Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Communities

As the proud home of National Indigenous Television (NITV), SBS provides a platform for First Nations content to flourish, with trusted programs produced by, for and with First Nations Australians. The deep relationships held with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities enable us to access and share important stories, otherwise untold, including through Australia’s only national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander television news service.

With programs that inspire, instil pride and lead to a greater understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and cultures, NITV helps all Australians to connect with our rich Indigenous history.

As a network, we maintain a calendar of key events, including NAIDOC Week, January 26 and National Reconciliation Week, guided and implemented by a specialist team, to bring a unique First Nations perspective to our content and coverage, for all Australians.

SBS works year-round to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led content and industry pathways.

SBS’s Indigenous Employment Strategy is focused on the development and ongoing management of an engaged pool of skilled Indigenous talent, and we have partnered with Career Trackers to offer intern placements to Indigenous university students.

Internally, work with Indigenous organisation BlackCard has assisted in the development of a cultural capability training offering for SBS employees.

Broader support is provided to share First Nations knowledges, principles and protocols across the network. SBS’s Indigenous Engagement team provides best practice guidance, including through The Greater Perspective, a set of protocols and guidelines to assist program-makers, journalists and other media practitioners in the production of content relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The team supports events and content initiatives, sharing First Nations perspectives and empowering teams across the organisation to think and do differently, when it comes to First Nations affairs.

SBS’s Elevate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) guides the work we do, aiming to provide opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the community and to promote greater understanding amongst all Australians.

SBS, NITV and Reconciliation Australia also proudly partner together for the Reconciliation Film Club, an online platform that supports organisations to host screenings of a curated selection of documentaries from Australia's leading Indigenous film makers. Screenings are an opportunity to bring people together to develop a deeper understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, histories and cultures, to ignite conversation and spark change. It’s also a great platform to engage staff more actively in an organisation’s RAP plan. For more information, visit the Reconciliation Film Club here.

In 2021, SBS and NITV launched Beyond 3%, an initiative designed to raise awareness of the benefits of greater advertising investment by media agencies and brands in Australia’s Indigenous media platforms, and inspire, engage and encourage a long-term shift in the sector.