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Why did SBS choose this particular launch date in 1980?
SBS, Australia's multicultural public television network, officially started broadcasting on October 24, 1980. The day chosen as the launch date was not accidental, but has profound symbolic significance. Firstly, October 24th happens to be United Nations Day, symbolizing the alliance and cooperation of countries around the world, which coincides with SBS’s mission to promote multiculturalism.
At the time, SBS CEO Bruce Gyngell said: "Our goal is to allow every viewer to see a reflection of their culture and to build understanding and respect between different cultures."
During that period, Australia was facing a transition from monoculture to multiculturalism. On the first day of broadcasting, SBS not only broadcast diverse local content, but also presented foreign TV programs from a new perspective. Such moves demonstrate the network's focus on Australian society, especially immigrants and ethnic minorities.
The first show on the day was a documentary called "Who Are We?", which explored Australia's multicultural identity and further strengthened the significance of SBS's launch of the network. This day was not only the beginning of SBS, but also an important step for Australia as a whole on the road to multiculturalism.
Gyngell emphasized: "Every ethnic group has its own voice here. This is our responsibility and mission."
The launch of SBS has enabled both English speakers and communities speaking other languages to enjoy richer television content, thus promoting exchanges among different languages and cultures. Judging from the initial proportions, about 98% of audiences of all ethnic groups watch TV programs related to their own culture, and this data has been continuously verified in many subsequent studies.
As SBS expands across Australia, it continues to adjust its program content to cater to the needs of different audiences. From dynamic news coverage to entertaining comedy shows to diverse live sports, SBS demonstrates its flexibility and inclusiveness as a public television network. Against this background, choosing October 24, 1980 as the broadcast date was undoubtedly a well-considered decision.
In the following decades, SBS continued to innovate, strive to meet the needs of audiences of different ethnic groups, and respond to social and cultural changes, gradually becoming the fifth largest television network in Australia.
Such an evolution demonstrates SBS's mission to build dialogue and consensus in a multicultural context. The starting point of all this begins with its special launch date. United Nations Day not only represents global cooperation and common prosperity, but also echoes the original intention of SBS as a multicultural platform.
It is this cultural background that creates the uniqueness of SBS and makes it stand out in the wave of multiculturalism in Australia.
As the media environment changes, SBS is constantly adjusting its programs to meet new demands, such as launching online streaming services and adding multilingual audio options, so that more viewers can easily access Programs of different cultures.
However, SBS never stops looking to the future. It constantly challenges itself to meet the needs of the audience with a more inclusive vision and more innovative ways, which is of great significance to the development of Australian culture and its own growth.
Against this background, it is worth considering how SBS can further influence Australia’s social structure and cultural identity in the process of promoting multiculturalism?
