Call to flick SBS ad breaks
A Greens Senator wants to allow SBS advertising at the end, but not during, our TV shows.
- Published by David Knox
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Ads on SBS has again been raised as an issue after Greens Senator Scott Ludlum introduced a Bill into the upper house, that aims to ban ads during programs, but still allows them to air in at the end of a show.
“To ensure SBS remains a global leader in public broadcasting it must be protected from the creeping commercialisation that is now evident,” Senator Ludlum told Parliament.
The proposal would amend a Special Broadcasting Service Act (1991) that allowed the broadcaster to run ads before, after and during “natural program breaks.”
In 2006, managing director Shaun Brown announced the introduction of mid-programme ads after claiming extended breaks lost the network viewers.
“On average we lose more than half our audience during these breaks – this is 30 per cent more than other broadcasters,” he said.
Source: The Australian / AAP
31 Responses
I agree with Ludlam. SBS already shows ad at the end of programs, like they did before. There is no need to show ads during programs as well.
The only time I’ve ever watched the channel was earlier this decade when John saffran had a series on. Apart from that it may as well not exist to me- so ads or no ads, I’m fine with either.
@jonno: “Look, it’s either have short ad breaks in programmes, or have 5 to 10 minute ad breaks between programmes like it used to always be.”
Yes, and that’s exactly what most people here are saying – that they’d rather have the 5~10 minutes of ads between programmes than in the so-called “natural breaks” they cut in. What they do to Top Gear is possibly the least offensive in that regard – at least there are natural breaks between segments.
Personally, though I now watch about 5% of the SBS I did before they started inserting ads in programmes, what pi**es me off more on the rare occasion I do watch it is the sparkly crap superimposed on the bottom of the screen.
That, and their lame half-assed attempts at ‘innovative’ new programming. Tried to watch their new “AdBc” the other night (my gf is a history nut). Wow – bad or what? The people I know involved in community TV would be embarrassed to put that one to air…
And yes, they should be funded better, or at least more proportionally in line with the ABC. But if you read the government & ministerial commentary around SBS funding in the last Budget / funding round, you’ll see that they were screwed precisely _because_ of their increased ad revenue. They dug their own grave on that one…
!00% agree, god forbid that the ABC should start doing it!
The problem is Jonno they force breaks into shows that dont have a natural space.
Oh Stan you sound like PR. Spicks and Specks is the format Sqiz is ripping off (at least the most popular Australian example) and we both know they, unlike Spicks, Rockwiz or TBYGeneration – Squiz has no soul.
No the ABC hasnt lost it;s way. Programming is often outstanding on The ABC. It has bean able to fuse entertainment with education in several popular examples. The on air presentation has visual flair. Its journalism is amongst the best in the world.
Look, it’s either have short ad breaks in programmes, or have 5 to 10 minute ad breaks between programmes like it used to always be.
I would much rather have just short ad breaks instead of really long breaks between programmes. It just loses viewers, people used to just change channels when the 10 (or so) minute ad breaks came on.
The solution I think is to have ad breaks only in programmes which are made that way. Content from say, the BBC, or films, could be shown without ad breaks.
I agree 100%. I hate the ads on SBS during programmes. I now fast forward them. When they used to only show them between programmes I would often watch the ads just waiting for the next programme to start. As dor “natural breaks on programming” that is a complete lie. If SBS didn’t ask the BBC to send them the edited version of Top Gear to allow them to place ad breaks then I’m sure the BBC would be happy to supply them the 60 minute version.
BBC makes a number of changes it makes to the international version it supplies, including some for music rights issues.
Mike Retter (8:30pm),
From what you’ve said, I guess the ABC has also lost its way?
“The [Insert ‘Spicks & Specks’ name here] quiz show knocked together with its outdated formula and cheap set from community TV.”
“Constant [Insert ‘ABC Shop’ name here] this and that (are) trying to hock DVDs.”
