On 14 October The Point: Australia Decides will deliver rolling results coverage from 7.30pm on NITV and SBS.SBS World News will also be simulcast on SBS and NITV at 6.30pm and 9.30pm on the evening of the referendum, with Anton Enus joined by Natalie Ahmat providing the latest polling updates, along with SBS News' rolling coverage across digital platforms throughout the day.
New music program Sounds of Solidarity celebrates the powerful and enduring legacy of First Nations music and cultures, interspersed with news updates on NITV from 12.30pm on 14 October.
Award-winning journalist Karla Grant presents special episodes of Insight and Living Black.
SBS News in Arabic to present referendum special program with studio audience.
SBS's network-wide offering includes continued comprehensive coverage across NITV News, SBS News and SBS Audio in more than 60 languages, across TV, audio and online.
With only days remaining until the day of the referendum on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, SBS and NITV will feature more opportunities for Australians to ensure they are informed before they vote, with extensive multiplatform and multilingual news and information rolling out across the network.
Alongside new programming added to the network's line-up in the lead up to the 14 October, there will be comprehensive and insightful rolling news from NITV and SBS on referendum day, in addition to analysis and insights following a result.
Newly announced content includes an insightful one-hour documentary Our Voice, Our Heart, premiering tonight (3 October) on NITV at 8.30pm. Filmed this year, two First Nations men living in Darwin embark on a national journey to engage with communities and Elders to learn more about the referendum.
The Point: Referendum Road Trip continues, with the season's remaining episodes filmed live in studio on Cammeraygal Country. Tonight (3 October) Your Referendum Questions Answered features an expert panel of Rachel Perkins (Co-Chair, Yes23), Tarneen Onus-Williams (Warriors of Aboriginal Resistance), Amar Singh (President, Turbans 4 Australia) and Shirleen Campbell (Tangentyere Women's Family Safety Group) answering questions from a live studio audience, airing at 7.30pm on NITV and SBS.
As Australians vote on 14 October, NITV and SBS will continue to provide their distinctive coverage keeping audiences up to date on the latest news and developments. On the night of the vote, a two-hour live program The Point: Australia Decides will simulcast on NITV and SBS at 7.30pm featuring a panel of guests, live crosses to journalists in every state and territory, a recap of The Point referendum's 36,000km road trip across the country this year, and live analysis and breaking news of the referendum count as all eligible Australians make their decision on an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice enshrined in the Constitution. SBS World News will also simulcast on SBS and NITV at 6.30pm and 9.30pm, presented by SBS World News presenter Anton Enus, and NITV News presenter, Natalie Ahmat.
Remaining episodes of The Point for the 2023 season will premiere weekly on Tuesdays, with the final episode for the year on NITV on Tuesday 24 October at 7.30pm, exploring the next steps in the wake of the result, and where to from here in terms of progressing outcomes for First Nations peoples.
Also on referendum day, from 12.30pm, NITV presents Sounds of Solidarity, a special six-hour music program offering songs and news in partnership with Triple A Murri Country. Iconic music videos from the NITV vault will be interspersed with news updates from polling booths and community gatherings across the nation. The music videos include hits from artists such as Yothu Yindi, Warumpi Band and Christine Anu, as well as new generation performers - BAARKA, Budjerah,King Stingray and more.
Tanya Denning-Orman, a proud Birri and Guugu Yimidhirr woman and Director of Indigenous Content at SBS, said: October 14 represents a critical moment in Australia's history, and across the SBS network we're focused on ensuring all Australians have the information they need before they vote - whatever you decide, be sure you're making an informed decision.
At the heart of our plans for the days ahead continues to be ensuring the voices and perspectives from First Nations communities across the continent are heard, and that Australians have the opportunity to connect with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories and cultures through diverse programming beyond our news and current affairs coverage.
As a part of that, we're excited to announce Sounds of Solidarity - an incredible music showcase on NITV that will inspire all Australians, celebrating the power of Blak excellence through music and culture, while also providing a safe space for mob on referendum day.
Referendum-related content highlights across the network include:
REFERENDUM DAY, SATURDAY 14 OCTOBER:
Sounds of Solidarity
12.30pm on NITV
Filmed in Brisbane on the Triple A Murri Country (98.9 FM) balcony as part of a co-production partnership with BIMA (Brisbane Indigenous Media Association), Sounds of Solidarity showcases a range of music genres, from contemporary pop and rock to traditional Indigenous music, hip hop, and electronic beats.
NITV is unearthing the best performances broadcast over the years as well as some of the greatest hits of all time, interspersed with regular referendum news updates.
The six-hour program incorporates interviews to explore the social, political, and cultural context in which Indigenous music is created. Viewers will learn about the ongoing struggles and triumphs of First Nations peoples and the role of music in the Australian cultural landscape.
SBS World News
6.30pm on SBS and NITV
With live, coast to coast coverage, Anton Enus and Natalie Ahmat report
