SBS slashes flagship World News radio bulletins a month after celebrating 40 years of radio
SBS has wielded the axe on its flagship English-language radio bulletins, cutting one and halving the other less than a month after it celebrated 40 years of radio broadcasting.
Today saw the final in-house English-language 6am bulletin, with SBS replacing it with the BBC World Service’s bulletin from next Monday. The 6pm bulletin will be halved to half an hour, with TV news presenters Anton Enus and Janice Petersen now being asked to read the headlines before going to deliver the TV news.
In an email to staff, Andrew Clarke, executive producer of SBS World News, explained the changes were being made to “help alleviate the concerns that both (language division) ALC and our team have raised regarding the limitation of our content for the early morning broadcasts” which he said created “an impression of old news in these time slots”.
@DazzMara signing off as we launch a new format. SBS Radio in English 6pm-6:30pm @SBSNews pic.twitter.com/ObFOyWAxdJ
This mob should be sent to the same place as community television… They no longer have a grasp on their raison d’etre.
Agree. SBS is losing its way. It’s just trying to be too smart. The “Aljazeera English” internet streaming provides an excellent alternative for those wanting an in-depth international news service for free.
I have just realized this change has taken place. I am sorry, I regret the cutting of the previous SBS Radio program twice a day. I felt that it focussed (cf Radio National with its eternal Canberra politics commentaries) on human every-day issues and indigenous news with a multicultural focus missing from other radio stations. The reporters were excellent. Of course one has to commend the SBS radio news which exist in a wide range of languages, and if this takes up the available money, then I guess, so be it. But I really miss the early program as it introduced listeners to the day without rampant sensationalism. Vale SBS local radio in English.