SBS
The multicultural public broadcaster's site with news, SBS On Demand and multilingual content.
SBS at a glance
SBS is a news & media website and one of the most visited sites in Australia, currently ranked #105 in the country. It was founded in 1978 by Australian Government and is headquartered in Sydney, Australia. Today SBS is owned by Special Broadcasting Service. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 40 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through government funding, advertising. Its closest rivals include abc.net.au, 9now.com.au, 7plus.com.au.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 37.6 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 38.8 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 40 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 42.4 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct37%
- Organic search34%
- Social18%
- News aggregators8%
- Email3%
Audience & demographics
- Men55%
- Women45%
- Age 35-4426%
- Age 45-5423%
- Age 25-3422%
The audience is concentrated in Australia, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- Australia86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 12 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- Australia
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| sbs | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| breaking news | Top 10 | High | — |
| today's headlines | Top 10 | High | — |
| live coverage | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the Australia web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 79% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading news & media apps in Australia
Company information
- Website
- sbs.com.au
- Sector
- News & Media
- Owner
- Special Broadcasting Service
- Owner type
- State-owned company
- Founders
- Australian Government
- Founded
- 1978
- Headquarters
- Sydney, Australia
- Employees
- 1,500+
- Ownership
- Special Broadcasting Service controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $600 million annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- English, many others
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, social
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $600 million annual revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- State-owned company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
SBS operates a news and media publisher focused on Australia. The multicultural public broadcaster's site with news, SBS On Demand and multilingual content. Revenue comes mainly from government funding, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Government funding
- Advertising
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- Australia
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (Australia)
- #105 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading news & media site in Australia
- Global rank
- 1800
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| abc.net.au | ≈ 24 million / month | #106 class competitor | — |
| 9now.com.au | ≈ 18 million / month | #107 class competitor | — |
| 7plus.com.au | ≈ 12 million / month | #108 class competitor | — |
What is SBS?
SBS (sbs.com.au) is a news and media publisher serving users in Australia. The multicultural public broadcaster's site with news, SBS On Demand and multilingual content. It ranks #105 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the news & media category.
Who owns SBS?
The site is operated by Special Broadcasting Service, founded by Australian Government. The company was established in 1978 and is headquartered in Sydney, Australia. It employs around 1,500+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place SBS at roughly 40 million visits per month, about 1.3 million per day. Around 79% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 3.1 pages per visit with an average session of 3 min.
How SBS makes money
Revenue comes primarily from government funding, alongside advertising.
Competitors in Australia
Its closest rivals include abc.net.au, 9now.com.au, 7plus.com.au.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 1978
SBS is founded in Sydney, Australia.
- Growth phase
Expands its news & media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #105 among the most visited websites in Australia.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Broad daily news coverage with national reach
- Fast breaking-news publishing
- Free access to most articles
- Strong presence in search and social
Cons
- Heavy advertising load on article pages
- Editorial line criticised by parts of the audience
- Clickbait headlines on high-traffic sections
- Paywall limits on premium content
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns SBS?
SBS is operated by Special Broadcasting Service. State-owned company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is SBS headquartered?
SBS is headquartered in Sydney, Australia.
When was SBS founded?
SBS was founded in 1978 by Australian Government.
How many employees does SBS have?
SBS employs approximately 1,500+ people.
What is SBS's revenue?
SBS's revenue: ≈ $600 million annual revenue (est.).
Who are SBS's competitors?
Main competitors in Australia include abc.net.au, 9now.com.au, 7plus.com.au.
How does SBS make money?
Mainly government funding, advertising.
Is SBS publicly traded?
SBS's ownership: State-owned company.
How many visitors does SBS get?
Third-party estimates place SBS at roughly 40 million visits per month, mostly from Australia, with 79% mobile traffic.
Is SBS safe?
SBS is an established news & media site founded in 1978 and ranked #105 in Australia; use the official domain sbs.com.au and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementssbs.com.au
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageAustralia and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos