Unscripted chief at Australia’s SBS wants risk-taking shows that provoke debate and push boundaries
Joseph Maxwell, who oversees commissioning for SBS’ unscripted content, leads a strategy shaped by the broadcaster’s unique mandate to reflect Australia’s multiculturalism while also pushing creative boundaries.
As a public service broadcaster, SBS blends government funding with ad revenue, and its commissioning approach is guided by four key values: provoke debate, push boundaries, surprise audiences, and inspire change.
Maxwell is passionate about SBS’s willingness to take risks on bold, thought-provoking projects. He points to Ray Martin: The Last Goodbye (BBC Studios ANZ), a series where the journalist explores death by planning his own funeral, as a prime example of SBS’ “provocative with purpose” approach.
A cornerstone of Maxwell’s strategy is the Australia Uncovered strand, which commissions up to eight documentaries annually, tackling pressing contemporary issues.
These feature-length or 60-minute films explore Australian life, with a focus on underrepresented topics such as the nation’s complex multicultural history.
Blackfella Films’ 2022 series The Australian Wars exemplifies this, according to Maxwell.
In exploring the three bloody battles which reveal the forgotten story that established the Australian nation, the three-part doc deepened the audience’s understanding of historical events’ relevance today; through innovative storytelling methods such as interviews, re-enactments, and original research.
Maxwell is also keen on social, issue-driven programming, with shows like The Hospital: In the Deep End (The Hospital: In the Deep End), a series following three celebrities as they experience what it’s like to work on the frontline in one of Australia’s busiest hospitals.
The PSB’s dedicated food channel SBS Food is another key area. Maxwell is looking for projects that offers fresh, culturally rich programming like Luke Nguyen’s India (Red Creative Media), which blends food, travel, and cultural exploration.
While SBS can work through official co-productions – an agreement that unlocks extra funding – unofficial partnerships are the more popular route.
When pitching to SBS, Maxwell advises producers to submit concise, one-page treatments that clearly demonstrate the idea’s alignment with SBS’ values and its point of difference from existing content.
- This is an excerpt from Broadcast Intelligence’s database of 470+ global commissioners and buyers, which includes detailed information on commissioning strategies, pitching preferences and contact details. It streamlines the pitching process and connects commissioners with new and exciting producers from across the world. To find out more, click here.
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