SBS On Demand launches SBS Rewind – In a triumphant finish to a record year for audiences (excluding viewing associated with the 2022 FIFA World Cup™), streaming platform SBS On Demand, the cornerstone of SBS’s ongoing digital transformation, today unveiled the much-anticipated SBS Rewind – a new, personalised end-of-year viewing summary for users, underscoring the network’s continued investment in the audience experience.
With the launch of SBS Rewind, SBS On Demand now offers viewers a fun recap of interesting facts and figures relating to their consumption throughout the year. The feature provides users a summary that includes total minutes of content consumed, an interactive globe showing content’s country of origin, most watched genre, most consumed language and how niche the viewer’s taste is.
The addition reaffirms SBS On Demand’s commitment to providing a first-class user experience and innovation in the evolving digital landscape. said Matt Hancock, General Manager of SBS On Demand.
“SBS On Demand sits squarely at the forefront of our broader digital transformation strategy. We announced SBS Rewind at our Upfronts event in October and are proud to hit ‘go’ on this new addition today, giving audiences an even richer experience as we continue to develop and enhance the platform.
“With the breadth, variety, cultural and linguistic diversity of our content catalogue, the insights SBS Rewind shares with users set it apart from similar offerings from competing platforms. There’s no other streaming platform like SBS On Demand in Australia.”
The addition of SBS Rewind builds on recent developments the platform’s product team rolled out in 2023, said Chris Tangye, Head of Product for SBS On Demand.
“Underpinning SBS Rewind is SBS On Demand’s new recommendation engine, which offers each user three content recommendations based on their consumption, encouraging deeper exploration of the catalogue. After viewing the recap, users can share an infographic about their total consumption, which is perfect for social media feeds.”
Adjusting for a spike in consumption and new account registrations on the back SBS’s broadcast of FIFA World Cup 2022™, SBS On Demand in 2023 achieved the strongest viewership in its seven-year history. Total consumption on the platform exceeded 7.34 billion minutes. On current trends, it is anticipated that the platform will see another record year for consumption for a non-World Cup rights year, with minutes consumed up more than 5%.
Helping drive on-demand viewing was the knockout success of Alone Australia which solidified its place as the network’s top-rating program of 2023 and most successful original commission ever.
The program achieved a total TV audience of 1.28 million of which 44% was online – strong numbers ahead of a hotly-anticipated second season set in New Zealand coming to screens in 2024.
Acquired programming also drove SBS On Demand viewing, with season one of British dramedy Rogue Heroes – about the origins of Britain’s famed Special Air Service – achieving a total TV audience of 960,000, 40% of which was via streaming. The program was the top-rating series in the drama category for 2023.
Adding to the diverse content line-up, SBS On Demand now offers for the first time a music FAST channel, with SBS Chill. The previously audio-only digital radio channel launched on SBS On Demand in November, allowing audiences to enjoy their favourite chill and ambient tunes with accompanying dynamic visualisation.
In the first five weeks since launch on the platform, audiences have streamed 1.6 million minutes of music, suggesting audiences enjoy using a single app for both video and audio.
The SBS On Demand app has maintained its 4.8 star rating on the Apple App store, making it the highest-rated streaming video-on-demand service on that platform in Australia and demonstrating an engaged and loyal userbase. With a strong product roadmap. SBS On Demand continues to deliver for audiences, evolving the user experience.
SBS On Demand is a clear leader in video streaming:
- In 2023, full High Definition 1080p streaming was introduced for live events ahead of the 2023 cycling Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes.
- SBS On Demand is the top-rated app in the Apple App Store among all BVOD and SVOD platforms in Australia.
- SBS had a record year on SBS On Demand providing consumers with access to premiere releases, boxset collections, live events, channel simulcasts, and catch-up titles.
- Unique to streaming platforms in Australia, users may log in and navigate in seven languages a catalogue that boasts content in 95 languages across more than 15,000 hours of premium, distinctive content.
- The platform will launch an audio description feature in early 2024 for people who are blind or have low vision.
- Thanks to a strong product roadmap with ongoing development SBS On Demand continues to roll out features, offering users an ever-richer consumption experience.
Media Release – SBS
Link to SBS on Demand HERE
SBS On Demand launches SBS Rewind
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