Indigenous Community Television
| Company type | Public company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Headquarters | Alice Springs , Australia |
Area served | Remote areas in Australia |
| Products | Indigenous community television broadcasting |
Indigenous Community Television (ICTV) is an Australian digital television channel available free-to-air via the Viewer Access Satellite Television platform. The channel features content created by and for Indigenous Australians residing in remote areas. ICTV is owned by Indigenous Community Television Limited, a membership-based organization, and operates under an open-narrowcast licence instead of a conventional community television licence.
History
Formed in 2001, ICTV Limited initially broadcasted part-time through the Imparja Info Channel, which already included indigenous programming from Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Media (PY Media) and the Warlpiri Media Association (PAW Media). Broadcasting from Imparja’s Alice Springs studios, the segment known as 'IRCA in Action' presented indigenous productions from remote media groups such as PAKAM and Ngaanyatjarra Media (NG Media), alongside Bushvision content.
By 2006, ICTV had transitioned into a full-time 24-hour satellite channel under the name ICTV. Numerous remote indigenous communities across central and northeastern Australia accessed the channel via analogue terrestrial repeaters operating under community and subsequently open-narrowcasting licences. In October of that year, ICTV was officially incorporated as a public company.
ICTV ceases transmission
On 12 July 2007, the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts restructured its Indigenous Broadcasting Program to facilitate the launch of a new national indigenous television service. The open-narrowcast licence previously held by Imparja was repurposed to carry this new channel, resulting in ICTV halting its broadcasts. For the following two years, ICTV Limited lacked its own broadcasting outlet unless content was commissioned by National Indigenous Television, a system criticized for limiting opportunities for remote community producers due to funding distribution and obligatory requirements.
In April 2009, ICTV Limited introduced IndigiTube, an online video platform.
The revival of ICTV
After successfully appealing to the Government of Western Australia, ICTV recommenced part-time broadcasts on Westlink Network starting 13 November 2009. Westlink was accessible on the Optus Aurora satellite service as an open-narrowcast channel, with ICTV programming scheduled from Friday evening through Monday morning each weekend. Remote communities equipped with analogue terrestrial repeaters began installing technology to switch their weekend broadcasts from NITV to Westlink Network.
On 28 May 2012, the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy awarded ICTV an open-narrowcast licence for transmission via the Viewer Access Satellite Television service. Trial broadcasts commenced on 6 December 2012. ICTV officially relaunched as a 24-hour broadcaster on virtual channel 601 in standard definition (576i) on 18 April 2013. The relaunch event took place at PAW Media facilities in Yuendumu, Northern Territory.
ICTV further expanded its availability by starting digital terrestrial free-to-air transmissions in Alice Springs on 5 April 2017, using virtual channel 41.
Programming
ICTV offers a wide range of indigenous programming primarily delivered in the languages of its contributors. Its principal content partners include Aboriginal Resource and Development Services (ARDS), Pilbara and Kimberley Aboriginal Media (PAKAM), Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Media (PY Media), Warlpiri Media Association (PAW Media), Ngaanyatjarra Media (NG Media), and Broome Aboriginal Media Association (BAMA).
See also
- List of digital television channels in Australia
- National Indigenous Television (NITV)
- Community television in Australia
- Westlink
External links
- Articles with short description
- Television networks in Australia
- Defunct television channels in Australia
- Indigenous Australian television
- Mass media in Alice Springs
- Television channels and stations established in 2001
- 2001 establishments in Australia
- 2007 disestablishments in Australia
- Television channels and stations established in 2009
- Television channels and stations disestablished in 2007
- 2009 establishments in Australia