Uvagut TV at the inaugural International Indigenous Screen Industry Summit hosted by the Banff World Media Festival on National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 17, 2021)

Photo credit: Carol Kunnuk
Back row. Left to Right: Bonnie Ammaaq; Zacharias Kunuk; Eulalie Angutimmarik, Susan Avingaq Front row. Left to Right: Leah Panimerak, Pacome Qulaut
Media Space Link:
http://uvagut.tv/press-releases

June 17, 2021


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Uvagut TV at the inaugural International Indigenous Screen Industry Summit hosted by the Banff World Media Festival on National Indigenous Peoples Day


Uvagut TV’s Managing Director Lucy Tulugarjuk will be among the international broadcasters speaking at the Banff World Media Festival’s inaugural Indigenous Screen Industry Summit.

Bringing together leading Indigenous media professionals from around the globe, the event takes place on June 21, Canada’s National Indigenous Peoples Day, hosted on the virtual platform of the 2021 Banff World Media Festival.

Tulugarjuk will speak on a panel called ’A cultural conversation: the future of Indigenous broadcasting and streaming,’ with a global lineup of Indigenous broadcasters including Kim Larsen, Head of Television & Production at Kalallit Nunaata Radioa (Greenland) which has been broadcasting exclusively in Kalaallisut since 2013 and Maramena Roderick, director of content at New Zealand’s Māori TV which has been broadcasting in the Māori language since 2004. Monika Ille, CEO of Canada’s Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, moderates the discussion.

“Although we all work in different contexts, we face similar challenges in claiming space and accessing resources to create and broadcast media in our own languages,” says Tulugarjuk. “Our language lies at the heart of who we are so this issue of access is vitally important.”

Canada has committed to implement the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP) which affirms (Article 16) that “Indigenous peoples have the right to establish their own media in their own language.” The UN has declared 2022 – 2032 the decade of Indigenous languages with a focus on the empowerment of Indigenous language users.

Bill C-10, a proposed reform to the Broadcasting Act currently before the House of Commons, contains amendments that would for the first time recognize a place for Indigenous languages within Canada’s broadcasting system.

There are currently over 750 television channels authorized for distribution in Canada including 110 specialty and pay channels offering programming in languages other than French or English. Uvagut TV is Canada’s first and only national Indigenous-language channel.

Visit International Indigenous Screen Industry Summit for more information on the event.

About Uvagut TV & NITV

Uvagut TV, Canada’s first 24/7 Inuktut television channel, launched on January 18, 2021. Uvagut TV is available nationally to 610,000 Shaw Direct satellite subscribers, Arctic Coop Cable subscribers in Nunavut and NWT and FCNQ subscribers in Nunavik. Viewers around the world can watch the broadcast stream online 24/7 at www.uvagut.tv

Uvagut TV is owned and operated by Nunavut Independent Television Network (NITV), an Inuit owned non-profit founded in 1991 in Igloolik as a media arts centre. NITV is dedicated to the enhancement and preservation of Inuktut and Inuit culture through the creation and exhibition of Inuit video art, linking Nunavut communities through Internet television channels, local access internet- TV, media training and digital literacy initiatives, the production and distribution of Inuktut video and film — and now broadcast television.

Media Requests:
Cynthia Amsden, Roundstone Communications 416.910.7740
cynthia@roundstonepr.com

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