SBS Viceland reverts to SBS2 in August as 10-year deal with Vice Media ends

Doc The Naked World follows an art project by photographer Spencer Tunick

Australian broadcaster SBS will rebrand its channel SBS Viceland to its former name of SBS2 on August 21, following the conclusion of its 10-year deal with Vice Media Group.

SBS2 became SBS Viceland in 2016, after the broadcaster struck a deal with Vice Media for the channel to include Vice content alongside SBS programming. The agreement was renewed in 2020.

Last month, SBS announced the deal had ended and that the channel would revert to its former name later this year.

The news followed a troubling time for Vice Media, which filed for bankruptcy in 2023 before being bought by a group from Fortress Investment Group.

The company stopped publishing content on its website in 2024 and over the last few years has shut down its linear channels in countries including the UK and across Europe.

Australia was one of the few remaining countries to still carry the Viceland name, which disappeared from many other markets where it was replaced by Vice TV or folded into streaming services.

From August, SBS2 will have a refreshed look and “expanded slate” of content, according to SBS, which said it will “continue serving up the distinctive mix of exclusive documentaries, sport, comedy and entertainment audiences already know and love.”

SBS said SBS2 will also “broaden its appeal amongst audiences 25-54 through a richer mix of premium drama series, entertainment, fandom-driven content and shared viewing experiences.”

“SBS2 is preparing to return with an even bigger appetite for bold stories, surprising discoveries and television that sparks conversation. While the name may be changing, the reason people watch isn’t,” it said.

The rebranded channel will deliver a curated weekly schedule that aims to promote destination viewing. Monday nights will be entertainment-led, while Tuesdays will be dedicated to iconic films, Wednesdays and Thursdays will focus on factual storytelling and Fridays will “offer something a little more spicy.”

Leading the line-up is the third season of Interview with the Vampire, alongside a slate of other drama plus documentaries, comedy, live sport and entertainment.

Dramas include The Dropout, Fleishman is in Trouble and Minx, while entertainment shows include survival competition franchise Alone and car series Precious Metal: A Love Story.

Among the documentaries on the slate are The Future with Hannah Fry, Will AI Take My Job?, Engineering by Catastrophe and History’s Greatest Machines with Dolph Lundgren.

Other programmes include Couples Therapy, The Naked World and Secrets of the Bunny Ranch.

Natalie Edgar, SBS’s acting head of network programming, said: “SBS2 is about building on everything Australians already love about the channel while broadening its appeal for contemporary audiences.

“In an increasingly competitive media landscape, Australians have a strong connection with the SBS brand and our distinctive approach to storytelling.

“Bringing the channel back under the SBS banner creates a clearer destination for audiences across broadcast and streaming, while giving us a greater opportunity to connect with viewers with the stories, characters and cultural moments they won’t find anywhere else.”