Australian Senator Stephen Conroy An Indigenous free-to-air television service | WPN World People News

Australian the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy, today outlined the Government’s preferred approach for the establishment of an Indigenous free-to-air television service.

Senator Conroy has invited the National Indigenous Television service (NITV) and the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) to commence discussions on the format and structure of a possible new Indigenous television service.

Senator Conroy said the government acknowledged that there was strong support for a national Indigenous television service amongst both the Indigenous and wider community.

“The Australian Government is determined to ensure that the resources allocated to Indigenous broadcasting are delivering the best outcomes for Indigenous people” Senator Conroy said.

“The government’s aim is to provide a national platform for free-to-air delivery of predominantly Australian Indigenous content without the creation of a third national broadcaster,” Senator Conroy said.

The findings of the review of the Government's investment in the Indigenous broadcasting and media sector, led by Mr Neville Stevens AO, recommended that a more sustainable structural model be established to achieve the sector's widely held goal of providing more original Indigenous content on free-to-air television.

“NITV has played a significant role in establishing an Indigenous television service since it first went to air in July 2007. The service has been ground-breaking and has allowed the perspectives and stories of Indigenous peoples to be shared” Senator Conroy said.

“SBS is well placed to facilitate the evolution of this service and bring Indigenous television on to a free-to-air platform. I have asked the SBS Board to consider whether it is in a position take on this important role, and the NITV board to advise on the matters it regards as critical to the efficacy of the model from an Indigenous perspective.

“I look forward to hearing from NITV and SBS as to how such a service might best be delivered.”

Senator Conroy said that the principal objective of a new Indigenous service would be to increase the amount and overall quality of original Australian Indigenous content on free-to-air television.