DEADLY THEN, DEADLY NOW, DEADLY ALWAYS: SBS & NITV IGNITE NAIDOC WEEK 2026 WITH 50 YEARS OF DEADLY

DEADLY THEN, DEADLY NOW, DEADLY ALWAYS: SBS & NITV IGNITE NAIDOC WEEK 2026 WITH 50 YEARS OF DEADLY

3 June, 2026

Media releases

A powerful national celebration of First Nations storytelling, Culture and connection across SBS, NITV and SBS On Demand from July 5-12 **Interviews Available**

NAIDOC Week Theme Promo here

Frame By Frame Promo here

Journey Home Promo here

Images here Celebrating the NAIDOC Week theme of 50 Years of Deadly in 2026, SBS and National Indigenous Television (NITV) invite all Australians into a powerful week of First Nations storytelling, culture and connection across television, streaming, audio and digital platforms from Sunday July 5 to Sunday July 12 on SBS, NITV and SBS On Demand.

As both the home of National NAIDOC Week, and the principal media partner, SBS and NITV continue to bring Australians together through storytelling that is authentic, accessible, and deeply meaningful creating space for audiences across the country to experience, understand and engage with First Nations voices, cultures and perspectives. The 3-year media partnership supports the ongoing visibility and impact of NAIDOC across the country and reflects a longstanding relationship between NAIDOC, SBS and NITV in championing First Nations storytelling and community leadership.

For over 50 years, NAIDOC Week has stood as a powerful expression of Culture, resistance, pride and survival amplifying the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and championing truth-telling, justice and self-determination. Held annually across the first week of July, NAIDOC Week invites all Australians to learn about First Nations histories and cultures, celebrate the world's oldest continuing living cultures, and take part in conversations that connect communities across the country.

For SBS and NITV, this is more than a celebration it is a moment to reconnect.

Tanya Denning-Orman, proud Birri and Guugu Yimidhirr woman and Director, First Nations at SBS, said: 50 Years of Deadly celebrates the generations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who fought to have our voices heard and our cultures recognised often against enormous odds. NAIDOC Week has always been more than a celebration; it's a platform for truth-telling, resistance, pride and survival. This year's programming honours that legacy while celebrating the storytellers, artists, leaders and communities shaping the future. Across NITV and SBS, audiences will experience stories grounded in culture, led by community and reflective of the extraordinary strength and diversity of First Nations experiences across Australia.

As principal media partner, we're proud to stand alongside NAIDOC for another three years - supporting a movement led by community and helping share the significance of this milestone with audiences across the country. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to amplifying First Nations voices, stories and perspectives at a time when connection, understanding and representation matter more than ever.

These stories remind us not only where we've come from, but where we're going. The next generation is rising strong in culture, identity and voice still deadly, always.

National NAIDOC Committee Co-Chairs, Steven Satour and Lynette Riley, said: The 2026 NAIDOC Week theme, 50 Years of Deadly', celebrates five decades of strength, culture, achievement, and the enduring contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We're proud to see SBS and NITV mark this significant milestone with a powerful line-up of programming that reflects the richness and diversity of First Nations stories and experiences.

From the generations of Indigenous leaders, storytellers and changemakers who helped shape this proud history to the young people carrying our stories into the future, this programming embodies the spirit of 50 Years of Deadly. It honours the past, celebrates the present and inspires the next generation.

Powerful Stories. Enduring Voices.

This year across television, streaming, digital and audio, SBS and NITV will deliver an unrivalled breadth of content from landmark documentaries and bold current affairs to powerful films, music, sport and emerging First Nations voices shaping the future. Together, the network commemorates five decades of NAIDOC Week while celebrating the enduring strength, survival, and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Elder in Residence Orationwith Richard Frankland

Sunday July 5 at 5:30pm | NITV | SBS On Demand

Building on the extraordinary legacy of the late Widjabul Wiyebal woman of the Bundjalung nation, Aunty Rhoda Roberts AO, acclaimed filmmaker, writer and proud Gunditjmara Elder Richard Frankland delivers this year's SBS Elder in Residence Oration reflecting on storytelling, cultural responsibility and the role of First Nations voices in shaping Australia's future.

Drawing on a lifetime of work across film, activism and community leadership, Frankland speaks to the enduring power of culture, the importance of truth-telling, and the responsibility of storytelling to create understanding and meaningful change.

The Oration provides a platform for First Nations voices to be amplified - creating space for reflection, connection and learning for all Australians while capturing Indigenous thought leadership at a pivotal moment for the nation.

Frame by Frame

Premiering weekly from Thursday July 9 at 8:30pm | NITV

All episodes available on SBS On Demand

Hosted by acclaimed filmmaker and proud Arrernte and Kalkadoon woman Rachel Perkins, Frame by Frame is a compelling interview and short-film series celebrating the creative vision and cultural legacy of First Nations filmmakers. Across the series, Perkins sits down with influential storytellers including Leah Purcell, Sally

LINK:	https://www.sbs.com.au/aboutus/2026/06/10/deadly-then-deadly-now-deadl...
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