channels.
The multicultural broadcaster is about to enter negotiations with the government about funding for the next three years and beyond, he said.
"To deliver these new and improved services to the Australian community will take a substantial new investment from the Australian government - somewhere in the order of an additional $70 million per annum," Mr Brown told The Sydney Institute on Monday night. "That may sound a lot. But when you consider that SBS has had no real increase in funds for many years now and we currently operate on a government appropriation around one-fifth of the ABC's to deliver more complex services on a national scale, we think it is realistic."
SBS received about $178 million from the government in 2006-07, according to its annual report.
Mr Brown said the $49 million SBS earned from all its commercial activities - including advertising - in 2006-07 paled in comparison to the billions earned by commercial networks. "And while not permitted to carry advertising in its programming, even the ABC
raised $154 million in 2006-07 from the sale of goods and services.
"That's three times the commercial revenue SBS generates." SBS plans include launching an SBS World channel next year, which would show
predominantly subtitled content and introduce English-language tuition.
The multicultural broadcaster would have four digital channels by 2013 if funding was available. It would add 100 more hours per year of original Australian multicultural TV programming by 2012. "I acknowledge that these are ambitious plans but I equally feel they are both realistic and necessary," Mr Brown said. He said a Newspoll commissioned by SBS found 92 per cent of people surveyed agreed the service existed as an alternative to commercial networks, and 87 per cent thought it important that SBS provided an alternative to the ABC.
Managing director Shaun Brown said SBS was seeking about an extra $70 million a year to expand its services across four digital television channels and establish nine new digital radio channels.
The multicultural broadcaster is about to enter negotiations with the government about funding for the next three years and beyond, he said.
"To deliver these new and improved services to the Australian community will take a substantial new investment from the Australian government - somewhere in the order of an additional $70 million per annum," Mr Brown told The Sydney Institute on Monday night. "That may sound a lot. But when you consider that SBS has had no real increase in funds for many years now and we currently operate on a government appropriation around one-fifth of the ABC's to deliver more complex services on a national scale, we think it is realistic."
SBS received about $178 million from the government in 2006-07, according to its annual report.
Mr Brown said the $49 million SBS earned from all its commercial activities - including advertising - in 2006-07 paled in comparison to the billions earned by commercial networks. "And while not permitted to carry advertising in its programming, even the ABC
raised $154 million in 2006-07 from the sale of goods and services.
"That's three times the commercial revenue SBS generates." SBS plans include launching an SBS World channel next year, which would show
predominantly subtitled content and introduce English-language tuition.
The multicultural broadcaster would have four digital channels by 2013 if funding was available. It would add 100 more hours per year of original Australian multicultural TV programming by 2012. "I acknowledge that these are ambitious plans but I equally feel they are both realistic and necessary," Mr Brown said. He said a Newspoll commissioned by SBS found 92 per cent of people surveyed agreed the service existed as an alternative to commercial networks, and 87 per cent thought it important that SBS provided an alternative to the ABC.
