First Nations Media News : New People : Indigenous Focus Day : Surveys : Industry News : Opportunities

The Election 2019 campaign has been a busy period for many First Nations Media Australia members. Media organisations around the country have been working overtime to ensure communities were informed about their voting choices, reporting on political issues, interviewing candidates and in some cases holding events to discuss policy proposals on air. For example, Umeewarra Media (pictured below) broadcast a panel discussion with all candidates in the seat of Grey, giving the Port Augusta community an opportunity to ask questions directly and have those responses heard on radio for those unable to be there.

We want to thank all the members and supporters who helped raised awareness about why Our Media Matters in the lead up to last weekend’s Federal election. Your strong, genuine messages on radio, print, TV and social media about the important role that First Nation media organisations play has been noticed by your communities, the broader community and politicians of all persuasions. We also received positive responses in support of our 9 Calls for Action from most political parties- see the Policy Tracker on our website. Both the Labor Party and the Greens offered support for the First Nations media sector in their election campaigns and we thank them, along with the Australian Progressives, for including our 9 Calls for Action in their policy platforms.

The outcome of the Federal Election is now known with a Coalition Government re-elected for another term. First Nations Media Australia congratulates all of the First Nations leaders re-elected over the weekend; Ken Wyatt, Patrick Dodson, Malarndirri McCarthy and Linda Burney. Now we await the announcement of the new Indigenous Affairs Minister following Nigel Scullion’s retirement. We acknowledge Minister Scullion’s work over the past six years, including overseeing IRCA’s transition to the national peak body it is today.

Our goals remain the same and we will continue to seek support for them as the 46th Parliament settles into place. We look forward to working with the new Minister for Indigenous Affairs to progress our sector’s 9 Calls for Action. (So don't pack away those Our Media Matters posters just yet!)

Our Chairperson, Dot West and Policy & Strategic Communications Officer, Claire Stuchbery attended the first face-to-face meeting of the Coalition of Peaks in Melbourne last week. Forty community-controlled, First Nations organisations came together to talk through a First Nations approach to Closing the Gap and some potential changes required to generate positive outcomes for our people.

The Coalition of Peaks signed an agreement with Government in February to co-design the Closing the Gap Refresh. The Partnership Agreement applies to all levels of Government (local, State and Federal) and runs over a 10 year period regardless of the party in power. The Coalition of Peaks has been formulating shared positions on changes needed to the National Indigenous Reform Agreement (NIRA) and developing a forward work plan with Government for this process over the coming month. Most of this work has been conducted online and via teleconference to date, so it was great to have so many representatives together in person for a full day of discussions and planning to underpin the important work ahead.

Mikayla is First Nations Media's newest Trainee Administration Officer. Please give her a warm welcome the next time you call our office.

Mikayla is from the Northern Territory. Her mother’s homeland is called Yarralin Community, which is South-West of Katherine and she is a descendant of the Ngaringman tribe, who are freshwater people. She also lived with her father in Borroloola, the Yanyuwa tribe which are sea people.

Mikayla went to Charles Darwin University, and completed Preparation for Tertiary Success Program. She continued studying Bachelor of Social Work studies for 2 years. Mikayla has experience in various roles within government and non-government organisations and is now expanding her knowledge as our Trainee Administration Officer. Welcome Mikayla!

We also are doing workshops regarding digital safety and awareness on the phone and other digital devices - like not giving away your personal information. Earlier this year we did two workshops at a secondary school in Alice Springs with the music and animation. It was really good. The kids loved it! I also did two workshops in the town camps.

The next workshop is at Timber Creek which is about 4 hours west of Katherine on the Victoria Hwy. The workshop will have information and music and video animation activities again. Then I'll be getting ready for the Digital Mentor workshop and Indigenous Focus Day in Alice Springs in June!

More of Steven's resources are available for everyone to view on indigiTUBE.

First Nations Media Australia welcomed Belinda Clark recently as our fourth Jawun secondee. Belinda lives on the NSW Central Coast with her husband and extended family. She works at headquarters of the Commonwealth Bank and has lots of experience in large complex organisations as well as small, not-for-profits enterprises. Over the next 5 weeks (until early June) Belinda will be working on First Nations Media Australia’s workforce development action plan for our sector, turning the recently completed Employment and Skills Development Strategy into a reality.

"It’s a terrific opportunity to be on country, develop some new skills and hopefully give something back," Belinda said. "I’ve met with some Traditional Owners and Elders and have some deeper experiences to take back to my team and my workplace in Sydney."
Jawun goes back nearly twenty years. It was established in 2001 and has become an innovative not-for-profit organisation that partners with Indigenous communities and some of Australia’s largest corporate and public sector organisations to help build capacity and foster meaningful connections. ‘Jawun’ means ‘friend’ in the Kuku Yalanji language of the Mossman Gorge. First Nations Media Australia and Jawun have been friends for a long time already.

