SBS World News Channel

Infobox TV channel
name = SBS World News Channel
logofile = SBSWNC.svg
logosize = 200px
logoalt = SBS World News Channel Logo
launch = June 12, 2002
picture format = 576i (SDTV)
share =
share as of =
share source =
network = SBS Television
owner = Special Broadcasting Service
web = [http://www20.sbs.com.au/whatson/index.php?pid=digital sbs.com.au/whatson]
terr serv 1 = SD Digital
terr chan 1 = Channel 33
sat serv 1 = Foxtel Digital
sat chan 1 = Channel 648
sat serv 2 = Austar Digital
sat chan 2 = Channel 610
cable serv 1 = Foxtel Digital
cable chan 1 = Channel 648
cable serv 2 = TransTV Digital
cable chan 2 = Channel 17The SBS World News Channel is an Australian television channel broadcast by SBS Television that launched on June 12, 2002. The channel, only available to digital television viewers in Australia, is the first digital-only multichannel for the Special Broadcasting Service. The news service broadcasts eighteen hours per day,7 days a week, retransmitting news from fifteen countries. In between news retransmissions, the channel displays weather information, news headlines, and some commercial advertising.(24/7)

History

The SBS World News Channel was officially inaugurated by Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Richard Alston on June 12, 2002, with the launch broadcast simultaneously live onto the channel. cite web
url = http://www.dba.org.au/newsletter/IBaugsep02-full.asp#PROGRAMMING2
title = SBS launches World News Channel
accessdate = 2007-10-12
month = August
year = 2002
publisher = dba.org.au ]

Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Arabic language broadcasts were added to SBS' "WorldWatch" schedule in 2003. [cite web | title = SBS Timeline | url = http://www20.sbs.com.au/sbscorporate/index.php?id=1201 | publisher = Special Broadcasting Service | accessed = 2007-05-20] . The Vietnamese service, taken from the government-controlled channel VTV4, was heavily protested against by the Vietnamese community, many of whom found the bulletin's portrayal of the communist Vietnamese flag and Ho Chi Minh offensive. The Vietnamese Community of Australia, claimed that the program's lack of reports on political arrests and religious oppression were also offensive, especially to those who fled the country following the Vietnam War [cite web | title = Crunch time for SBS over Vietnamese news bulletin | url = http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/12/01/1070127351359.html?from=storyrhs | publisher = Sydney Morning Herald | date = 2003-12-02 | accessed = 2007-05-20] .

The backlash resulting from these events prompted SBS to begin showing disclaimers before all externally-produced bulletins, distancing the broadcaster from each bulletin's editorial content.

Genre restrictions imposed by the Australian government on digital multichanneling were lifted along with the media ownership laws passed through the Australian parliament on October 18, 2006. [ cite web
url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/australia/story/0,,1925263,00.html
title = Australia opens up media investment
accessdate = 2007-03-31
date = 2006-10-18
work = MediaGuardian.co.uk
publisher = guardian.co.uk ]

Between broadcasts, a commercial for the channel is shown. The dialogue is as follows:

The SBS World News Channel delivers more than 200 news programmes from around the globe each week, providing an up to date and varied perspective on the headlines of the day. Each bulletin is in the language and format of the country of origin.From 5:20am Monday to Saturday, continuous telecasts from international broadcasters via satellite from some of the most respected news bureaus of the world. From 7am Sundays, news reviews and magazine style information programmes. The most comprehensive international news channel in the world, with unparalleled access to continuing news and current affairs from 17 countries in languages other than English. Available only on the SBS World News Channel.

Programming

The SBS World News Channel broadcasts eighteen hours per day, retransmitting over two-hundred news programs per week, from fifteen countries, in eighteen languages other than English. The channel's programming lineup consists of retransmissions of bulletins from news services throughout the world, including:

*Arabic – Dubai TV
*Cantonese – TVB
*Croatian HRT - Dnevnik
*Dutch – BVN
*Filipino – ABS-CBN
*French – France 2
*German – Deutsche Welle
*Greek – ERT
*Hungarian – Duna TV
*Indonesian – TVRI
*Italian – RAI
*Japanese – NHK
*Korean – YTN
*Maltese – PBS
*Mandarin – China Central Television
*Polish – Polsat
*Serbian – RTS
*Spanish – RTVE and TVN (Chile)
*Russian – NTV Russia

These programs are also presented on SBS TV, along with PBS's "Nightly Business Report" and "Newshour with Jim Lehrer", and the English version of Deutsche Welle's bulletin, as part of its WorldWatch timeslot.

earthTV

earthTV is broadcasted on the SBS World News Channel when news programs are not broadcast. It also acts as a filler when news programs are delayed.

Availability

The SBS World News Channel is available on all of SBS Television's digital television transmitters in 576i SD Digital, as well on most satellite and cable services.

References

External links

* [http://www20.sbs.com.au/whatson/index.php?pid=digital Official Site]
* [http://www20.sbs.com.au/sbscorporate/ Corporate Site]