First Nations Media News August 2021

FNMA to undertake a sector-wide infrastructure audit; and
the distribution of $2m to First Nations broadcasters for urgent infrastructure repairs to ensure broadcasters are working in COVID-safe and work-safe environments and that as many communities as possible can receive locally and culturally relevant COVID-19 messaging.

“Indigenous broadcasters have over the past year proven how valuable they are to Australia’s media landscape, providing culturally appropriate content, often in language, made for and by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,” Minister Wyatt said. “This one-off funding boost will allow many broadcasters to properly service and maintain their equipment to ensure their broadcasting services are reliable and can respond at short notice when important health and safety messages need to get out."

FNMA CEO, Dennis Stokes welcomed the announcement saying, "“We’re very happy to see the Government taking this action to support the infrastructure repairs the First Nations media sector has been calling for through our 9 Calls for Action. This funding commitment which will help with the most immediate repairs needed across the sector at the moment. How we address a maintenance program and upgrades to new broadcasting technologies is an ongoing conversation.” Read more.

Ben recently visited Thursday Island to support TSIMA with their tech setup. He replaced all of their ageing network equipment and server infrastructure. With the help of the TSIMA's Anthony and Luke, Ben replaced routers with automatic WAN failover improving connectivity. They installed a new server with meaning better reliability and improved onsite and off-site backups. A new phone system was installed resulting in monthly savings on their Telstra bill by consolidating telephone/internet lines. Seven computers were also replaced for TSIMA staff.

Over the next six months, First Nations Media Australia will be undertaking a sector-wide equipment audit led by Wayne Bynder and Kirstyn Lindsay. The audit will update the 2014 RIBS audit and expand it to include regional and urban media organisations to give a collective view of infrastructure needs across the industry now and in the years ahead. The Infrastructure Audit will help establish an industry benchmark for broadcast technology to meet audience needs. All First Nations media organisations are invited to participate to map the investment needed for your organisation to meet best practice industry standards for your staff and your community.

The two people conducting the audit are well known to the First Nations media industry. Wayne Bynder is a Noongar man who has been working in broadcasting for over 40 years, most recently as the Station Manager at Wangki Radio in Fitzroy Crossing. Now based in Geraldton, Wayne brings knowledge from his work at Waringarri Media, Noongar Radio and the ABC to the Infrastructure Audit.
Kirstyn Lindsay is of Wiradjuri descent and also has a long history in the media industry having previously worked in technical and journalism roles with 3CR, SBS and more recently 3KND. Kirstyn has moved closer to her family in south-east Queensland and brings her passion for asset registers to this project. You will likely hear from Wayne or Kirstyn soon, but if you want to drop them a line you can reach them via wayne@firstnationsmedia.org.au or kirstyn@firstnationsmedia.org.au

Tash Gillespie joined the FNMA team this week as our Communications Officer, working across the peak body communications as well as inDigiMOB and indigiTUBE communications. Tash is a Whadjuk, Yued, Wardandi woman, born and raised in Perth, and currently based in Geraldton, Western Australia. Tash has had many different roles over the past 30 years, but found her passion for telling stories over a decade ago with the Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia (AHCWA), as the Communications and Publications Coordinator. This role gave Tash the opportunity to report on, and to promote, the positive and good work happening in the WA Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Sector. Tash is also a professional photographer, actively photographing events and workshops, and she currently works for the Koori Mail as a freelance journalist and photographer. Through her vast range of work opportunities, Tash has been lucky enough to have travelled the country, including to regional and remote communities in WA, to capture beautiful images and tell stories. Please join us in welcoming Tash to the national peak via tash@firstnationsmedia.org.au

The Amnesty International Australia Media Awards are held to recognise excellence in reporting of human rights issues in the Australian media. Each year the awards acknowledge those Australian media stories that have presented a fair and balanced report of a human rights issue, highlighted hidden abuses and encouraged an audience’s greater understanding of a human rights issue. Entrants are invited to submit for one of six categories:

Cartoon
Indigenous Issues Reporting
Photography
Print/Online Media
Radio
Television

With a work that has been published or broadcast in Australia, in an Australian media outlet, or in the Australian branch of an international outlet, between 1st January 2020 and 18th August 2021 (the date applications close). Read more.

The CMTO is starting a new Introduction to Journalism course for community broadcasters in August. The online course is designed to develop the skills and experience of community broadcasters who are interested in journalism, news and storytelling. The course is suitable for experienced broadcasters or those who have no prior experience/formal qualifications in journalism. Over five weeks it will cover community journalism ethics, why local storytelling is so important, how to report on national issues from a local perspective, writing for radio news and current affairs programs, interviewing techniques and how to record and edit audio. Read more.

Australian Progress is inviting interested people to the launch of Passing the Message Stick, the results of a two-year message research and narrative shifting project to build public support for First Nations self-determination and justice. Passing the Message Stick is led by First Nations advocates, Dr Jackie Huggins AM; Karrina Nolan, Founder and Director, Original Power; and Larissa Baldwin, First Nations Justice Director, Getup, with early research by 19 leading communicators across diverse organisations including FPDN, ALS NSW/ACT, Seed Mob, ABC, NIT, FNWA, AIDA and Black Star Radio. There will be online launches on the 9th, 11th and 13th August. Read more and register.

Over the last 12 months, Coalition of Peaks members and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations have been working with each government to turn this into a reality through Jurisdictional Implementation Plans. This is the first time each government has been responsible for an implementation plan for Closing the Gap and will be held publicly accountable for the commitments they have made. The Victorian and New South Wales governments have already tabled their first Jurisdictional Implementation Plans and all governments are expected to table theirs by mid-August 2021.

A Strategic Plan for funding the development of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled sector was agreed to guide the development of associated funding proposals for the $77.2 million virtual joint funding pool for strengthening the community-controlled sector.

New outcomes targets have been added to the Agreement including a revised Family Violence target and an Access to Information target which includes indicators and data development relevant to media.

A dashboard has been developed and launch to increase accountability and transparency on progress toward the targets and priority reforms. This will be updated regularly and is a useful resource for reporting on Closing the Gap activities.

Today, a $1 billion investment has been announced to support new measures to achieve the Closing the Gap outcomes. This welcome announcement includes a reparations to survivors of the Stolen Generations in the Northern Territory, upgrades to health services, early childhood and schooling programs and a Justice Policy Partnership focused on overcoming the continuing tragedy of deaths in custody. Read more. Sign up for direct updates here.