Category: Overseas

Pushing the boundaries of digital storytelling, SBS Spice is for Gen Y with a South Asian heritage who want to shape their own cultural narratives and be informed and entertained via social media.

SBS Spice is an exciting new English language digital offering for South Asian Australians aged 20-34, spicing things up with unique perspectives on hot topics ranging from pop culture to politics, aimed at exploring identity, belonging and social change.

Amplifying diverse voices and showcasing South Asian storytelling through a contemporary Australian lens, SBS Spice will lead progressive, thought-provoking and tongue-in-cheek conversations to cultivate a vibrant and inclusive community for young South Asian Australians born here as well as newly arrived.

SBS Spice is for the young and curious with a South Asian heritage who are active on social media, and interested in culturally shaping the narratives of where we come from and where we’re headed in a forward-looking Australia,” said Dilpreet Kaur Taggar, Executive Producer of SBS Spice, who is an Indian-born journalist, founder of South Asian Today and known for probing social nuances and amplifying diverse perspectives.

Driving video content and conversations on Instagram, YouTube and via podcasts, SBS Spice will tackle complex issues such as identity, gender equality and mental health, as well as provide entertainment and the latest in pop culture. Hosted by Taggar and Suhayla Sharif, a Bollywood obsessed Australian-Fijian journalist, it will feature the following audio-visual segments:

• Scan – short explainer series that delves behind the headlines of local and global issues to explore different viewpoints.
• Two Chillies in a Pod – long-form podcasts featuring first-person interviews with South Asian disruptors and game changers from Australia and abroad, including former Editor of Vogue India, Megha Kapoor; traveller Priya Sharma; content creator Jeremy Franco; social worker Amar Singh; and actors Shahana Goswami and Ayesha Madon.
• Spice Express – short-form podcasts focused on community check-ins to understand what issues are making South Asians click or feel ick.

The launch of SBS Spice coincides with SBS rebranding its PopDesi channel to SBS South Asian, a single destination channel for all things South Asian. Locally produced content in 10 languages is available live and on demand across broadcast radio, live streaming, digital publishing and podcasting, including a new dedicated YouTube channel offering a complete audio visualisation experience.

“SBS is proud to continue delivering on the outcomes of our Language Services Review, which is conducted every five years in line with the national Census to ensure SBS’s offering reflects a diverse and contemporary Australia and helps build a sense of inclusion and belonging for everyone,” said Pamela Cook, Acting Director of SBS Audio.

“South Asians are the fastest growing migrant population in Australia, with more than 1.5 million Australians speaking a sub continental language at home. SBS is uniquely placed to capture this depth and diversity across first, second and third generation migrants who belong and enrich the fabric of contemporary Australia,” said Manpreet Kaur Singh, Program Manager for SBS South Asian including SBS Spice.

SBS South Asian’s language programs include Bangla, Gujarati, Hindi, Nepali, Malayalam, Punjabi, Sinhala, Tamil and Urdu, featuring all the latest news, current affairs, entertainment and community stories broadcast live from 11:00AM to 6:00PM on weekdays, and 5:00PM to 6:00PM on weekends. At other times, enjoy extensive music playlists featuring all the best Bollywood (Hindi), Bhangra (Punjabi) and Nepali hits, with music in other languages to be added to the schedule progressively. A Telugu language offering launched last year is also available via podcast, website and social media.

For migrants newly arrived in Australia, SBS further provides essential services available free and online. Australia Explained offers practical information to assist with participating in everyday social and civic life, with topics ranging from tips on how to find a job to the cultural protocols of attending a BBQ, and translated into over 30 languages including Bangla, Gujarati, Hindi, Malayalam, Nepali, Punjabi, Sinhala, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu.

While Punjabi and Hindi are now among the top 10 languages spoken in Australian households, Nepali is the fastest growing. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census data, the number of people speaking Punjabi is 239,033, Hindi 197,132, Nepali 133,068, Urdu 111,873, Tamil 95,404. Sinhala 85,869, Gujarati 81,334, Malayalam 78,738, Bangla 70,116 and Telugu 59,406.

SBS Spice is available via the SBS Audio App, website, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and most places where you consume your podcasts. Sample the trailer here. SBS South Asian is available on DAB, digital TV (Channel 305), and its own dedicated YouTube channel, as well as the SBS Audio App and website. Each SBS South Asian language program also has its own Facebook page and a bilingual website, with audio offerings available at most places where you consume your podcasts.

In a first for the northern Pacific region, residents of Palau can now enjoy ABC Radio Australia’s full service on 91.5FM.

The service launch comes after a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed in 2023 between the ABC and the Republic of Palau’s national radio broadcaster, Eco Paradise FM (EPFM). It is the first time since 2014 that ABC Radio Australia has been available as a full channel service to northern Pacific audiences.

Attended by Palau’s Vice President, the Hon. Uduch Sengebau Senior, the launch event at EPFM’s Koror headquarters on Friday 3 May coincided with International Press Freedom Day.

ABC International Head Claire M. Gorman said: “The Palau launch marks another important milestone in the ongoing expansion of ABC Radio Australia’s FM footprint in the Pacific and cements our collaboration with EPFM and the people of Palau.”

ABC Radio Australia head Justine Kelly, who co-hosted the launch event, said: “I’m excited that audiences in Palau will now have access to the very best of Pacific news, music, sports, culture and health programming, all day, every day via the new service.”

