Black Box
In 2007, our television screens became a little bit blacker with the launch of National Indigenous TV (NITV), Australia's first 24 hour indigenous television service.
By Resli Buchel
NITV nurtuers unique indigenous projects like Kathy
The need for indigenous Australians to have their own unique television outlet was first expressed more than 25 years ago, but it wasn't until a community summit was held in Redfern in 2004 that the idea gathered momentum. Federal government funding for the development of NITV was granted the following year - and not before time, according to Paula Maling, executive producer of NITV's The Barefoot Rugby League Show.
"I remember hearing a statistic that 94 per cent of non-indigenous people have never met an indigenous person," she recalls, "so what they're seeing is mostly negative stuff on [commercial] television, and then when they turn to NITV and watch and see us in a completely different light... that's reconciliation on an individual level."
By 2007, NITV had established a head office in Alice Springs and a production office in Sydney. The station began broadcasting to an estimated 220,000 people in remote areas of Australia but has since joined forces with FOXTEL - meaning NITV programs are now beamed to subscribers in every state.
Aside from the need to increase the amount of indigenous content on our television screens, NITV faces a more specific challenge. "Indigenous people can see straight through an indigenous person that is trying too hard, or trying to be somebody they're not," reveals Maling.
The BRL Show tries to combat the problem of audience alienation by blurring the boundaries between on-stage and off. "It's not a television show where it's ‘us and them'," says Maling. "The audience really plays a part." Filming in different locations is another tactic used by the show, which has shot episodes at the St George Rugby Leagues Club, and will soon film at the Penrith CUA Stadium. "By going to these places [the audience] feels like it's their show," Maling explains. "[When] our guest panellists come on, they're coming from the audience... and we've got guests that sit in the audience and stay there to be interviewed, it takes away that us and them mentality."
There is also much goodwill from NITV's non-indigenous viewers. "We've had a lot of feedback from non-indigenous people that are watching and enjoying it because it is authentic," adds Maling, "and because they're seeing us in a completely different light."
Visit www.nitv.org.au/barefoot/ for further info on The BRL Show.