A six year history of AMMSA

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The Aboriginal Multi-Media Society of Alberta (AMMSA) was formed by the former staff of the Alberta Native Communications Society which closed its doors in December of 1982 following

sixteen years of operation.

This dedicated group became the first board of AMMSA, incorporated January 21, 1983, consisting of Bert Crowfoot, President; Laurent Roy, Vice President; Vivian Roller, Secretay-Treasurer;

Harold Woodward, Board Member; and Gabriel Deshamps, Board Member.

AMMSA submitted a funding proposal to both the federal and provincial governments. Negotiations started on February 17, 1983 in a meeting between the agencies, a working committee selected

by the agencies and the AMMSA Board of Directors.

At a meeting held February 21, 1983, the original board members turned the Aboriginal Multi-Media Society of Alberta over to the control of the working committee who became the new board of

directors.

Wit this transition, Dr. Joe Courure became the second president of the society and Bert Crowfoot was hired as the acting general manager of AMMSA. Other members of the original board were

hired as staff of the Society.

On March 18th, 1983 the first publication of "AMMSA" rolled off the presses, beginnings a "New Dawn in Native Communications".

In April of 1983, AMMSA moved to private offices located in Edmonton. Since that time, AMMSA has continued publication of a weekly newspaper; produced posters and other print projects.

An electronic media department was then organized, to conduct research and develop programs which would meet the needs of Native people in the area of electronic communications media.

In an effort to expand into the area of electronic communications, a subsociety was formed in 1984 under the name of the Aboriginal Radio and Television Society (ARTS) and was governed by a

Board of Directors composed of those members on the AMMSA Board.

Following a survey to assess needs, a broadcast plan was developed and staff were hired. ARTS went on-air producing WINDSPEAKER, a half-hour program aired Friday evenings on CKUA

radio in 1984.

In March of 1986, AMMSA purchased its own building located at 15001-112 Avenue in Edmonton and changed the name of the weekly publication to WINDSPEAKER.

On February 3, 1986, the Native Perspective radio program began to be aired weekday mornings on CBC television. Both the WINDSPEAKER and the NATIVE PERSPECTIVE programs were

continuing to broadcast and distributing plans were being made to expand the listening audience through alternative systems.

In August of 1986, the ARTS offices move to Lac La Biche, Alberta.

In July of 1987, the ARTS society was dissolved and operations were resumed under the Aboriginal Multi-Media Society of Alberta and in early 1988, the society purchased the offices located in

Lac La Biche.

The society now operates "CFWE-FM", a community radio station based in Lac La Biche. This project started as a pilot operation for the development of community radio throughout Alberta.

CFWE is a 24 hour a day radio station.

The radio division has now made plans to increase distribution via satellite. The proposed date for initial start up is July 1, 1989 with ten new receiving dishes located in remote communities in

northern Alberta. This is a three year project with ten additional communities being added in year two and ten in year three.