SBS in ‘early stages’ of development for second season of documentary Struggle Street
Public broadcaster SBS is planning to bring back controversial documentary Struggle Street for a second season after the first series ended up being one of its most watched shows of the year.
Some of the participants from the first season of documentary Struggle Street
The documentary, which has been labelled “poverty porn” by its critics, drew an angry response from some in Western Sydney when it screened earlier this year but the controversy translated to strong audiences with the first episode drawing 935,000 metropolitan viewers.
SBS would not be drawn on the details of the potential new season but it comes as News’s Leader Community Newspapers report test-filming has begun in one of Melbourne’s poorer suburbs Sunshine.
“SBS and KEO Films are in the early stages of planning and development for a potential second series of observational documentary Struggle Street,” said an SBS spokeswoman.
“Struggle Street is a program which gave a voice to those living on the fringes of Australian society. Struggle Street is not representative of a single suburb, rather the challenges of living daily life against a background of hardship and disadvantage which is experienced by individuals in a wide range of towns and cities all across Australia.
“There is nothing further to confirm at this stage.”
SBS told the Leader papers it was speaking with groups, leaders and community members across several Australian suburbs.
The last season of Struggle Street saw a convoy of garbage trucks blockade the SBS offices in Artarmon with Blacktown Council mayor Stephen Bali declaring he was “appalled” after being shown the first episode which he described as “publicly-funded poverty porn”.
Leader reports Brimbank Council administrators’ chairman John Watson as saying although he had not seen Struggle Street’s first series, he hoped the program would positively portray Sunshine.
“If it’s a genuine attempt to portray the real community and not focus on the negatives — to tell the true story and show the positives too, not just the few negatives to get the headlines — then come to Sunshine,” said Watson.
“I love Sunshine, there are far more positives than negatives.”
Despite the original concern about the series it rated well with some critics describing it as respectful of the participants and the community.
Nic Christensen
Good to see SBS serving Australia’s ethnic population with another series about poor Anglo families in the western suburbs.
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Having assisted SBS Series 1 documentary makers with access to some young people who are making a real difference to their lives in the Western Suburbs through training and employment, Marist Youth Care hopes that the next series includes some of these case studies. We need to reflect on the huge number of vulnerable young people who are taking up opportunities to find real solutions to improving their life chances. It is only with these stories that other young people feel inspired to take responsibility for themselves and take control of their destiny.
Cate Sydes, CEO Marist Youth Care
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So this is a docu drama?
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Oh no, not again? ENOUGH!!!
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Bill Shorten took the easy seat here to get into Parliament. Before Rudd was elected Shorten citing Sunshine’s 12 percent unemployment rate as a black mark on John Howard became his election mantra. As soon as Bill was elected we never heard from him again except when he organised Natalie Suleyman to the seat of St Albans. These are the people that locals faught for years trying to get the Sunshine Pool repaired and other community facilities. Bill, not only highest unemployment but highest diabetes and obesity rates in Australia. Meanwhile we have least green space for recreation and excercise and your mates sold off half of Sunvale which residents have been rallying for as a community park. Your electorate Bill Shorten and your politics and political cronies take us backwards still! Bring on Sunshine Struggle Street and show everyone what life is like in Australia safest ALP seats. Come down and film Sunvale park and how another community vision has been destroyed by the ALP who love our easy votes but do nothing in return. Our MPs actually fight our community visionaries. Its also why the ALP stacked Brimbank Council was sacked. Bring it on.
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