WHAT IS NITV?

National Indigenous Television (NITV) is a not for profit public company that provides a nationwide Indigenous television service by cable, satellite and terrestrial transmission means and selected on line audio visual content.  The content for these services is primarily commissioned or acquired from the Indigenous production sector.

HOW DO YOU GET NITV?

NITV broadcasts 24 hours a day 7 days a week, year round. Allowing for overlaps between free-to-air and subscription TV homes, NITV reaches over 8 million Australians through its various platforms – making it currently Australia’s 6^th biggest TV broadcaster by potential audience reach. NITV reaches its audiences through a variety of means.

Free-to-air

• Terrestrial digital Channel 40 in Sydney  via transmissions on Broadcast Australia’s trial data casting transmitter (due to end 30 April 2010);
• Terrestrial analog Channel 35 Mt. Isa; Terrestrial analog channel 60 Bourke; Terrestrial analog channel 34 Alice Springs;
• Terrestrial analog in 147 Remote Indigenous Communities in remote Australia;)  and
• Satellite digital direct to home

• Channel 180 everywhere Foxtel, Austar and Optus;
• Channel 6 on the basic tier of Neighborhood Cable in Geelong, Ballarat and Mildura; and
• Channel 502 on the basic tier of TransACT’s TransTV in Canberra.
• Parliament House, Canberra

HOW MANY HOMES DOES NITV REACH?

At current levels of digital uptake in Sydney, NITV’s reaches approximately 2.5 million Australians free-to-air. NITV’s number one objective in transmission is to increase the number of TV homes that can receive its full service free-to-air through the same reception equipment they use to receive the local commercial and National TV services.

NITV reaches approximately 7 million Australians in the 2.3 million subscription TV homes.

However the overwhelming majority of the 8 million have to pay to watch the service. Indeed when the Sydney trial transmissions must cease on April 30 2010 something like 95% of TV homes that can access the service will have to pay for this access.

The latest round of Audience Research found that approximately 262,000 Indigenous Australians have potential access to NITV via free-to-air or subscription means at home (Substantially less when the Sydney trial free-to-air transmissions cease in April)

It also shows that –

• 93% agree that NITV makes them feel proud of ATSI culture, 59% strongly agree.
• 91% trust NITV as a source of news about ATSI people and issues.

These responses were typical of qualitative respondents’ attitudes toward NITV –

• “Having the NITV channel makes me feel very happy and proud to be Indigenous and to share our culture with the world.”
• “...we want to see blackfellas … we are very important, we can act and do our own movies and documentaries just like white people; having NITV makes us have ownership and makes us proud to be Aboriginal...”

WHAT MAKES NITV DIFFERENT FROM OTHER BROADCASTERS?

NITV has been on air since July 2007. We have earned the support and trust of Indigenous viewers and other Australians. NITV has utilized the talents of Indigenous writers, directors, journalists and producers to make programs in genre ranging from music to health, sport, news, current affairs, culture and children’s programs. Most of NITV’s content is made, not bought.

NITV has shown approximately 1,400 hours of first run content since its inception. A great achievement given NITV’s budget.

NITV informs, entertains and educates its Indigenous and general audiences with a rich palate of fresh unique content. We tell stories and showcase the rich diversity of culture, languages and creative talent from all over Australia. Programs like The Marngrook Footy Show, Barefoot Rugby League Show, Yaarnz, Living Strong, Grounded, NITV Nightly News and Milli Milli Nganka, just to name a few, have proven to be popular shows that send out positive messages about Indigenous Australia and speak primarily to Indigenous Australians.

WHO IS NITV?

NITV employs around 50 Australians. Some 70% of staff is Indigenous. Indigenous production and media companies create NITV’s content (More than 400 people based in all areas of Australia have been employed in various productions commissioned by NITV since 2007). It is, and will continue to grow as, a training ground for young Indigenous Australians interested in a career in television and the emerging multimedia industry.

What does 30 June switch off mean and what can I do?

Funding for NITV ends 30 June 2010.  NITV is seeking a commitment to future funding from the Australian Government and ask that this commitment be given as soon as possible. The goal is to be resourced to deliver the best possible content free to air across the whole of Australia, with the NITV service to be available through the same TV reception equipment homes use to watch their local commercial and National TV services.

Lvl 3, 1 James Place. North Sydney NSW 2060. PO Box 1166 Crows Nest NSW 2065. Ph: 02 9959 3888 Fax: 02 9959 3777 Email Adam Manovic, Communications Coordinator – This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it