Why don't you subtitle the WorldWatch news bulletins you broadcast each morning?
WorldWatch provides 43 news bulletins on SBS and SBS2 in 36 languages other than English, originating from 38 countries.
Subtitling is a very exacting and time-consuming procedure. On average, every hour of a subtitled program involves about 53 hours of work. With such time constraints, it would be impossible to subtitle the 36 different languages broadcast in the WorldWatch schedule. The delay would mean that the news bulletins would be outdated by the time they were ready for presentation. At present, WorldWatch bulletins are transmitted as soon as possible after they are received via satellite to ensure that their news content remains current. On average, SBS and SBS2 offer 20 hours of international news bulletins per day.
Who determines the language broadcast in WorldWatch?
A consultative process, involving relevant communities, precedes a management recommendation to the SBS Board, which then makes the final decision. While SBS makes every effort to include news programs from the major broadcasters of the world and for the major community groups in Australia, some programs are difficult, expensive or impossible to access due to technical communications problems or existing contractual obligations.
Who decides the times at which the WorldWatch bulletins are broadcast?
Generally, the schedule is dictated by availability of airtime. Another consideration is to avoid clashes with SBS Radio's multi-channel networks. This means that some of the major language news bulletins are outside peak hours. Most WorldWatch bulletins are available via SBS On Demand and on SBS's language websites, making them available whenever people choose.
Why isn't the BBC included in the WorldWatch schedule?
SBS broadcasts international news bulletins in English from many of the world's most respected broadcasters, NHK from Tokyo, France 24 from Paris, Deutsche Welle from Berlin, Al Jazeera from Doha, CCTV from Beijing, RT from Moscow and PBS NewsHour from PBS America. The BBC does not offer re-broadcast rights for its domestic UK news bulletins.
What is the source of the WorldWatch news bulletins?
The majority of the WorldWatch suppliers are public or national broadcasters. SBS also has a number of private partners, such as TVB in Hong Kong, ABS-CBN of the Philippines, NTV in Russia, Polsat in Poland, and NDTV and Polimer TV in India.
Sometimes WorldWatch bulletins appear to be cut short. Do you edit these programs?
In general, SBS leaves bulletins as they are received in order to preserve their integrity. However edits are made where the material is in obvious breach of Australian broadcasting regulations and our Codes of Practice. Furthermore, overseas commercials and sponsorship messages are removed where necessary and where possible. When programs overrun their allocated duration, SBS has no alternative but to cut the end in order to start the following bulletin close to time.
