Key Points
- SBS will establish a hub in a yet-to-be-determined Western Sydney location.
- It comes following a feasibility study after which the government opted not to relocate SBS from its headquarters in Artarmon, in Sydney’s north.
- SBS will seek expressions of interest from the local market for potential sites in 2025.
Australia’s multicultural broadcaster is set to establish a hub in a yet-to-be-determined location in Sydney’s west, the federal government announced on Sunday.
The hub will feature a TV studio to host live audiences, radio and podcasting booths and a workspace to support production output.
It comes following a feasibility study after which the government opted not to relocate SBS from its headquarters in Artarmon, in Sydney’s north.
The location of the hub and final plans are subject to the completion of the business case, but once established, the facility will enable the broadcaster to deliver more than 1,440 hours per year of original audio and podcast content and around 360 hours per year of new first-run Australian screen content.
“With SBS turning 50 next year, what better way to celebrate than to expand our storytelling capability and infrastructure,” SBS Board Chair George Savvides AM said.
“The SBS Board is delighted at the opportunity to embed SBS within Western Sydney, and to keep growing SBS’s contribution to social cohesion through community access to trusted, impartial media and even greater opportunities for local communities to be part of our diverse storytelling.”
SBS Chair George Savvides AM. Source: Supplied
Western Sydney comprises more than 40 per cent of residents born overseas and one of the largest populations of First Nations peoples in Australia.
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said the hub signals the federal government’s commitment to grow SBS.
“As Australia’s dedicated multicultural and First Nations broadcaster and one of our most trusted news brands, SBS plays a vital role in promoting social cohesion.
“SBS connects with multilingual, multicultural and First Nations communities, including in Western Sydney, and is vital to bringing diverse voices to Australian audiences.
“I thank the SBS Board and management for their initiative in proposing this exciting project and look forward to working with them to bring it to fruition,” Rowland said.
The government said the facility will create opportunities for skilled production jobs in the region while stimulating its economy and offering socio-economic benefits to local communities.
From next year, SBS will seek expressions of interest from the local market for potential sites, while also engaging local councils, education institutions, and business and economic development bodies in Western Sydney in progressing the project.
