View source for SBS World News Channel

{{Short description|Australian television news channel}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Use Australian English|date=June 2011}}
{{Infobox television channel
| name              = SBS World News Channel
| logo              = SBSWNC.svg
| logo_size         = 200px
| logo_caption      =
| launch_date       = 12 June 2002
| closed_date       = 1 June 2009, 15 years ago
| picture_format    = [[576i]] ([[SDTV]]) [[16:9]]
| network           = [[SBS Television]]
| owner             = [[Special Broadcasting Service]]
| slogan            = 
| country           = [[Australia]]
| language          = English<br />Various
| area              = Nationally
| former_names      = 
| replaced          = 
| replaced_by       = [[SBS Viceland|SBS 2]]
| sister_channels   = 
| website           = 
| availability_note = at time of closure
| terr_serv_1       = [[Freeview (Australia)|Freeview]]
| terr_chan_1       = Channel 32<ref>[http://www.sbs.com.au/article/109044/Australia-wide-Digital-Upgrade SBS — Australia-wide Digital Upgrade]</ref> 
}}
The '''SBS World News Channel''' was an Australian [[Television broadcasting in Australia|television channel]] broadcast by [[SBS Television]] that launched on 12 June 2002. The channel, which used to be available only to [[Digital terrestrial television in Australia|digital television]] viewers in Australia, was the first digital-only [[television channel|multi-channel]] for the [[Special Broadcasting Service]]. The news service was broadcast for eighteen hours per day, seven days a week, retransmitting news from fifteen countries. In between news retransmissions, the channel displayed weather information, news headlines, and some commercial advertising.

==History==
The SBS World News Channel was officially inaugurated by [[Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts (Australia)|Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts]], Senator [[Richard Alston (politician)|Richard Alston]] on 12 June 2002, with the launch broadcast simultaneously live onto the channel.<ref name="launch">{{cite web
| url = http://www.dba.org.au/newsletter/IBaugsep02-full.asp#PROGRAMMING2
| title = SBS launches World News Channel
| accessdate = 2007-10-12
|date=August 2002
| publisher = dba.org.au
}}</ref>

It was previously known as ''The World News'' in its first year.<ref name="aph">{{cite web |title=INQUIRY INTO THE UPTAKE OF DIGITAL TELEVISION |url=http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/cita/digitaltv/subs/sub62.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605090429/http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/cita/digitaltv/subs/sub62.pdf |archive-date=2011-06-05 |work=aph.gov.au |publisher=aph.gov.au |accessdate=2009-03-24}}</ref>

[[Tagalog language|Tagalog]], [[Vietnamese language|Vietnamese]], and [[Arabic language]] broadcasts were added to SBS' ''WorldWatch'' schedule in 2003.<ref>{{cite web | title = SBS Timeline | url = http://www20.sbs.com.au/sbscorporate/index.php?id=1201 | publisher = [[Special Broadcasting Service]] | accessdate = 2007-05-20 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070302020843/http://www20.sbs.com.au/sbscorporate/index.php?id=1201 <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archivedate = 2007-03-02}}</ref> The Vietnamese service, taken from the government-controlled channel [[Vietnam Television|VTV4]], was heavily protested against by the Vietnamese community, many of whom found the bulletin's portrayal of the [[communist]] [[Flag of Vietnam|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]]<ref>{{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 | work = [[Sydney Morning Herald]] | date = 2003-12-02 | accessdate = 2007-05-20}}</ref>

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 of Australia|government]] on digital multi-channelling were lifted along with the media ownership laws passed through the Australian [[Parliament of Australia|parliament]] on 18 October 2006.<ref>{{cite news
| url = https://www.theguardian.com/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
| location=London
| first=Julia
| last=Day
}}</ref>

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

''The SBS World News Channel delivers more than 200 news programs 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 7:00am Sundays, news reviews and magazine style information programs. 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''.

The channel was set up as an experimental full service channel.<ref name="aph"/>

SBS World News Channel was broadcast on channel 33 from its launch until 29 January 2009, when it was moved to channel 32. Thereafter, a simulcast of SBS was shown on channel 33. SBS World News Channel was closed and replaced by [[SBS Viceland|SBS 2]] on 1 June 2009.