Australian Ambassador to Palau, Richelle Turner, also attended the launch event and Gorman acknowledged the Australian Embassy in Palau’s support in brokering the 2023 MOU with EPFM.

Acting Director of the Palau Bureau Archives and Media, Linda Ngirameketii, who co-hosted the launch event, added: “I express my wholehearted support for today’s ABC Radio Australia launch in Palau in partnership with EPFM 87.9, Ngerel Belau AM 1584 and the Palau Division of Media & Information Services (DMIS). I am so happy to see ABC Radio Australia return to the Palau airwaves, bridging the distances for many listeners near and far. Through radio waves and the power of media, communities are united and vital information disseminated, reaching many in the Pacific region. We welcome this endeavour, knowing it will resonate far beyond the shores of Palau.”

Palau’s Acting Chief of the Media Division Rondy Ronny, who MC’d the launch event, said: “Radio Australia stands as a beacon of connectivity, illuminating the vast potential of the airwaves in the Pacific Ocean. Its opening here in Palau marks not just a milestone in broadcasting, but a testament to the power of media to unite, inform and inspire. I envision this new platform as a catalyst for innovation, education, and cultural exchange, enriching the Palau communities and advancing our collective understanding of our surrounding waters.”

In coming weeks and months, more countries and locations will also receive ABC Radio Australia’s service, including Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia, Kokopo in Papua New Guinea, Nauru, Kiribati, the Cook Islands, Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands.

WAYS TO LISTEN:

There are multiple ways to listen to ABC Radio Australia – live via internet streaming or in your area through 24-hour FM stations or catch up with full episodes on ABC Pacific online.

ABC Radio Australia has expanded FM transmission services to the island of Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), where residents can now access the station’s full suite of programs via the frequency 89.1FM.

The launch of the FM service is part of an historic expansion of ABC Radio Australia’s FM footprint in the Pacific and follows the recent launch of the service in Palau, a first for the northern Pacific region.

In coming weeks and months, more countries and locations will also receive the service including Kokopo in Papua New Guinea, Nauru, Tuvalu, Kiribati, the Cook Islands and the Marshall Islands.

ABC International Services Head Claire M. Gorman said: “The launch of ABC Radio Australia in Pohnpei marks another important step in the expansion of our transmission footprint in the northern Pacific and we welcome our new audiences in the Federated States of Micronesia to explore the extensive range of Pacific-focused programs.”

Australian Ambassador to FSM Jenny Grant-Curnow co-hosted a launch event to mark the occasion which was attended by Pohnpei State Governor the Hon. Stevenson A. Joseph and ABC Radio Australia Content Director Faleagafulu Inga Stünzner.

According to Faleagafulu: “Our increasing engagement with Pohnpei and Micronesia via the launch of the ABC Radio Australia service will lead to expanded coverage of this beautiful region in our programming, as well as bringing stories from right across the Pacific to the people of Pohnpei.”

ABC Radio Australia can now be heard on 89.1FM in Pohnpei, including recently launched programs Sista Sounds, Pacific Pulse, Pacific Soul and the afternoon edition of Nesia Daily.

WAYS TO LISTEN:

There are multiple ways to listen to ABC Radio Australia – live via internet streaming or in your area through 24-hour FM stations or catch up with full episodes on ABC Pacific online.

The Central Pacific state of Nauru is the latest location in the expansion of ABC Radio Australia’s FM transmission service, now available for residents on 90.0FM.

In partnership with the Nauru Media Bureau (NMB), ABC Radio Australia has launched its full FM radio service, featuring a growing schedule of programs including the latest in Pacific news, music and sports, as well as conversations about culture, health, faith and science.

The ABC has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the NMB, building on a long history of engagement between the organisations, including the sharing of ABC NEWS on Nauru Radio and the transmission of ABC Australia television content on Nauru TV.

ABC International Head Claire M. Gorman said: “After many years of partnership with Nauru and the NMB, we’re proud to announce an MOU with NMB and the launch of a 24-hour dedicated ABC Radio Australia FM service, showcasing the comprehensive range of Pacific news and content that ABC Radio Australia has to offer.”

ABC International Services Manager Nesryn Bouziane, who co-hosted a launch and MOU signing ceremony in Nauru with the NMB, said: “We’re excited for new audiences across Nauru to hear and engage with ABC Radio Australia. The launch of the new FM service and the ABC’s MOU with NMB will lead to greater cross-cultural exchange of ideas and information, deepening connections and friendships between the people of Australia and Nauru.”

Nauru Minister for Media the Hon. Shadlog Bernicke, who co-hosted the launch and signing of the MOU, said: “I am extremely proud to announce the new MOU between Nauru Media Bureau & ABC Radio, further strengthening the longstanding relationship we share with the ABC family. We are committed to always bringing the best services and content to the people of Nauru and the launch of this new FM service is a testimony to our commitment. We are excited to share the fantastic array of content that the ABC has to offer with our beloved audience.”

The new Nauru service follows recent ABC Radio Australia launches in Palau and Pohnpei in Micronesia in the northern Pacific. Further Pacific locations will be added to ABC Radio Australia’s FM footprint in coming months including Tuvalu, Kiribati, the Cook Islands and the Marshall Islands.

WAYS TO LISTEN:

There are multiple ways to listen to ABC Radio Australia – live via internet streaming or in your area through 24-hour FM stations or catch up with full episodes on ABC Pacific online.