SBS has launched a Request for Expressions of Interest (EOI) process to find the future location of its planned new production hub and talent incubator in Western Sydney.
The premises needs to be able to support a television, digital, and audio production facility with aims to:
- Create opportunities for local, skilled production jobs in Western Sydney for its increasing number of highly skilled, qualified and culturally diverse workers;
- Provide a participation pathway for young people, including multicultural, multilingual and First Nations youth, pursuing careers in the arts and media; and
- Further improve participation by Western Sydney communities in one of Australia’s most trusted news media organisation.
SBS Managing Director James Taylor said:
“For 50 years SBS has told stories that inform, inspire, entertain, and authentically reflect people and communities across Australia. As we look to our network’s future, we are excited to be expanding our production facilities to one of the country’s fastest growing and most diverse regions.
This is a rare and valuable opportunity to establish a lasting physical presence for SBS in Western Sydney. It will strengthen our long-standing and already deep connections with local communities, support the development of new First Nations, multilingual, and community-led content and partnerships, and enable us to share even more compelling stories with our diverse audiences across Australia.”
The Australian Government announced the expansion of SBS to Western Sydney at the end of last year with the ABC also completing a Western Sydney move, to Parramatta, in May 2024.
The EOI is the first step in identifying a suitable location for the production hub which will house distinctive SBS programs, news and current affairs, First Nations stories, multilingual audio services, and screen content.
SBS Western Sydney Project Director Simon Hayes said:
“SBS’s evaluation of proposals will be informed by several functional requirements to ensure the premises can support a modern, 24/7/365 media organisation delivering live studio-based production output, which is a technically complex and specialised operating environment.
SBS will also consider other factors including visibility of the premises to the broader community, access to public transport and surrounding amenity, capacity to contribute to SBS’s sustainability goals, and to ensure a fully accessible facility.”
The EOI opens today, May 7, 2025, on AusTender for three weeks, closing at 2:00pm AEST on Wednesday May 28. All interested parties with proposals for premises are invited to submit their proposals for SBS’s consideration, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the EOI. The Approach to Market ID (ATM) for this EOI is: SBSWesternSydney25.
Western Sydney as defined by profile.ID encompasses the 13 local government areas of Blacktown City Council, Blue Mountains City Council, Camden Council, Campbelltown City Council, City of Canterbury Bankstown, Cumberland Council, Fairfield City Council, Hawkesbury City Council, Liverpool City Council, City of Parramatta, Penrith City Council, The Hills Shire Council and Wollondilly Shire Council.
After the conclusion of the EOI and evaluation process, short-listed respondents will be invited to participate in a Request for Proposal process. SBS anticipates determining the preferred location in late 2025 and, subject to budgetary and other approvals, the new hub to be operating from late 2028.
More information is available at sbs.com.au/sbswesternsydney. Questions or enquiries can be emailed to [email protected].
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