Sunday

Canadians Want to Bring an 'All Nations Network' for Native Americans to the U.S.

A Canadian cable channel hopes to launch a U.S. offshoot dedicated to making programs for Native Americans, by Native Americans.

Variety reports that Canada’s Aboriginal Peoples Television Network wants to launch All Nations Network here in the States, which “will develop and air TV programs written, produced, and directed by Native Americans, among others.” Which is very, very cool.

Founded in 1999, APTN is a nonprofit and “the first and only national Aboriginal broadcaster in the world, with programming by, for and about Aboriginal Peoples,” according to its website. (Which also says that “84% of APTN programming originates in Canada, with 56% of the programs broadcast in English, 16% in French and 28% in a variety of Aboriginal languages.”) That programming covers a lot of ground, from news to original shows:


Among the programs APTN has shown in Canada are “Mohawk Girls,” a scripted comedy-drama that has been likened to a “Sex and the City” for Native peoples; “Rabbit Fall,” a supernatural series; and “Anash and the Legacy of the Sun-Rock,” a kids’ series based on Tinglit stories about maintaining principles.

Now they’d like to bring that idea to the U.S. “We think the time is right for Native Americans to have their own channel,” CEO Jean La Rose told Variety, adding that:

Native American producers are poised and eager to have the same opportunities, and we believe that we can work together to provide a unique window into the lives — past, present and future — of this community.


Variety says filmmaker Chris Eyre is involved, as well.

Of course, the American TV business is a different beast. Compare the position of the CBC with PBS. Canada’s telecom regulator, the CRTC, mandates that cable carriers include APTN, which means it’s in millions of homes across Canada. In the U.S. cable is a dollar-driven scrum where new channels like Current have trouble gaining traction. It’s unfortunately all-too-easy to see unimaginative execs and advertisers looking at Native American poverty rates and taking a pass. “The company declined to offer specific information about launch timelines or carriage agreements,” Variety noted, though they’re working with Castalia Communications on distribution.
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Responses to "The U.S. May Finally Get a TV Network for Native Americans"

  1. Unknown says:

    It's about time!

  2. Anonymous says:

    I would love a TV Network for Native People...but have it available coast to coast....New York City to California....

  3. Anonymous says:

    Would also love a Native net work.

  4. Anonymous says:

    A greater desimenation of culture in media would definitely broaden understanding.

  5. Unknown says:

    All I can say is please do this! We need it.

  6. Unknown says:

    It would be good for the USA to have Indigenous television broadcasting.

  7. Unknown says:

    Great news

  8. Unknown says:

    I am wary of the bottom line in the US: Money. I would hope PBS might pick it up, if anyone does.

  9. samantha says:

    I love aptn. it tells the news that no one usually hears about. love laughing drum.

  10. Finally! Though they might want to launch it on the ROKU type channels first rather than cable...

  11. Unknown says:

    Long overdue. I'm excited to see this happen.

  12. Unknown says:

    I would love it to come to Australia, I have watched some really amazing movies from you and would love to see more.

  13. Unknown says:

    Would love to get aptn.

  14. Really hope it will be available here!

  15. Anonymous says:

    I would Love for it to come back on , My husband and I loved watching it and I really enjoyed the POW WOW 's it bought back people I haven't seen in awile !!

  16. buddy2001 says:

    PLEASE.................

  17. Anonymous says:

    Please! Would Love to have a good alternative channel to watch!

  18. It would be great but the economics might prevent it. Cable is very expensive. Get it in streaming and that might increase the demand enough to convince Cable or Sattelite networks.

  19. Anonymous says:

    It is a golden opportinity for unity of all tribes to share culture and traditions. Most can't go to all powwow or all functions of outside tribal life with getting together with other tribes. Yeah, bring in original programing and education to all tribes and people who wich to learn from it.

  20. Anonymous says:

    Oh, pleeeez!!! Would love to see Native music, pow-wows, too!!! If the "powers that be" think only Native Americans would watch, they're totally mistaken!!

  21. Anonymous says:

    Yes..we need it now!

  22. Anonymous says:

    Shove it into Netflix and Amazon Prime Tv and Google Video --- that would make sure it is coast to coast.

  23. Anonymous says:

    So glad to hear this ! Its about time and a long time coming. Will be glad to be able to watch a Native Channel

  24. Unknown says:

    at least make sure its on the net so we whos to far way from cable can enjoy it as well

  25. Me says:

    One of my favorite courses at Purdue was Native American Anthropology. For years (I'm 58 and just graduated) I've hunted for artifacts and I remember doing an analysis of Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee at my first college. I loved reading "Rifles, Blankets, and Beads" and "Reservation Blues" for the Purdue class, and while I can't claim a genetic heritage (my ancestors got here 500 years before Columbus and decided not to stay), I can lay claim to an appreciation toward Native cultures, arts, and its sense of self, community, and spirit. That said my BA is in film and I'm reading 3 books on Native Tricksters just to get what I didn't get in the anthropology class -- which I took to get to better know a Native American Woman character I'm creating for a sci-fi/fantasy film who becomes the soul of the Earth so she can heal it. I've named her "Mansi", "Plucked Flower" in Hopi, because she'll be plucked from time to be saved from death before given the opportunity to become god-like. Can't wait to see the line-up!

  26. Unknown says:

    When? It's bout time!

  27. Coolnesss says:

    We had broadcasts in Los Angeles from a station in San Bernardino, as I recall, several years ago. I was through KVCR-PBS - First Nations Experience. It was GREAT. Creative Native was wonderful. The channel isn't on my satellite service now. Grrrrrr

  28. Just wonderful news. Welcome to APTN when they get here. Congratulations Jean La Rose.

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