Exciting first years celebrated

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Fifteen years old! It seems like just yesterday that we were submitting our proposal to establish the Aboriginal Multi-Media Society (AMMSA) and its fledgling newspaper - later to be namedWindspeaker.

AMMSA was fortunate to have a board of directors and management team that had the foresight to plan for the future and begin a journey towards self sufficiency and financial independence. We were half way there when we received word that all funding for Aboriginal newspapers would end and that we had seven weeks to become self sufficient.

It has been eight years since the demise of the Native Communications Program which funded Aboriginal newspapers in Canada. Where there once were 11 newspapers under the program, after the budget cuts only Windspeaker and Wawatay News (Ontario) remain.

AMMSA has not only survived but has prospered. Windspeaker's relentless pursuit of excellence, objectivity and independence have shaped it into an acknowledged and respected authority on the news and issues that impact the lives of people and their communities throughout Indian Country.

An organization is only as good as it's people, and AMMSA has been very fortunate to have excellent people serving on its board, management and staff. As publisher, one of the secrets to our success has been to hire good people, turn them loose and stay out of their way.

The past 15 years have seen many faces come and go. All who have been with AMMSA during these years have had a role to play in helping AMMSA reach this incredible milestone. Your contributions to the Aboriginal Multi-Media Society and the evolution of Aboriginal media have been invaluable. I thank you for helping make AMMSA what it is today - a recognized leader in Aboriginal communications in North America.

AMMSA is more thanWindspeaker. We also have Alberta Sweetgrass, which was developed to fill the void created when Windspeaker was transformed into a national publication. Since 1994, AMMSA added Saskatchewan Sage and Raven's Eye (B.C. and Yukon )to our family of publications.

AMMSA also owns and operates CFWE-FM radio. Alberta's first and most extensive Aboriginal broadcaster. Presently serving 46 northern Alberta Aboriginal communities via satellite, an extensive and ambitious expansion plan has been developed to broadcast CFWE throughout southern Alberta. As we continue to increase CFWE's coverage area, our plan is to include every First Nation and Métis Settlement in Alberta and get them receiving CFWE Aboriginal radio by the end of 1998.

1998 promises to be very exciting for Windspeaker and AMMSA. On behalf of our Board of Directors, management and staff, I want to thank our readers, listeners, loyal subscribers, advertising clients, friends and supporters who have been instrumental in our success in the past 15 years. We look forward to serving you for at least another 15 years.