SBS establishes Digital Creative Lab

SBS is establishing an in-house Digital Creative Lab dedicated to innovation within SBS television and Online.

Manager of Multiplatform and Interactive John-Paul Marin will head up a new team of existing employees working on social TV and online projects, event programming, building further engagement with SBS audiences and growing SBS’ reputation for innovation.

Marshall Heald, SBS Director of TV and Online Content said: “SBS is committed to making bold digital investments in the online area, and this newly formed team is about growing our commitment to an increasing number of projects in the innovative online space to make our TV content even more distinctive.

“The Digital Creative Lab builds on SBS’s achievements in this area and signals our ongoing commitment to successfully experimenting with technology as part our TV and online programming to enhance the experience for SBS audiences.”

Over the last five years, SBS has successfully experimented with innovative technology use as part of its television and online programming including:

Social TV during major events such as Eurovision and The World Cup, commissioned shows like What’s the Catch? and in regular programming like SBS PopAsia and Insight;
Unique interactive storytelling projects such as Cronulla Riots – The Day That Shocked the Nation (enhanced linear narrative), After 6/4 (split-screen narrative), Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras and China to Australia (360° video) and The Boat (long-scroller). SBS has received several notable industry awards for its content and innovation.

The Digital Creative Lab follows the successful relaunch of streaming service SBS On Demand in June, with the new service now offering over 4000 hours of video content to all Australians, for free. The newly-designed, responsive SBS On Demand website features over 600 movies (of which 90 per cent are Language Other than English (LOTE), more than 300 documentaries and factual programs and offers a free, legal alternative for Australian audiences that includes both catch-up and exclusive content.