SBS Viceland


SBS Viceland is an Australian free-to-air television channel owned by the Special Broadcasting Service. It began as SBS TWO on 1 June 2009, and was branded as SBS 2 between 2013 and 2016. On 8 April 2017, SBS Viceland began simulcasting in high definition. On 17 June 2019, the standard definition broadcast was closed and replaced by SBS World Movies, leaving SBS Viceland as a high definition-only channel.
Its flagship news and current affairs program The Feed airs Thursday nights at 8:30pm.

History

In a statement made by SBS in early 2009 they announced plans for the channel SBS World that would replace SBS World News Channel. On 26 April 2009, Freeview's website and advertisements showed that the channel would be called SBS TWO.
On 12 May 2009, SBS revealed programming details for the SBS TWO launch. This included a 5-minute feature at 6 pm called SBS TWO Launch: What is SBS TWO?, followed by the Academy Award winning short film Harvie Krumpet. On 1 June 2009, the SBS World News Channel ended broadcast and went into a loop of advertising for SBS TWO before the official launch later that day. SBS had originally planned for the channel to focus on Asia-Pacific speciality shows, international children's programming and English learning programmes.
On 20 February 2013, SBS announced major changes to the programming on SBS TWO, with a relaunch as a bold, provocative channel for younger audiences aged 16–39 from 1 April 2013, known as SBS 2.
In June 2016, Shane Smith, CEO of U.S.-Canadian media company Vice, announced at the Cannes Lions Festival that the company had reached deals with international broadcasters to launch localized versions of Viceland—a television brand featuring lifestyle-oriented reality and documentary-style programming aimed towards young adults. Among the partners announced was SBS.
On 4 October 2016, SBS and Vice officially announced that SBS 2 would be re-launched as SBS Viceland on 15 November 2016. Michael Slonim, marketing director of Vice Australia, stated that SBS shared Vice's "storytelling sensibilities and curiosity about the world", and felt that the launch would "help catapult Vice further into the consciousness of young Australians". The channel remains operated by SBS, but will include original programmes produced for the American Viceland channel, alongside existing SBS 2 programmes such as The Feed. Despite using the Viceland brand name, it has no corporate association with the international affiliates.
SBS Viceland had a primetime share of 1% on its first night, up slightly from 0.7% for SBS2 the previous week, with the highest rated program Gaycation viewed by 51,000 people.
On 17 June 2019, SBS Viceland had been moved to being an HD only service on Channel 31. Channel 32 will be used by the new SBS World Movies channel from 1 July 2019, also only in HD. An SD version of Viceland continues to broadcast via Foxtel on the AEST schedule.

Programming

General

In addition to expanded international news programs during the day, SBS Viceland screens documentary series, drama series and international films each night under themed programming blocks.
In April 2013, SBS 2 relaunched targeting a younger audience, now airing various TV shows, including Bullet in the Face, Don't Tell My Mother, The Tales of Nights, Russell Howard's Good News, South Park, The Midnight Beast, Skins, Him & Her, Threesome, If You Are the One, Housos, The Office, Parks and Recreation, Adam Ruins Everything and Community.

Sport

From its formation in 2009, SBS 2 has featured all stages of the Tour de France with full broadcasting rights in conjunction with SBS One, as well as exclusive UEFA Champions League matches as of the 2009–10 season. In 2010, SBS 2 aired repeat matches from the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa with full broadcasting rights in conjunction with SBS One. The channel has also broadcast regular episodes of The World Game since the programs reformatting in August 2010; regular weekly shows, in addition to various major footballing events. Other major events have included the FIFA Club World Cup and various international cup competitions.
In 2013 and 2014, SBS 2 was the Freeview broadcaster of the ANZ Championship's live Sunday afternoon match. It gave netball fans across the nation the chance to keep viewing the sport on free to air TV after Network Ten dumped it stating it was "insignificant" for mainstream media and "not a premium sport", which led to no broadcast partner for the 2013 season until the very last minute which saw SBS struck a deal to broadcast the 2013 & 2014 seasons in conjunction with Fox Sports Australia. SBS also had the rights to the ANZ Championship finals & International test matches on its free-to-air television network between 2013–2014.
Later in 2013, SBS 2 began broadcasting a weekly live A-League Friday-night match and A-League Finals matches.
SBS 2 aired some matches from the 2014 FIFA World Cup, in conjunction with SBS.

Availability

SBS Viceland is available nationwide in standard definition and HD digital via the SBS Television service. On 1 July 2019 the free-to-air SD feed was replaced by SBS World Movies, making SBS Viceland an HD only channel on Channel 31. SBS Viceland SD continues to broadcast via Foxtel.

SBS Viceland HD

A high definition simulcast of SBS Viceland, SBS Viceland HD, became available on 8 April 2017. The service is broadcast in 1080i HD in an MPEG-4 format on digital channel 31.. On 17 June 2019, this became the only way to access the channel as the SD feed on Channel 32 will be replaced by the new SBS World Movies channel which is also an HD only service

Viewership

SBS Viceland's ratings were down by 26% in the 16-34 demographic in comparison to its previous incarnation as SBS2. An SBS representative defended the service, noting that its target audience was engaging with the network through its digital and on-demand platforms.

Logo and identity history

The first logo for SBS 2 was inspired by the then-current logo for SBS with the "Mercator" symbol paired with the brand "SBS TWO". When SBS was renamed "SBS ONE" that same year, its new logo was based on the SBS 2 logo. After SBS 2 was rebranded on 1 April 2013, the channel received a new contemporary logo with "SBS" written next to an orange painted number 2. This logo was updated on 30 October 2015 with a bolder font for "SBS" and included the top half of the "Mercator" symbol attached to the top curve of the number 2. The logo once changed again after the launch of SBS Viceland on 15 November 2016. Although most international versions of Viceland have rebranded to Vice on TV, SBS Viceland retained its name due to it being fully controlled by SBS.

Identity history