Survey says SBS viewers reject increased ads
Save Our SBS survey rejects more ads, wanting them played before or after programs only.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News, Top Stories
An online survey of 1,176 respondents on SBS issues found that 95% are opposed to increased advertising, with 94% wanting ads before or after programs only.
Lobby group Save Our SBS asked 47 questions in 21 categories amongst its respondents. 91% want an end to SBS broadcasting gambling advertisements.
Save Our SBS President, Steve Aujard said, “SBS viewers believe that such advertisements are not good for social cohesion. This finding is significant because the SBS Corporate Plan states that the purpose of SBS is to contribute to a cohesive society.
“The survey of 1,176 people was conducted in the first week of April and included people from every State and Territory.
“We will watch closely to see how the recent debate on gambling advertisements pans out, but we already know the government wants to double the hourly advertising limit on SBS. The government proposes to average advertising across the day but that will have the effect in primetime of SBS more closely resembling a commercial broadcaster.
“SBS will become Australia’s fourth commercial network by stealth.
“The Survey 2017 about SBS found that 95% of SBS viewers do not want increased advertising on SBS and they say that if there is an increase in ads, then the law ought to restrict advertisements to before or after programs only – except in sport – like SBS used to be.
“In 2015, 62,000 people signed the Margaret Pomeranz & Quentin Dempster – Save Our SBS petition against increased advertising. That Bill failed in the Senate. We believe the government will push that failed destructive policy again after the May Budget.
“But the government cannot ignore the very good evidence of three surveys (2008, 2013, 2017) of 4,953 viewers in total of which three-quarters believe that SBS is less faithful to the Charter since it introduced in-program advertising. That finding – replicated in three separate cohorts from three different time periods – would only be exacerbated if the government’s policy to further commercialise SBS becomes law.”
But while the government is hoping to reintroduce legislation to increase primetime advertising on SBS, 94% of respondents want the Australian government to invest in SBS.
Of the 1176 people who participated in the survey–
- Close to 95% do not want increased advertising and they say that if there is an increase in advertisements, then the law ought to restrict advertisements to before or after programs only – except in sport – like SBS used to be.
- 94% say that SBS is very important to them.
- 87 % would be very concerned if SBS were merged with another broadcaster.
- 91% say that most in-program advertising breaks look forced or artificially contrived and it would be misleading to describe these as natural program breaks. A similar finding (92%) was found in the 2013 survey from a different cohort.
- Upon reading the Charter, 72.74% said SBS is less faithful to the Charter since it introduced in-program advertising. This is the third cohort surveyed on this and replicates the 2008 (71.60%), and 2013 (72.10%) survey findings.
- The two most wanted television programs types in peak viewing periods are:-
o Foreign language movies (subtitled) 77%;
o Foreign language series (subtitled) 58%. - 71% want SBS to establish a new free-to-air channel in which a very high proportion of primetime and other programs are exclusively or predominantly in languages other than English (subtitled) – ‘LOTE TV’ – and 78% say it is important or moderately important that advertisements are scheduled between programs only on LOTE TV, should SBS create a LOTE TV channel.
- 85% say SBS asks for too much personal information to sign into the SBS On Demand service while 91% want the service to operate as it did previously without requirement for a user account.
- 94% want the Australian government to invest a significantly greater portion of funding in SBS as security in a socially cohesive multicultural society.
The full report of the Survey 2017 about SBS is here.
13 Responses
The vast majority of SBS’s revenue still comes from government funding. In an advertising market that is more dire than ever is it really appropriate to be allowing SBS to take more of the advertising pie away from the FTAs given the position Ten is currently in?
A slight increase in government funding to replace ads on the network would surely increase viewership and remove the competing aims of seeking more ad revenue and following the charter.
I have to say SBS has had some spectacular stuff on lately, I am really enjoying both the de Medici drama and the young pope. Ads pre and post is fine. Ads during gets really annoying.
I loved SBS on Demand, but I too refuse to sign up for an account on principal.
According to the SBS Charter, contained in Section 6 of the Special Broadcasting Services Act 1991, states:
(1) The principal function of SBS is to provide multilingual and multicultural radio, television and digital media services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect Australia’s multicultural society.
(2) SBS, in performing its principal function, must:
(h) contribute to extending the range of Australian television and radio services, and reflect the changing nature of Australian society, by presenting many points of view and using innovative forms of expression.
I couldn’t find an amendment to the Charter allowing SBS to limit access in this way, David how are they getting away with it? Making people login is hardly extending range, or servicing All…
I guess that’s an interpretation. If it really bothers you raise it with your local parliamentarian who could try to put it to SBS in next Senate hearings.
I’d love to see the survey include the question ‘Would you prefer: A) Commercials B) No SBS’
That’s pretty much the reality that they are missing…
Yes I noted in the story there was no other alternative model put forward other than increased govt funding.
The SBS will likely be closed down if funding cuts become a future political issue, the ABC will continue no matter what as it is in the national interest.If the SBS can survive with advertising then so be it, but it’s really up to public response and viewership which Pomeranz & Demster must obviously understand. My Main curiosity regarding the SBS is it’s Streaming on Demand app which now requires an account to use in a device. This is an unnecessary impost which needs better explanation.
IMO, most people haven’t thought this through and don’t really know what they want.
SBS has come under significant funding pressure of late. I don’t like ads any more than anybody else but SBS has to makeup the shortfall in revenue somehow.
It has been established that less people watch (or pay attention to) ads that are between programs rather than in-program which would mean that SBS has to charge less per spot.
We have already seen what happens when SBS has less money to buy content. Second-tier Scandinavian dramas, partially clothed strangers sharing a bed, and Viceland. Do people want more of this?
I wonder where all these people are who say that they want foreign language movies and series during primetime? When you look at the ratings, English language programs have consistently rated much higher than foreign language programs in the same timeslot.
I miss the…
You get second tier Australian shows elsewhere as well, but we can’t complain about them. The SBS generally does a good job diversifying FTA viewing, sometimes better than the ABC.
I can’t imagine any circumstances where anyone would vote for more ads, it’s like turkeys voting for Christmas.
While the survey was open to everyone, it’s worth noting that AFAIK it was only really promoted through the Save Our SBS website/f’book/emails & similar groups (e.g. Friends of the ABC). You’d expect people reading those to (i) be heavily biased against ads, & (ii) already more engaged & likely to respond than the general public.
That said, personally I agree with the issues raised & general thrust of the results. My SBS-watching dropped ~90% in October 2006 due to inserting ads in programmes, & has never really recovered. Turns out there are myriad other ways to watch the same/similar content – most of their news/caff sources (e.g. AJ, DW, etc.) have full programs available online (often with a lot of added context and content), & movies are available elsewhere. The only thing we watch at the moment is The Chef’s Line (binge-watched on Saturday afternoons!).
I would like the watermarks removed, the re-instatement of the “End Of Part 1” caption prior to the midpoint ad break and all ads to be LOTE. What happened to the Friday night softcore intellectual movies? Viceland SD should become the “Weatherwatch and Music” channel. Let the old times roll again!
I am assuming the push for more ads is more revenue to fund its operation. For me SBS has just becomes another TV channel that I tend to tape and skip forward through the ads. So it won’t affect me, but at the same time I don’t think that advertisers will be getting bangs for their bucks by screening more ads within the show. You are possibly likely to get better bang for your advertising bucks with ads screening at the top and tail of shows.