SBS closes long running Hotline
Where does SBS suggest we write to complain about the end of Hotline? [email protected] ? Booo!
The 5 minute viewer feedback programme which has been running for 17 years ended this week!
The show has had welcome boquets and briquettes via phone, fax, letters and emails, and included everything from voxpops to the hotcam booth. Host Electra Manikakis took over from Silvio Rivier since 1999 and you can watch her final ever episode here.
One of the more poignant letters to Hotline was from a young gay man in the country who was about to take his life, until he saw an episode of Queer As Folk. He told Hotline it was a defining moment that saved his life.
Alas, the show is no more in a changing SBS landscape of advertisements and rumblings about disgruntled staff.
And SBS viewers are outraged, having left feedback for SBS on the axing of their feedback show.
'Janet C' said "Why axe Hotline? It seems to me that SBS thinks the internet is going to take over television. Can you imagine a family sitting around a computer screen every night?" and another, "What are we going to do without you? The hotline comments give a wide variety of opinions which in turn encourages my family to discuss different viewpoints therefore bringing back the art of conversation."
Fans also have ralalied around host Electra, saying " Hotline becomes Electra. Will miss Hotline and Electra's wonderful presence. The online interactive idea does not appeal to me at all." and "What a disgrace, axing Hotline. Electra is wonderful and is a great credit to SBS. Please do not remove Hotline. The new directions that SBS are taking is completely undermining the once great broadcaster you were."
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