Closure
SBS ceased transmission of SBS Essential on 25 January 2007. The reasons for the closure include the fact that many of the services that were provided by SBS Essential, were available via the onscreen electronic program guide on SBS TV and elsewhere on the digital TV channel lineup. Also, SBS and the SBS World News Channel schedule are freely available in newspapers and on the internet.
Another major reason for the closure was that SBS Essential consumed about 10%-15% of SBS's national digital TV bandwidth, of which will now be available for other uses. It is speculated however, that subject to Government funding, SBS will introduce new digital services over the coming years.
Read more about this topic: SBS Essential