Also, if you prefer non-English language content, there’s a little station called ‘SBS TWO’ on air now…
sounds like a good idea but how would sbs make extra money
I commend the move, pass the bill! When I used to watch SBS, on all levels it used to be a pleasure. Beyond programming, which was terrific, the on air presentation was clever. Station ads with artistic flair of stop-frame animation and trick photography. Now it is a tedious flat plane of white with pay-tv-esque graphics generically alerting me to the genre of program I am watching as I am dumped in a forced and often ill-timed break. The screen cuts from the program I am watching to a blank tile and crude animation telling me “Drama”. Well thanks for reminding me…
Years ago, If you saw more than a few ad breaks, you pretty much knew what was on for the week ahead. Now I find I am missing many great cult films lost in unpublicised late-night slots while dodgy attempts at entertainment like The Squiz get plugged as if SBS has exclusive rights to the Moon landing. The quiz show knocked together with its outdated formula and cheap set from community TV. Other programs attempting lifestyle with washed out DV photography and stretched budgets are hit and miss. Constant Dymocks this and that trying to hock DVD’s.
It just isn’t fulfilling its service requirements. The station continues to show contempt for its traditional audience. There is little that’s special as the English language takes over in increasingly American accents to this multicultural special broadcaster. Things change but there is little public benefet. Things are promoted with money making, ratings driven strategy such as over-marketing of American cable shows ahead of genuine alternative content. Torn between a charter and a commercial goal its like drinking soapy dishwater. A compromise that achieves little of either. It fails to challenge, invent or make a financial success as advertising reviniew falls. I wish the station would rediscover its history and routs as they are fascinating. This current chapter is forgettable.
ETA – I forgot to add (lol) I think it needs to be left as is, unless the government will pony up for the loss in revenue?
And yes what about a reduction in ads on PayTV, some shows are worse than FTA with breaks up to 4 minutes long now!
@GuanoLad & Stan – and that’s why I don’t wait for SBS to air Top Gear new eps, apart from the time delay of several months. Mind you I do watch it again on SBS, speaking of back to TG…
> I agree Top Gear for one is a program where a lot is cut to make room for ads.
Top Gear was the exact same length when the ads were at the end as they are now and the stuff would be still cut out even if they had no ads at all.
Ads are much better as normal ad breaks, it was a huge pain waiting through 10 minutes of ads at the end of a show. They need to either leave it the same, or fund them fully to make it commercial free.
@mac
Better question… How can Pay TV channels have ads and still charge for access?
This is the most sensible thing I’ve heard in a very long time. Look at what SBS is supposed to be there for, nothing else weighs in.
Nice to see another senator has taken this up, after Stephen “I’m Not Listening” Conroy promised to tackle it pre-election, then forgot all about it once in office and set about censoring the country.
I agree with the senator – lets have between show adverts, and more funding to SBS from the Fedz to compensate.
@Jamie: I believe Top Gear’s edits are made by the BBC before it’s made available for international broadcast, and are not edits for advertising.
Jamie (5:47pm),
The 50 minute Top Gear episodes aren’t SBS’s fault! That’s how every network around the world outside the UK gets it from BBC Worldwide.
Best to have them at the end of the show. Make it more unique! haha
I guess I should read the whole Bill before I comment, but I wonder whether Senator Ludlum has any ideas on how to make up for SBS’s funding shortfall. It’s too easy to criticise the introduction of in-programme advertisements, but unless SBS gets a massive funding injection from the Commonwealth (somewhere near what ABC gets), then we can kiss goodbye to much of their Australian produced content.
Just like their non-answer in relation to providing base-load power generation in the future, the Greens have again shown that all they can do is denounce this & denounce that, but offer no realistic alternative.
Finally some commonsense
how can a network be government funded but still have advertising, they cant have it both ways
No SBS can’t make money
Thats bad!
Whilst I don’t necessarily agree with SBS having ads, it will be interesting how much more money they are getting from these ads compared to before. Could it be that the extra money is going towards SBS Two funding? If it is then where will the funds needed to continue the operation of this channel come from if this bill is passed?
I agree Top Gear for one is a program where a lot is cut to make room for ads.