SBS content at risk under funding cuts
No guarantees for SBS programming and content if there are future budget cuts, says Michael Ebeid.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News
Following ABC Managing Director Mark Scott’s appearance at a Senate Estimates hearing on Wednesday, yesterday it fell to SBS managing director Michael Ebeid to address funding issues.
Earlier this month, the Federal Budget revealed SBS will face cuts of around $8 million over four years. But SBS is anticipating further cuts as a result of an Efficiency Review.
NSW Labor Senator Sam Dastyari enquired about World Cup coverage should there be future cuts.
“You are seeking your Peppa Pig moment, Senator Dastyari,” Senator Fifield added.
“It would be very difficult for me to make any guarantees around that. I just couldn’t.”
“Things like the World Cup, the Tour de France are obviously big pieces for us,” he said.
“They are expensive content programming.”
“If there are deep cuts, obviously we’d need to look at everything – whether it be news, current affairs, language programs or sporting events.
“I can’t guarantee what programs would stay or go at all.”
In 2011 SBS secured exclusive FIFA World Cup rights through to 2022.
Share
- Tagged with FIFA World Cup, Peppa Pig, Tour de France
4 Responses
Less of the interminable ‘lab rats on bikes’ would be a godsend all round.
Will SBS even exist in 2026?
And what would World Cup games look like then?
Streaming the games of the teams you are interested in would seem likely.
Its just another headline grabbing wind up by he mgmt
If the World Cup coverage ever goes from SBS to one of the commercial networks I’m moving overseas…
What was SBS’s tagline during the 2010 WC? Wasn’t it something like “Thank goodness it’s on SBS”?