Welcome to an audio-led update from Unmade. Today, Upfronts season gets under way, with SBS first out of the door.
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An SBS winning streak?
And so it begins.
It’s spring and we’re straight back into Upfronts season.
The Digital Publishers Alliance soft launched the season with the Independents’ Day Long Lunch on Tuesday, but SBS kicked things off properly last night with what will be for the media industry the first of a number of trips to the Hordern Pavilion in the coming weeks.
Outgoing managing director James Taylor was in the room albeit not on the stage. It was a small example of how SBS may be commercial, but not that commercial. Imagine one of the networks allowing a departing executive to spend the night schmoozing advertisers, days before crossing the bridge to take the hot seat at Ooh Media.
But the star of the show was chief marketing and commercial officer Jane Palfreyman, now acting MD. She opened and closed the presentation. She’s also the guest in the podcast interview that accompanies this post.
As you might expect for a year when SBS is in transition (there’s also an acting chair in Christine Zeitz) the announcements were mainly about evolutions: The countdown to an expanded soccer World Cup; an extension to the Tour de France rights; an expansion of the ability for viewers to opt out of betting and booze ads; a fourth season of Alone Australia; better functionality for SBS On Demand.
The presentation itself was tight, and strong. One buyer, who wasn’t throwing shade, described it as “substance over style”. The prominent signs at the door warning full frontal nudity preceded a cameo appearance from the streaker who formed the basis of the new “We go there” brand position.
And the sizzle reel for the World Cup was among the best editing I’ve seen at any Upfronts. I predict it will win some kind of award.
Afterwards, the feedback was that Palfreyman had done a good job; a strong pass mark was the consensus at the drinks afterwards. I’d agree with that, but add that in our podcast interview she was not as strong on the detail of the content as I would have anticipated. A wobbly pass mark there, I’d say - but you can form your own view when you listen.
In the short term, I’m fascinated to see how The People vs Robodebt performs on SBS later this month. The trajectory of the Robodebt scandal reminds me of the one involving the Post Office in the UK. This scandal - in which a defective IT system led to hundreds of subpostmasters being wrongly accused of stealing - bubbled along for years on the edge of British national consciousness. But it was only when an ITV drama - titled Mr Bates vs the Post Office - aired, that it exploded to the front of people’s minds. We may (hopefully) yet see senior people go to prison.
Similarly with Robodebt, even after a public inquiry, it’s not at the forefront of Australian consciousness in the way it should be.
The People vs Robodebt launches on September 24. It’s a three part docu-drama made by CJZ. The choice of title suggests to me they see the same parallels.
But will enough people see the show via SBS channels for it to create the sort of cultural consciousness Mr Bates vs The Post Office did in the UK?
Listening to Palfreyman’s bloodless answers when I asked about The People vs Robodebt in the interview, I didn’t get the impression the top levels of SBS see the potential. If it’s any good SBS should be preparing to unleash a PR blitzkrieg to get the public to see it, and to get angry about it.
In the interview, I asked whether Palfreyman will be a formal candidate for the job. She gives a well workshopped no comment: “It’s an excellent job; I’ll think about it in the coming months. I’ve really had Upfronts on my mind.”
Elsewhere in next year’s slate comes 2.6 Seconds, which tells the story of another scandal: the death of 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker, who was shot three times in close range by police officer Zachary Rolfe.
The main point of the Upfronts is to persuade advertisers that SBS is the place to spend their money. Hopefully they’ll come for the football and stay for the cultural relevance.
Today’s podcast was edited by Abe’s Audio.
Time to leave you to your Thursday. We’ll be back with more tomorrow.
Have a great day
Toodlepip…
Tim Burrowes
Publisher - Unmade + Mumbrella
tim@unmade.media
