Current Indigenous programming accounts for less than 2 hours per week or around 1.2% of the total airtime on Australian mainstream television. This is all set to change now that NITV is available on pay-tv channel's Foxtel, Austarand Optus.

Indigenous media organisations, such as Indigenous Community Television (ICTV), Warlpiri Media, Ernabella Video and Television, CAAMA (Central, Australian Aboriginal Media Association), have lead the way and built momentum for our own specific national television service.

In 2004 a voluntary NITV Committee was formed and a summit was held in Redfern in Sydney.

The summit involved a group of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander media professionals and community members committed to the establishment of a national Indigenous broadcasting service.

In 2005, the Federal Government announced $48.5 million in funding for NITV and a marked a historical event for all Australians.