Indigenous Focus Day IV in Alice Springs on 27th June at Mercure Resort. It is a forum for remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organisations to share experiences and ideas about the potential of internet connectivity and digital tools for themselves, their families and communities. Participation in the focus day conversations is via invitation, so if you have been invited don't forget to register! Or contact our Events and Member Services Officer, Jacinta Barbour if you haven't received an invitation and would like to come along.

The evening showcase event is open to everyone. It enables Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to share experiences and ideas about the potential of internet connectivity and digital tools for themselves, their families and communities. Bush foods canapes and soft drinks will be provided by local Aboriginal catering company Kungkas Can Cook.

These are just some of the fantastic photos people have been sharing about why our media matters to them. We're loving the way people have been using this campaign to express their own ideas about the importance of First Nations media organisations right around the country. It has been great to hear feedback from members about how willing community members have been to support media organisations. This campaign is a great talking point to engage with audiences.

It's not too late to show your support for our media or to share your story. To get involved just write a message, take a photo, share it with the hashtag #ourmediamatters. Or you can search #ourmediamatters and share some of the messages other people have expressed.

There are a bunch of resources on our website to help show your support. Posters, social media tiles, starter scripts for audio spots, an #ourmediamatters frame for your social media profile pic… lots of ways to make this campaign visible to your networks.

INDIGENOUS ICE HOCKEY, COOLEST GAME IN DARWIN

Aboriginal TV Channel 4 reports on a South Australian disadvantaged and at-risk youth group who became our nation’s first Indigenous representative ice hockey team when they took to the global stage at the Arafura Games in Darwin. The Kaurna Boomerangs flew from their Adelaide home base, on Kaurna land, where the 11 players have all taken part in the Ice Factor program. The ice hockey program was developed in response to youth absenteeism, behavioural issues and literacy problems, providing a chance to re-engage, develop self-esteem and learn life skills. More than 200 students from 19 schools in SA are involved annually.

Members the First Nations Media Australia team attended ICTV's Festival of Remote Australian Indigenous Moving Images (FRAIM) last week which brought together more than 40 content makers for workshops, screenings and celebrations. Daniel says, "It was great to meet up with so many people from the sector at FRAIM and to see the workshops in action. It was fantastic to see all the great work that has been produced by remote media makers and played on ICTV."

First Nations Media Australia presented an overview of the Our Media Matters campaign and responses to our 9 Calls for Action to date at an industry forum on Tuesday 14th May. Daniel also attended the ICTV Awards night on Thursday 16th and helped present the Award in the Best Music Video category.

Our Technical Coordinator, Ben Pridmore helped setup the audio/video during the festival and provided technical assistance during workshops and the live outside broadcast of the ICTV Video Awards.

The CBAA has released the State of the Community Broadcasting Sector report which shows continued growth in community radio audiences (including First Nations radio stations), despite a growing number of media source options. In 2018, 84% of Australians listen to radio in an average week. And 5.97 million listeners tune into a community radio station, for an average 15.7 hours per week. The report found that people listen to community radio for connection and identity, with 70% of content locally produced broadcast live.
Read the whole report here.

The New Zealand Government has recently published two reports of interest about activities that parallel some of the work our sector is undertaking. A Digital Inclusion 2019 Action Plan identifies the government’s areas of focus and work ahead to ensure the New Zealand population can access and utilise digital technologies. The plan includes a focus on Maori needs and aspirations for digital inclusion and the establishment of a partnership plan to support and connect with Maori digital inclusion champions. In addition, the plan with provide visibility for Maori to tell the stories that relate to their own people and that Maori stories about digital inclusion are visible and relate to Maori. View the full plan here.

Meanwhile, Stats NZ is working to co-design a Maori approach to data sovereignty, a key component of trust in the digital world. Te Mana Raraunga is the Maori Data Sovereignty Network, advocating for the realisation of Maori rights and interested in data and the ethical use of data to enhance the wellbeing of Maori people, language and culture. Their brief on the Principles of Maori Data Sovereignty is available here.

Finally, the NZ Cabinet Economic Development Committee has published a report by the Minister for Maori Development called Maori Media Sector Shift: Current State of the Sector. The Cabinet approved activities to shift the focus of legislation and policy relating to Maori media from platform-specific, low budget content, to a more collaborative approach centred on audience needs. This change in vision is expected to promote Maori media as a means of everyday mass communication, reach larger and broader audiences with Maori perspectives, stories, music and experiences and connect people. Read more here.

The Community Broadcasting Foundation’s current President, Peter Batchelor is stepping down on 30 June. First Nations Media Australia congratulates Ian Hamm on his appointment to the CBF President role commencing 1st July 2019.

Ian is a Yorta Yorta man with extensive government and community service experience. He has held leadership positions at the National Trust of Victoria, Australian Red Cross, Inclusive Australia and the First Nations Foundation.

We wish Peter all the best and look forward to working with Ian soon. Read more here.

