In search of purpose: The ABC, SBS, and the uncertain future of public service media in Australia

Public service media (PSM) in Australia operate with an unusual absence of articulated expectations, including enforceable minimum levels of Australian content. The ABC and SBS have legislated charters that codify broad purposes and protect editorial independence, yet there is no structured mechanism to review remit, performance, or resourcing. This article argues that the resulting ‘independence’ is double-edged: it limits direct ministerial direction while enabling policy neglect and episodic politicised intervention in digital conditions. Using national drama as a lens, we trace how the dismantling of commercial broadcasters’ content obligations, the fragility of advertiser-funded mainstream media, and the rise of global streaming platforms have shifted cultural responsibility toward the ABC and SBS without commensurate funding or clear obligations. A comparative framework shows how Australia diverges from systems such as the United Kingdom, where Charter renewal and regulator-led reviews create recurring opportunities to justify public value and recalibrate scope. Placing SBS alongside the ABC, we show how divergent histories and funding models produce uneven adaptations to digitisation and internationalisation yet share the same structural exposure to drift. We conclude by advocating deliberative reform: formal review cycles, clearer public value expectations (including around high-cost forms of Australian content), and resourcing aligned to expanded civic responsibilities in platform-dominated conditions.