World Watch channel “heading in the right direction” says SBS
There's a reason audience numbers for multi-language news channel are low, according to SBS.
- Published by David Knox
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- Filed under News
According to OzTAM’s weekly ratings shares, SBS World Watch channel, which launched last May, averages 0.0% viewers.
Its highest daily share is 0.1%.
Now the Sydney Morning Herald reports the average nightly national audience for the Arabic bulletin is about 151 viewers while about 858 people tune in for the Mandarin bulletin.
SBS maintains the different language news bulletins, means viewers do not stick around from show to show.
“SBS WorldWatch is unique in that the language used in each program is different, therefore there is significant churn from one program to the next,” SBS’ director of news and current affairs, Mandi Wicks says. “Unlike other TV channels the format doesn’t lend itself to building an audience over the course of an evening; rather a smaller number of loyal viewers will tune in to watch their language bulletin then dip out, but we believe the offering is an important one.”
Last month SBS told TV Tonight in its annual Multichannel Survey, the channel reaches an average of 260,000 Australians each month. Reach is based on a viewer watching at least 5 minutes rather than the programme average commonly used in ratings measurement.
“It’s early days but the channel and offering are heading in the right direction,” Wicks said.
12 Responses
I just watch Polish News on SBS on demand….does it count to the SBS World Watch?
It’s a valuable service but a linear TV channel is not the best way to deliver it in an era of streaming and apps.
It’s a fair point, though I’d say that many older people are not familiar with, or know how to use streaming and apps, and rely on linear broadcasts.
It’s generally younger people who say that about older folk. Streaming and apps aren’t even really new technology anymore – they’ve been around a decade or so.
I understand the aspect that many older people can use technology, though I go to see a lot of elderly people who need setting up and explanations of how to use television functions and devices. I live in an ageing community. They write down step by step instructions and I can spend 30 minutes explaining something that can take 5 minutes for many people to understand.
TBH though if they’re struggling that much it’s unlikely they venture far beyond the main channels anyway.
Even though the viewing numbers are low, I can see the importance in SBS Worldwatch. The schools are focusing on foreign language learning more than ever nowadays as well, because knowing more languages is beneficial. It’s similar to the old saying “two heads are better than one”. Every language group has it’s own way of describing words and it’s empowering to know the different ways of description. Two or more languages are better than one.
I think if SBS can hard code or at least have Teletext system subtitles in English for the terrestrial broadcast, that would open up accessibility for more viewers. The issue has been technical and time constraints, given that the foreign news services are ‘fast tracked’ from the satellites and providers. There’s still room for growth as technology improves.
It’s been a year and nothing has happened-one has to speak/read the language and actually want to watch it-reaching the Mandarin and Arabic audiences has a valid reason to counter the authoritarian and sometimes hostile messages coming out of the propaganda ministries but that could be better achieved on SBS conventional channels. The vast proportion of European migrants came here 50, 60 70 years ago so aren’t the ‘target’ anymore and anyone else can access online services (for free at libraries) if they so desire.
SBS’s major problem is the effectiveness of their well established Arabic and Mandarin radio programs. It doesn’t seem like a daily translation of general Australian TV news coverage into other languages has found a and audience. There are also Mandarin daily news papers that offer what their audience wants to hear.
Would be interesting to see if the audience demographic and the OzTAM demographic line up
One factor that may reduce numbers is that it’s necessary to retune the tv to pick up the channel 35 signal and even sets only a few years old often can’t. The report only refers to evening numbers. As noted, people understandably watch news in the language relevant to them which can be on during the day. I watch the Italian and French bulletins at 7:30 am and 8:40 am to improve my language skills and get a local perspective on events. If I miss a bulletin, I catch up on SBS ‘On demand’. All round, it’s a great service. Thanks SBS.
I believe the ‘SBS Worldwatch’ channel is an important television option in a multicultural country like Australia and SBS should stick with it and do whatever it can to increase awareness of it. Mandi is correct: individual viewers will only stay for one news program, the one in their language, so ratings become problematic. I am a frequent watcher of programs/movies on most SBS channels, including the overseas English language news programs on ‘SBS’ and ‘SBS Viceland’. I believe the network to be a worthwhile alternative to the others.