SBS Insight Invisible Illness – Statement by 4 Studio Participants
Published: 23 June 2025
Invisible, Misrepresented, and Harmed: ME/CFS Voices Demand Accountability from SBS
A Joint Statement from Participants and Advocates in Response to the 20 May 2025 Episode of Insight
This statement has been prepared by a group of individuals who participated in the recent SBS Insight episode on invisible illness. We are united in our deep concern over how the episode was produced, edited, and presented and the serious harm it caused by misrepresenting Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS) and its impact on the wider chronic illness community.
We believe this broadcast represents a clear breach of SBS’s own Code of Practice. The program:
- Failed to uphold editorial integrity by platforming a participant with undisclosed commercial interests (Section 3.1: Editorial Independence and Integrity);
- Presented medically inaccurate and misleading portrayals of ME/CFS (Section 3.2: Accuracy);
- Minimised the diversity of lived experiences in favour of a single recovery narrative (Section 3.3: Diversity of Views and Perspectives);
- Caused emotional harm to participants and viewers alike (Section 4.1: Harm and Offence);
As a public broadcaster, SBS has a duty to ensure ethical, accurate, and inclusive storytelling, especially when dealing with marginalised communities.
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