Source : The Halifax Chronicle Herald

Network nurtures native film industry

REGINA - In five years, the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network has seen its audience nearly double and has helped the aboriginal film production industry get off the ground, say industry officials.

"We've not only built a good reputation in the industry, but we've also developed a solid audience base, our numbers are growing steadily and our newscasts are now watched more and more," said Jean LaRose, the network's chief executive officer.

According to Nielsen Media data reports, viewing numbers have grown from weekly totals of 900,000 in 1999 to 1.75 million last year. However, that number does not include on-reserve viewers who tune into the network via satellite dish.

The network employs 89 staff - most of whom are aboriginal - and has worked hard to help nurture the aboriginal film-production industry.

"This five-year anniversary represents an important time in our journey. We are now in a position to expand the range of programming from our aboriginal production sector, be it First Nations, Inuit or Metis, and offer it to all Canadians," LaRose said.

He said the network must keep building capacity so that future content will be by, for and about aboriginal people.

LaRose said the network will apply soon to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission for its licence renewal. It is seeking permission to split feeds for the East and West so it can offer regional programming and expand its aboriginal language programming.

Robert de Lint, vice-president of Regina-based Verite Films, said APTN has a distinctive voice.

"I think we need that in this country. We need strong national broadcasters and APTN has a strong cultural mandate that is important to this country because First Nations are one of our founding nations.

"It was about time they had their own network to tell their own stories."

APTN, which started Sept. 1, 1999, also created a market for contemporary shows depicting aboriginal youth living in urban settings.

"We created a show, Renegadepress.com, in which the lead character is an aboriginal teen who moved from the rez (reservation) to a large urban western Prairie city and is trying to make a go of things in a multicultural environment," said de Lint.

He added Renegadepress.com is in its second season. The production of shows like Renegadepress.com and Moccasin Flats - a Regina-based television series produced by Toronto's Big Soul Productions - for APTN is good for the Canadian television industry as a whole because it provides opportunities for aboriginal people to showcase their ability to tell and produce stories, de Lint added.

It also opens doors for aboriginal producers, directors, creators, writers, production crews and actors.

"It has only been five years, but APTN has made its mark. I think APTN is a pretty strong network considering how young they are. I'm impressed, actually," de Lint said.

APTN had its roots in the North with Television Northern Canada. In the mid-1990s, TVNC felt there was a need for a national television service for aboriginal people because they were not being well served by the mainstream media, LaRose said.

© The Halifax Chronicle Herald