As part of this years upfronts pitch to advertisers, SBS has announced a series of major updates for its SBS On Demand platform, all aimed at improving user experience.
Viewers watching live programming on SBS will see the introduction of options to allow users to pause, rewind, and restart programs. While this is going to be most helpful for viewers dealing with family members who keep interrupting questions on Jeopardy! every night, SBS are touting its introduction in 2026 as being ideal for the FIFA World Cup 2026. The SBS-exclusive event will see the broadcaster deliver all 104 matches from Canada, Mexico and the USA in full HD across both linear TV and SBS On Demand.
Also announced at the upfront will be the addition of new FAST channels, video podcasts, and the option for viewers to opt-out of SBS On Demand advertising for advertising for alcohol, wagering, and fast food restaurants.
Three new FAST channels
As part of its 2026 strategy, SBS will also launch three new FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV) channels for some of its most recognisable programs – The Cook Up with Adam Liaw, Insight, and Dateline.
Kathryn Fink, SBS Director of Television, said: “The Cook Up with Adam Liaw, Insight and Dateline are some of SBS’s biggest brands. They have loyal, devoted audiences. We believe the launch of these new channels will help further grow the audience and consumption on the SBS On Demand platform.”
On expanding its current affairs brands into FAST, Mandi Wicks, SBS Director of News and Current Affairs, added: “Insight is Australia’s only TV forum for surprising conversations about tough and taboo topics. Dateline takes audiences to far flung places, shining a light into dark corners and telling bold and extraordinary stories. We are thrilled to be extending these bingeable brands to SBS On Demand as FAST channels.”
The new channels join SBS’ existing FAST channel line-up which includes Planet Luke Nguyen, FIFA+, Euro News, and France 24.
Video podcasts coming to SBS On Demand
SBS will also move to integrate podcasts into SBS On Demand from 2026, building on its reputation as Podcast Publisher of the Year at the Australian Podcast Awards for the past three years. The move will include an expanded video podcast offering.
“Last year, SBS told you how we were bringing part of our audio offering into SBS On Demand with live streaming integrated into the platform,” said David Hua, SBS Director of Audio and Language. “In 2026 I am delighted to confirm that we are going one step further and bringing a suite of podcasts to SBS On Demand in a move that will continue to drive significant growth.”
Hua added that SBS is seeing “remarkable uplift in video podcasting” and intends to be at the forefront of that growth in Australia.
Opt-out of certain ad categories
SBS will fully implement its advertising opt-out tool on SBS On Demand in 2026, making it the first broadcaster globally to allow users to permanently exclude certain ad categories from their streaming experience.
The feature, which launched as a beta trial in 2024, allowed users to opt out of advertising for alcohol, wagering and quick service restaurants (QSR). It will now become a core part of the platform’s user experience and ad personalisation settings.
The announcement was made during SBS’s 2026 Upfronts by Acting Managing Director Jane Palfreyman, who said the move balances user control with advertiser benefit. “It was a win for the consumer, but importantly it was also a win for the advertiser who was not paying to reach consumers who weren’t interested in that category of advertising,” she said.
Since the beta launch, SBS reported a 45 per cent drop in complaints related to wagering ads, attributing the change to greater viewer control. The initiative has been viewed positively by brands and regulators as a form of effective self-regulation.
“This is responsible advertising at its best,” said Palfreyman. “Audiences have always had complete control over what they watch on SBS On Demand, but the opt-out gives them further benefit by providing greater control over the ads they see as well.”
SBS developed the opt-out categories in consultation with commercial partners and industry stakeholders, emphasising its commitment to socially responsible media practices.