SBS becomes first Australian broadcaster to bring together television and live audio in one destination

SBS becomes first Australian broadcaster to bring together television and live audio in one destination

30 October, 2024

Media releases

The move positions SBS On Demand as the premium and free destination for both video and audio.

Hybrid funded national broadcaster SBS has used its 2025 Upfronts to signal it will further extend its digital leadership position, becoming the first network to bring its video and live audio propositions together in one platform.

As of today, the broadcaster confirmed it has integrated its world class live audio programming across seven radio channels into the SBS On Demand application.

They say that the best number of brands is one, said James Taylor, Managing Director of SBS. Today we announce that we are bringing our unique suite of live audio products to SBS On Demand. Over the past decade SBS On Demand has built a fierce reputation as the leading broadcaster video on demand (BVOD) platform when it comes to customer experience.

SBS On Demand is the number one ranked video app on both Apple and Android, and by putting video and audio alongside each other in one destination, we are sending consumers a very clear message for the digital era. When they want trusted news, sport, entertainment or audio in their language, it is all there for them in one place - SBS On Demand.

At last year's Upfronts, SBS announced audience favourite SBS Chill - an audio music station famous for its laid-back listening experience - was coming to SBS On Demand accompanied by visuals. We have been stunned with the uptake and audience reaction, with more than 452,000 hours already consumed this way, said Acting Director of SBS Audio Pamela Cook.

In the global media landscape, SBS is unique in broadcasting in more than 60 languages and now we are bringing that live audio experience to Australian communities across smart TVs all over the country. The success of SBS Chill proves there's strong audience appetite for streaming our audio content on SBS On Demand, she added.

Cook also noted that SBS, which has been named Australia's best podcast publisher for the past two years in a row, is a powerhouse when it comes to connecting broadly with Australian multilingual communities and delivering what audiences want.

Last year, across broadcast radio, video, live streaming, digital publishing and podcasting, SBS Audio delivered more than 20,000 hours of multilingual content, across more than 60 languages, she said.

We've come a long way since those first days of radio, 50 years ago. We've grown and evolved with this country, and our evolution continues.

Now with all seven audio channels available on SBS On Demand, the broadcaster is planning to add its award-winning podcast collection to the platform over the coming year. This will provide audiences with an even deeper, distinctive offering across audio content to supplement the 15,000 hours of video content across news and current affairs, drama, documentary, food, and sports already available on SBS On Demand.

The seven live audio channels now available on SBS On Demand include:

SBS Radio 1, SBS Radio 2, SBS Radio 3 - locally produced programs across more than 60 languages, including news and current affairs, community stories, talkback and more.

Destination channels SBS South Asian with content in 10 South Asian languages plus the latest Bollywood and Bhangra hits, and SBS Arabic reaching Arabic-speaking communities across Australia.

Music stations SBS Chill playing relaxing tunes from around the world and SBS PopAsia featuring K-pop, C-pop, J-pop and more; with both channels featuring accompanying visuals to match the mood of the music.

For a pdf copy of this media release, click here.

LINK:	https://www.sbs.com.au/aboutus/2024/10/30/sbs-becomes-first-australian...
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