Senate Estimates quizzes SBS over the cost of their 2026 Upfront events.
SBS has defended the spend it devoted to its Upfront events last year, particularly the key Sydney event, as being integral to its revenue plans for 2026.
Acting Managing Director Jane Palfreyman was quizzed by Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson as to “exorbitant” costs by SBS for its most recent Upfront events.
“I guess the creme de la creme is the Upfront events. There were five of those, Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. The total cost for the five was $538,677. Now that is a lot of money. The Sydney event alone was $361,110. Can you please explain why such astronomical costs were incurred for these events?” Senator Henderson asked at Senate Estimates this week.
“Senator the Upfront event is an event, indeed all television broadcasters and in fact broader publishers undertake, to inform the market about the future year’s plan,” Ms Palfreyman replied.
“That event underpins our revenue negotiations for Calendar yYar 2026, in this example, and helps outline our slate, outline our audience proposition, our brand proposition, to then conduct those negotiations as a percentage of our overall revenue. It is relative to that revenue performance and as previously mentioned, our revenue contributions to the overall funding of SBS is a third, and allows us to invest in more content and services.”
“I would put to you that these are exorbitant costs,” Senator Henderson said. “…you’re a broadcaster, you’ve got access to large studios, you’ve got access to extensive AV equipment, broadcasting equipment, video screens, and yet …. AV and production at the Sydney Upfront was $207,000 why can’t you do your own AV and production? You’re a national broadcaster.”
“Senator I don’t have the figures in front of me, but that event hosts around 500 to 600 people. We don’t have that capacity at Artarmon. As I said, that event predates the commercial negotiations for the calendar year and is an incredibly important anchor in any commercial organisations planning for revenue in the following year,” said Ms. Palfreyman.
She noted whilst the reels were laregely produced in house by SBS costs related to the staging of the Sydney Upfront, including venue hosting.
“That was very significant. $46,000….I’m not even sure that a commercial broadcaster would incur that sort of cost,” said Senator Henderson.
“Senator I can’t speak for commercial broadcasters, but I can say that these are important events and extend beyond TV actually. More and more publishers are doing these events,” Ms. Palfreyman replied.
Senator Henderson again expressed concerns about use of public funds adding, “If private organisations want to go and spend commercially and as they see fit, then that’s a matter for them…”
SBS agreed to supply further detail on its spend on notice.