7 May, 2015. 10:55
CLANCY OVERELL| Editor | Contact
The controversial SBS documentary Struggle Street has received a mixed reaction from viewers after its first broadcast, with many sympathising with the show’s subjects.
Struggle Street follows the lives of local “battlers” in Mount Druitt, in Sydney’s west, and has prompted outcry from residents over what they say is the program’s unflattering depiction of their area.
However, many of the locals – including Blacktown Mayor Stephen Bali – publicly campaigned for the SBS to not broadcast it and labelled it “publicly funded poverty porn”.
“Well I’m sorry, if we have a duty to truthfully portray minorities in the backtraps of light industrial Siberia, then we have a duty to truthfully portray fat bogans, wogs and fobs in Mount Druitt,”
“There is more to us than just soccer and late night nudity. We are a powerful, albeit publicly-funded, content generator”
As confident as the SBS are presenting themselves, in their new “controversial” space. It seems the fact that they went ahead with this program, despite being politely asked not to, means they may have lost their most important viewers. Wogs and poor people.
Local wog, Nonna Carbone says the SBS helped her family during the early stages of migration in the 80’s. However, since her children have finished school, she feels like the SBS has begun to make fun of her working class family.
“When I come from Italia, SBS play news and soccer from home. We love SBS, we love Malcolm Fraser. But now SBS make fun of my son. My son drive truck, SBS make fun! Figlio Di Putana!
Twitter lit up with the hashtag #StruggleStreet during the show’s broadcast at 8.30pm last night, quickly trending across Australia, with many praising the show and just as many criticizing.
Another popular hashtag, currently trending in Sydney’s west is #FukSBS – an aggressive response to last nights premiere.
Only time will tell if the network can win back their old viewers and return to their enviable position at the top of the late night ratings. Although, the Korean Language News Hour is still the highest rating program in the 3:00 am timeslot Australia-wide
