2003 - 04 Annual Report - Sbs

10INDIGENOUS PRODUCTIONSSBSi continues to actively support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island productions. SBS’s historic Indigenousproduction First Australia Nations, commissioned in 2004, is expected to be delivered for broadcast in late 2006.Writers are Louis Nowra and Rachel Perkins, directors Ivan Sen and Rachel Perkins, to be produced by Darren Daleand Rachel Perkins of Blackfella Films.In 2003-04, 17½ hours of Indigenous programs were commissioned and five hours transmitted.Commissioned programsFirst Australian NationsIndigenous Interstitials (Pilot)Australian Family CenturyLoved Up (NIDF Series 6)Stock SquadTen CanoesWives TaleDocumentary series (8 x 1 hr)Interstitials featuring Leah Purcell (2 x 1 min)Documentary Accord series (5 x ½ hr)National Indigenous Documentary Fund (5 x ½ hr)Documentary series (4 x ½ hr)Feature filmDrama (1 hr)Transmitted programsKabbarliQueen of HeartsCold TurkeyDreaming in MotionInside Australia: Ngangkari WayMaking ItWe of Little VoiceShort feature (1 hr)Drama (1 hr)Drama (1 hr)Short dramas (4 x ¼ hr)Documentary (½ hr)Interstitials (2 x 7 min)Documentary (½ hr)NEWS AND CURRENT AFFAIRSWith access to more international news sources thanany other Australian network, SBS News provides themost comprehensive and authoritative coverage of worldevents, coupled with concise reports of the nation’s majorpolitical events, economic trends and business affairs.NewsThe nightly SBS World News bulletins at 6.30pm andthe Monday to Friday World News Tonight bulletinsat 9.30pm maintained their reputation for unparalleledcoverage of international news and major national eventsat a time when public interest in global issues has neverbeen higher.Now into its 20th year, Dateline remains Australia’slongest-running international current affairs program,and Insight is the nation’s only current affairs programwith a studio audience format that provides a forum forAustralians to speak their minds on the political andsocial issues of the day.Throughout the year, SBS World News continued topresent Australia’s most authoritative and comprehensiveinternational news coverage on free-to-air television. Aswell as providing an Australian perspective on major worldevents throughout the year, SBS journalists also reportedfirst-hand on important regional events such as the trials ofthe Bali bombers, the deployment of Australian troops inthe Solomon Islands, and the Pacific Forum.SBS reporters also went further afield to cover the PrimeMinister’s visits to the United States and Europe, andother important meetings such as the CommonwealthHeads of Government meeting in Nigeria.The reconfigured newsroom set allowed coverage of