The CBAA and CMTO is hosting a free webinar at 6:30pm (AEDT) next Wednesday 29 May to refresh our knowledge of the ACMA’s community broadcasting regulations. Representatives from the ACMA will provide information on understanding sponsorship obligations, how to ensure your service is meeting the needs of your audience and community consultation and engagement. The session is suited for people new to the sector as well as experienced broadcasters wanting to stay on top of their game. Register here.

Applications for CMTO training courses delivered at your station close TODAY! Get to it if you have training needs for 2019-20. The CMTO has a broad range of pathways and accredited courses available from introduction to radio courses for very new beginners, right through to governance training for your Board. They work closely with Goolarri Media and Triple A Training, the two RTOs in our sector and can arrange appropriate trainers from their network of qualified trainers across the country. Applications close on 23 May.
Apply here.

A group of dedicated people are trying to establish a community radio station in Northern Uganda and have been collecting donated equipment from around the world.. They have secured most of the studio equipment required from American donors, but they’re still on the hunt for a transmitter. They’re not fussy, anything between 20-300 watts will work for their requirements. If you have an old transmitter hanging around that could potentially serve their purposes, contact rickymosesojok@gmail.com

First Nations Media Australia intends to develop a how to and support guide for developing and operating a media archive containing both analog and digital media.

To ensure that the manual contents cover as many support areas as needed we are asking First Nations community media organisations with an archive to complete a survey by 14 June. The Survey is in two parts:

Part 1: Archive composition, employment and training, archive systems. Part 1 has 10 questions and should take about 10 minutes to complete.
Part 2: Digitisation planning, digital storage arrangements and needs. Part 2 has 7 questions and should take about 5 minutes to complete.

Your responses are confidential.

Completion of the Survey will greatly assist with targeting information in the proposed manual. We would very much appreciate you completing both parts of the Survey.

For further information email Susan Locke at archive@firstnationsmedia.org.au.

Members have expressed concerns about the privacy of information provided to ORIC and apparently we’re not the only group with concerns in this area. ORIC has heard feedback on the privacy of personal information load and clear. They’re now seeking feedback to help understand what improvements could be made to the ORIC website and which privacy issues matter to corporation members most. The survey is short and is expected to take less than 5 minutes to complete. Provide your feedback to ORIC here.

ORIC is calling for applications from director of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporations to undertake their upcoming Certificate IV in Business (Governance) course, starting on 24 June. This is a nationally-recognised, accredited qualification developed specifically for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people wanting to attain skills in corporate governance and management. You will learn 12 units over four face-to-face blocks (location yet to be decided). As well as covering course fees, ORIC will provide financial support for travel to and from each block and accommodation if required. Apply here.

The National Family Violence Prevention Legal Services Forum was formally established in May 2012. Their member organisations across Australian provide unique, culturally safe and respectful specialist family violence support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experiencing family violence, particularly women and children. During the Federal election period, they were calling all parties to reinstate a stand-alone funding stream for FVPLSs and continue funding for front-line legal and non-legal services, as well as expending services to increase their geographic coverage to include urban areas and additional rural and remote locations. Interview opportunities are available to discuss this campaign, and the services provided by FVPLS, with Antoinette Braybrook.
To set up a time, contact Amanda Bresnan on 03 9244 3333 or eo@fvpls.org

Progress 2019 is a two day conference to bring together 1,500 change makers from across First Nations, racial justice, environment, social services, refugees, health, aid and union movements in Australia. Over the two days we'll work to breakdown silos, explore key trends and challenges facing Australia and the world, and shape a more capable, connected and courageous civil society response.

Progress 2019 is working to make sure issues of First Nations justice and self-determination are central to the conference agenda. On Thursday there will be a First Nations stream, which is being coordinated by Larissa Baldwin. It will be a chance to connect with folks from across the country, hear from people working with communities and organising at scale and talk about what First Nations people need from the rest of the movement.

Progress will take place at Melbourne Town Hall on Thursday 20th and Friday 21st June. They're offering free tickets to all First Nations participants. Register here and use the code: fullscholarship-progress2019.

WOMEN & LEADERSHIP AUSTRALIA

A pool of scholarship funding is available for women to participate in a range of leadership development courses through Women & Leadership Australia These include an Advanced Leadership Program, Executive Ready program and Leading Edge program for early career managers. Participation is about 2 hours per week, with some face-to-face workshops, peer coaching sessions, online workshops and home modules. Expressions of interest are open now and close on 14 June.

APRA/AMCOS GRANTS
APRA AMCOS is pleased to announce the return of the Smugglers of Light initiative in 2019 to provide a promising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music or media practitioner with a grant of $12,000. This opportunity is open for application now and closes on Friday 21 June.

There are also Professional Development Awards aimed to create serious opportunities for songwriters and composers, with a dedicated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander award category. Previous recipients include Gotye, Ainslie Wills, Ngaiire and BRIGGS. There’s up to $15,000 available to boost your music career Applications close 27 June.