Partnership to further Aboriginal news

A partnership to promote Aboriginal journalism between Wawatay Native Communications Society and Journalists for Human Rights recently received the Canadian Ethnic Media Association’s 2013 Innovation Award. “The goal of this initiative is to develop a network of First Nations writers who can tell the stories from their communities in their own words and through their own experiences to ensure the First Nation perspective is reflected in mainstream media,” said Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Harvey Yesno in a news release. “This partnership will help equip community-based reporters with the skills to share stories, not only within Nishnawbe Aski territory, but with a much larger audience across the country and beyond.” The Northern Ontario Initiative will teach local freelance journalists how to research, produce, and sell radio and print news stories about their communities. Established in 1974, Wawatay Native Communications Society serves the communication needs of First Nations people and communities of NAN through the distribution of a weekly newspaper, daily radio programming, television production services and a multimedia Web site that seeks to preserve and enhance Indigenous languages and cultures of Aboriginal people in Northern Ontario.