We would have to ‘adjust’ radio programs if budgets are cut: SBS

In discussions this week at Senate Estimates, SBS CEO Michael Ebeid said there could be cuts to radio if Australia’s multilingual broadcaster was subjected to more funding cuts.

Answering questions from newly appointed Labor Senator Christina Keneally, the conversation revealed SBS Radio and Online services could be cut if funds were further reduced in the next round of triennial funding:
 

Senator KENEALLY: Can you advise the committee what impact the loss of $9 million that was identified in last year’s MYEFO to SBS would have on the provision of programs and services for Australians and in fulfilling your charter obligations?
 

Mr Ebeid : You’re referring to the funding that was taken away from SBS because of the flexible advertising legislation bill which was withdrawn by the government last year. SBS has been fortunate that the government has reinstated that funding for the last couple of years, which has enabled us to maintain the services that we provide. I have said at previous estimates that that level of funding would be unable to be absorbed in further funding cuts or efficiency savings within SBS, given the other $25 million we’ve already had cut from our budgets. We would need to adjust our content and radio programs and online programs if we did have to absorb another $9 million worth of cuts. We are working with the government closely, as we did last year, and I remain hopeful that that will be reinstated for this year, but that’s obviously a matter for the government. We’ll need to adjust our cloth accordingly.
 

Senator KENEALLY: Minister, that $9 million funding hole in the SBS budget identified in MYEFO last year has not yet been filled?
 

Senator Fifield: As Mr Ebeid indicated, SBS in 2015-16 received $4.1 million and in 2016-17, $6.9 million. In terms of where to next, that will be considered in the usual budget process.
 

Senator KENEALLY: Given that the SBS advertising flexibility bill has been withdrawn, why hasn’t the government replaced that funding to SBS?
 

Senator Fifield: You’re right. That bill was withdrawn because it was deemed that there won’t reasonable prospects of success. I think I’m being accurate here in saying that SBS would like just a little bit more flexibility when it comes to advertising, but the Senate wasn’t minded to agree to that. So we have, as a result, made supplementation over a number of years. As always, these matters will be considered in the context of the government’s budget processes.
 

Senator KENEALLY: Are you able to rule out any further budget cuts to SBS in the 2018 budget at this point?
 

Senator Fifield: I think it’s important to note that the triennial funding for ABC and SBS was outlined a couple of years back, and that hasn’t been altered in subsequent budgets. That triennial funding goes through to June 2019.

 

Questioned specifically about radio launguage issues, Michael Edeid said:

From a language perspective, our radio programs are very much at the heart of what SBS does, reaching out to the 70 language groups that we do. We had a radio review last year. We are doing more language programs for some of our more recent migrants into Australia so we are launching six new languages in the coming months including Telugu, Karen, Tibetan, Rohingya and Kirundi. They’re all new migrants that are coming to Australia that really need our services.

Read the full Hansard exchange here.