SBS plans Chinese social network

Beverley Head
Tuesday, 07 September 2010 15:41

Business IT - Networking

Public broadcaster SBS will launch a social networking site for Chinese speakers by the end of the year. Intended as a pilot service, the company hopes to follow with other language sites in the future as it seeks to offer a venue for more foreign language content and community information.

One issue that the broadcaster will almost certainly have to navigate is the potential for the Chinese language site - aimed at Mandarin and Cantonese speakers - to become a political hot potato. This would undoubtedly be the case were an organisation such as Falun Gong to load material on a site ultimately owned by the Australian Government.

Late last year the ABC pulled a film about Uighur leader Rebiya Kadeer, rather than risk upsetting Australia's relationship with China. SBS may have to negotiate similar sensitivities over its online site.

Matt Costain, online technical director for SBS, said that the site would be moderated by SBS editorial staff and the Chinese speaking community, although he acknowledged that could be 'pretty dangerous.'

Mr Costain is responsible for a network of more than 70 online sites at SBS which attract more than 1.2 visitors a month. Mr Costain said that the planned Chinese language site was intended as a; 'Destination for content and a community focus.'

He said that if it was successful similar sites would be rolled out for other languages and the Government would be lobbied for additional funds for the sites.

At present SBS receives no additional Government funding for its online initiatives, with the online group forced instead to go cap in hand to the SBS board or different groups within the broadcaster for funds for online initiatives.