SBS slashes flagship World News radio bulletins a month after celebrating 40 years of radio
SBS has wielded the axe on its flagship English-language radio bulletins, cutting one and halving the other less than a month after it celebrated 40 years of radio broadcasting.
Today saw the final in-house English-language 6am bulletin, with SBS replacing it with the BBC World Service’s bulletin from next Monday. The 6pm bulletin will be halved to half an hour, with TV news presenters Anton Enus and Janice Petersen now being asked to read the headlines before going to deliver the TV news.
In an email to staff, Andrew Clarke, executive producer of SBS World News, explained the changes were being made to “help alleviate the concerns that both (language division) ALC and our team have raised regarding the limitation of our content for the early morning broadcasts” which he said created “an impression of old news in these time slots”.
@DazzMara signing off as we launch a new format. SBS Radio in English 6pm-6:30pm @SBSNews pic.twitter.com/ObFOyWAxdJ
— Brianna Roberts (@BriannaNEWS) August 13, 2015
Both radio bulletins are important to the multicultural broadcaster as its various language programs from the SBS Audio and Language Content division (ALC) often set their own news agendas based on the global news radio program.
The changes will see the two full time staff who put together the bulletins made redundant, along with what are thought to be a number of freelancers, with Clarke telling his staff: “I have spoken to the people impacted by the changes we are making which may result in them leaving SBS.
“We will need to lose two positions and make some changes to our rostering.”
Enus and Petersen
A spokeswoman for SBS downplayed the impact of the move arguing that the new drive time format would be more “feature” driven.
“This change will give SBS the opportunity to bring its audiences breaking news on their way home and to showcase the increasing number of fantastic feature stories on multicultural issues which SBS journalists are collaborating on across TV, radio and online as a result of our transition to an innovative, fully integrated newsroom,” said the spokeswoman.
The public broadcaster also defended the decision to ask TV presenters Enus and Petersen, who not only do the 6.30pm TV news but are also often asked to stay back to deliver the late news, to deliver a third bulletin following the departure of newsreader Kathy Novak earlier in the year.
“As a multiplatform media organisation, SBS views this as a good opportunity to cross-promote our news services across all platforms, raising the profile of the SBS World News television service amongst our radio listeners,” said the spokeswoman.
Clarke
SBS would not be drawn on the rationale behind the change but Clarke’s email to staff claimed that the defeat of a bid to establish new advertising rules in Parliament in June was not to blame.
“I must emphasise that the change we are making are not related to last week’s vote, they are part of our continual improvement to delivering on our Charter in news,” he wrote.
On the redundancies the broadcaster said yesterday that: “SBS is looking at redeployment opportunities for the individuals affected. The rest of the team working on SBS World News Radio will be unchanged.”
Speaking at last month’s celebration of 40 years in radio SBS managing director Michael Ebeid told an audience: “I love seeing the positive impact our programs have on the community.
“What we do at SBS really matters to so many Australians and that heart of SBS that propels us today is the same as it did 40 years ago.
“From that great foundation we have grown and evolved into a multiplatform network serving all Australians across our broad television network, our emerging and online platforms and across the three radio networks, with over languages.
“Nowhere else in the world is there a service like ours. Radio is at the roots of our organisation.”
Nic Christensen
This mob should be sent to the same place as community television… They no longer have a grasp on their raison d’etre.
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Agree. SBS is losing its way. It’s just trying to be too smart. The “Aljazeera English” internet streaming provides an excellent alternative for those wanting an in-depth international news service for free.
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I have just realized this change has taken place. I am sorry, I regret the cutting of the previous SBS Radio program twice a day. I felt that it focussed (cf Radio National with its eternal Canberra politics commentaries) on human every-day issues and indigenous news with a multicultural focus missing from other radio stations. The reporters were excellent. Of course one has to commend the SBS radio news which exist in a wide range of languages, and if this takes up the available money, then I guess, so be it. But I really miss the early program as it introduced listeners to the day without rampant sensationalism. Vale SBS local radio in English.
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