JOY BLOG

26 Feb 2016

Mics, Cameras, ACTION! 2016 Mardi Gras and JOY

This year, Australia’s largest celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) culture, the Sydney Mardi Gras Parade, will be broadcast live to more people than ever before.

Mardi Gras 2015

In an unprecedented partnership with SBS and Australia’s only LGBTI radio station JOY 94.9, the parade will be broadcast live with matching commentary on SBS Online and the Mardi Gras website, with JOY 94.9 FM in Melbourne, SBS Digital 3 and the Community Radio Network broadcasting the commentary audio across Australia.

Hosting the commentary will be:

Dean Beck
Adam Richard
Shannon Power
Greta Larkins
Emily Dwyer
Matt McDonell

Down on the street with live crosses will be:

Dylan Adler
Grace Marshell
Scott Tetley
Josh Olds

The commentary broadcast is further evidence of the commitment made by SBS to make the Mardi Gras Parade more accessible to a wider audience.

While SBS are filming the parade live, Australia’s only LGBTI radio station JOY 94.9 will provide the commentary with featured presenters.

“JOY is dedicated to providing a voice of the LGBTI communities, and providing the commentary for this flagship event is another way where we can break down isolation for those who aren’t able to celebrate the Parade in person,”
JOY 94.9 Program Director, James Findlay.

JOY President Jed Gilbert added:

“We’re so pleased that JOY is going national (and international) again this year for Mardi Gras. The commitment shown to diversity by Mike Ebeid and everyone at SBS is really heartening, and our partnership this year is even bigger and better. It’s been fantastic working with Michele and the whole Mardi Gras team on bringing the Parade’s unique story and celebration to new communities in innovative ways. It all shows what is possible through community collaboration in this digital age.”

The Community Radio Network gives the opportunity for over 100 community radio stations across Australia to take the commentary of the Mardi Gras Parade and allow audiences not usually exposed to LGBTI celebrations, particularly in regional and rural areas.

The broadcast commentary will be further to SBS’s television special hosted by Tom Ballard, Magda Szubanski, Faustina Agolley and Patrick Abboud.

The Sydney Mardi Gras Parade broadcast can be experienced via:

Online – audio visual commentary