==Programming==
The SBS World News Channel broadcast for 18 hours each day, retransmitting over two-hundred news programs per week, from twenty-three countries. The channel's programming line-up consisted of retransmissions of bulletins from news services throughout the world, including:

{| class="wikitable"
!Language
!Country of origin
!Broadcaster
|-
| [[Arabic language|Arabic]]
| {{flag|United Arab Emirates}}
| [[Dubai TV]]
|-
| [[Cantonese language|Cantonese]] 
| {{flag|Hong Kong}}
| [[Asia Television|ATV]] (2002–2007), [[Television Broadcasts Limited|TVB]] (2007-2009)
|-
| [[Croatian language|Croatian]]
| {{flag|Croatia}}
| [[Croatian Radiotelevision|HRT]]
|-
| [[Dutch language|Dutch]]
| {{flag|Netherlands}}
| [[Nederlandse Publieke Omroep (organization)|NPO]]/[[Nederlandse Omroep Stichting|NOS]] <small>(via [[BVN]])</small>
|-
| [[Filipino language|Filipino]] 
| {{flag|Philippines}}
| [[ABS-CBN]]
|-
| [[French language|French]]
| {{flag|France}}
| [[France 2]]
|-
| [[German language|German]]
| {{flag|Germany}}
| [[Deutsche Welle|DW-TV]]
|-
| [[Greek language|Greek]]
| {{flag|Greece}}
| [[Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation|ERT]]
|-
| [[Hungarian language|Hungarian]] 
| {{flag|Hungary}}
| [[Duna TV]]
|-
| [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]] 
| {{flag|Indonesia}}
| [[TVRI]]
|-
| [[Italian language|Italian]]
| {{flag|Italy}}
| [[RAI]]
|-
| [[Japanese language|Japanese]]
| {{flag|Japan}}
| [[NHK]]
|-
| [[Korean language|Korean]] 
| {{flag|South Korea}}
| [[YTN]]
|-
| [[Macedonian language|Macedonian]]
| {{flag|Macedonia}}
| [[Macedonian Radio-Television|MRT]]
|-
| [[Maltese language|Maltese]] 
| {{flag|Malta}}
| [[Public Broadcasting Services|PBS]]
|-
| [[Standard Chinese|Mandarin]] 
| {{flag|China}}
| [[China Central Television]]
|-
| [[Polish language|Polish]] 
| {{flag|Poland}}
| [[Polsat]]
|-
| [[Serbian language|Serbian]]
| {{flag|Serbia}}
| [[Radio Television of Serbia|RTS]]
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[Spanish language|Spanish]] 
| {{flag|Spain}}
| [[RTVE]]
|-
|{{Flag|Chile}}
|[[Televisión Nacional de Chile|TVN]]
|-
| [[Russian language|Russian]]
| {{flag|Russia}}
| [[NTV Russia]]
|-
| [[Turkish language|Turkish]] 
| {{flag|Turkey}}
| [[Turkish Radio and Television Corporation|TRT]]
|-
| [[Vietnamese language|Vietnamese]] 
| {{flag|Vietnam}}
| [[Vietnam Television|VTV]] <small>([[VTV4]])</small>
|}

These programs are also presented on [[SBS (Australian TV channel)|SBS TV]], along with [[Public Broadcasting Service|PBS]]'s ''[[Nightly Business Report]]'' and ''[[PBS NewsHour]]'', SBS TV broadcasts ''[[SBS World News|World News Australia]]'', and the English version of [[Deutsche Welle]]'s bulletin.

===earthTV===
[[earthTV]] was broadcast on the SBS World News Channel when news programs are broadcast. It also acted as a filler when news programs are delayed.

== See also ==

* [[SBS WorldWatch]], a similar channel which began in 2022

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}{{SBS Television}}
{{Television news in Australia}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sbs World News Channel}}
[[Category:24-hour television news channels in Australia]]
[[Category:Special Broadcasting Service]]
[[Category:English-language television stations in Australia]]
[[Category:Digital terrestrial television in Australia]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 2002]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations disestablished in 2009]]
[[Category:2002 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:2009 disestablishments in Australia]]
[[Category:Defunct television channels in Australia]]
[[Category:Commercial-free television networks in Australia]]