SBS2

This one almost slipped away unnoticed! No fanfares, no cakes, no parties… how could I forget?

6pm June 1 marked the first birthday of SBS’s second digital channel SBS TWO. SBS TWO replaced the SBS News channel which previously had only been broadcasting international news bulletins for most of the day.

While the International news is still available until 6pm on SBS TWO as well as SBS ONE in the mornings, SBS TWO has allowed SBS to offer more content then it could just on the one channel.

SBS TWO as a multi channel does not exactly set the ratings world on fire – with shares of around 0.4% on average of the total TV viewing audience, and about 10% of those of SBS ONE, but it has been able to compliment SBS ONE at times where sporting commitments overlap – such as in July 2009 when both the Tour de France and the Test Cricket were on at the same time – SBS TWO allowed one event to be shown while the other was aired on SBS ONE.

With the World Cup Soccer starting June 11 (and SBS remind us of that date after every ad break at the moment) anti-siphoning rules have been temporarily relaxed to allow SBS to show different games on both SBS ONE and SBS TWO concurrently – meaning viewers with access to both channels will have the choice of two games to watch live. Games played on SBS TWO will be repeated on SBS ONE at a later time. Games on SBS ONE will also be seen in HD on SBS ONE HD.

Selected soccer games will also be shown in 3D on SBS 3D, digital channel 40 – the same channel Nine is using for 3D coverage of the State of Origin, the second game of which occurs on June 16.

Happy Birthday, SBS TWO – albeit a day late!

Tonight at 6pm, SBS2 commences. It replaces the SBS news channel and will feature unique programming from 6pm, including foreign sub titled movies from 9pm. During the day, the channel will continue to show international news bullitnes in their own language and without subtitles.

Germany’s 112 Emergency (or 112 Sie retten Dein Leben in its home country) is the first new drama series on SBS2 and can be seen at 8.30pm Mon-Fri.

The channel hits the airwaves under its new branding from 6pm, with a 5 minute launch, followed by a screening of Harvie Krumpett. World News Australia is simulcast at 6:30pm and a repeat of last night’s Dateline.

112 Emergency at 8:30pm is centred around police officers, paramedics and fire-fighters. It will be followed by movies The Ninth Day and Sorry For Kung Fu.

With the arrival of SBS2 (formerly SBS News channel), the feature SBS channel will be known as SBS1. SBS HD continues to be a simulcast of SBS1, with no unique programming.

If you have Foxtel Digital, SBS2 is on channel 648, same channel as SBS News was. Free to air, its digital ch 32.

source: TV Tonnight

SBS Managing Director Shaun Brown announced today at the Get Ready for Digital TV conference in Sydney that they network hopes to launch SBS2 on the 1st of June.

The channel will offer more opportunities to view stories, sport, news and current affairs via time shifting and live broadcast.

In July the channel will screen the Ashes and the Tour de France and then expand its international film, entertainment and documentary line up.

However, the announcement has been made prior to confirmed federal funding which the network will need in order for the launch to go ahead.