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SBS looks past ratings to judge success of anti Racism week

SBS concedes ratings for its doco were not as high as hoped, but is proud it took a risk.

SBS says that despite its ratings result for its trio of anti-Racism documentaries last week, it should still be measured as a success.

For the public broadcaster, success is measured in more than just raw ratings data.

“If you’re going to take risks then the nature of that is that some things must fail,” Joseph Maxwell Head of Documentaries said at the AIDC in Melbourne today.

“But I would say our Racism (week) was a massive success in many ways.

“It was three single documentaries from 3 production companies and we are really proud that we had fantastic feedback from anti-Racism campaigners, from educators wanting to use it in the classroom, and academics.

“The ratings -were they a success? No, they weren’t. Would I do it again? Absolutely I would.

“But I think it’s really important to ask ‘Why didn’t they rate as much as we’d hoped?”

Is Australia Racist? drew 254,000 viewers Overnight and another 32,000 in Consolidated (Timeshifted) viewing, totalling 286,000 viewers.

“It’s still above average, so it’s decent. But we want more from our commissions.

“I would say it absolutely sparked a debate. Next time I do that I want to work out how to get more viewers to it.

“But I think we have to be really honest in saying that taking risks does mean some things will fail. And I think we are prepared to do that at SBS.”

Date My Race drew 110,000 and The Truth About Racism was 152,0000 in overnight data.

3 Responses

  1. Maybe SBS should seek out some great individual stories where folk from different backgrounds get on exceptionally well and have achieved great things together. Instead of its divisive, almost anti white agenda…. or is that just a little too difficult?

  2. “If a tree falls in the forest. and no one sees or hears It…’..-much of SBS’s recent programming (including the vile ‘Viceland’) has a vanishingly small audience of folks who are already on board with their agenda.

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