Struggle Street
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television broadcasting |
| Founded | May 6, 2015 |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
| Products | Documentary television series |
| Website | www |
Struggle Street is an Australian documentary series that debuted on SBS One on 6 May 2015. The second installment was broadcast starting 28 November 2017, followed by the third season which premiered on 9 October 2019.
Premise
This series explores the difficulties and hopes of individuals living in public housing estates located in Western Sydney, regions frequently associated with elevated rates of unemployment, substance abuse, and legal troubles.
KEO Films, the production company behind the series, described it as a three-part observational documentary shot over six months, giving voice to marginalized communities on Sydney’s periphery. The intention is to expose entrenched generational hardship and to challenge societal stereotypes, sparking discussion about public policy rather than presenting exploitative or judgmental narratives.
Series overview
| Season | Episodes | Original Broadcast Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premiere Date | Finale Date | ||
| 1 | 3 | 6 May 2015 | 13 May 2015 |
| 2 | 6 | 28 November 2017 | 7 December 2017 |
| 3 | 4 | 9 October 2019 | 30 October 2019 |
Reception
The program encountered substantial opposition from local authorities, with Blacktown’s Mayor, Stephen Bali, labeling it as 'poverty porn'. Community members initiated a boycott, including obstructing garbage trucks outside SBS’s Artarmon offices. Nonetheless, the show aired as planned and achieved top ratings nationwide during its timeslot, becoming the most-viewed broadcast in Sydney on that evening—controversy largely credited for boosting its viewership.
Certain residents of Western Sydney contemplated legal proceedings against the creators for alleged defamation.
Helen Kellie, SBS’s chief content officer, defended the series by affirming that Struggle Street depicted events truthfully and complied with participant consent agreements.
Several reviewers commended the documentary for illuminating stories seldom heard, suggesting the negative reactions were overstated.
Second Season
The second season was filmed in Queensland and Victoria, with its premiere airing on 28 November 2017.
Season One (2015)
| Episode | Airdate | Overnight Viewership | Consolidated Viewership | Total Audience | Ref | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viewers | Rank | Viewers | Rank | |||||
| 1 | "Episode 1" | 6 May 2015 | 935,000 | 7 | 206,000 | 1 | 1,141,000 | |
| 2 | "Episode 2" | 13 May 2015 | 828,000 | 8 | 190,000 | 5 | 1,018,000 | |
| 3 | "Episode 3" | |||||||
Season Two (2017)
| Episode | Airdate | Overnight Viewership | Consolidated Viewership | Total Audience | Ref | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viewers | Rank | Viewers | Rank | |||||
| 1 | "Episode 1" | 28 November 2017 | 304,000 | — | 304,000 | |||
| 2 | "Episode 2" | 29 November 2017 | 285,000 | — | 285,000 | |||
| 3 | "Episode 3" | 30 November 2017 | — |
55,000 |
20 |
320,000 |
||
| '4' | '"Episode 4"' | '5 December 2017' | '220,000' | —' | '220,000' | |||
| '5' | '"Episode 5"' | '6 December 2017' | '317,000' | '17' | '50,000' | '20' | '367,000' | |
| '6' | '"Episode 6"' | '7 December 2017' | '264,000' | —' | '264,000' | |||