National Indigenous Television
| Company type | Broadcaster |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television broadcasting |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Headquarters | Alice Springs, Sydney , Australia |
Area served | Australia |
Key people | Tanya Denning-Orman (former leader), Kyas Hepworth (Head of Commissioning and Programming), Rhanna Collins (Head of Indigenous News and Current Affairs), Karla Grant (Executive Producer) |
| Products | Television programming including news, current affairs, sports, entertainment, films, documentaries |
| Owner | Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) |
| Website | www |
National Indigenous Television (NITV) is an Australian free-to-air broadcaster primarily showcasing content created by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Its programming lineup includes the six-day-a-week NITV News Update, along with news, current affairs, sports, entertainment for both children and adults, films, and documentaries. Although its main audience is Indigenous Australians, NITV also draws viewers from non-Indigenous backgrounds who are interested in First Nations culture and issues.
Originally accessible only through cable, satellite, and limited over-the-air broadcasts in remote regions, NITV was relaunched in December 2012 by the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) as a free-to-air channel.
Early Foundations of NITV
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Indigenous organizations persistently advocated to the Australian Government for a national Indigenous television service, but this initiative lacked endorsement from major political parties.
In 1988, the Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association based in Alice Springs obtained a licence covering remote parts of the Northern Territory and South Australia, launching Imparja Television, an affiliate of the Nine Network. This licence was later extended to include remote eastern Australia and Norfolk Island. Imparja broadcasted a central Australian news bulletin alongside an Indigenous children’s program.
During the late 1990s, Imparja introduced the free-to-view Imparja Info Channel on satellite Optus Aurora, which primarily delivered Aboriginal programming directly to homes and remote communities through BRACS transmitters. In 2001, the Alice Springs-based Indigenous Community Television (ICTV) was established to coordinate most of the Aboriginal content on this channel. By 2004, Imparja expressed interest in developing a better-resourced Indigenous service within its licensed area.
That same year, a voluntary NITV Committee was formed and convened a summit in Redfern, Sydney. This gathering united Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander media practitioners and community representatives dedicated to creating a national Indigenous broadcasting platform.
Following a government review in 2005, $48.5 million was allocated to support NITV. Meanwhile, in 2006 the Imparja Info Channel was replaced by a dedicated ICTV channel operating full-time.
Formation and Launch
In 2007, NITV established its headquarters in Alice Springs along with a television production office in Sydney. On 13 July 2007, NITV officially launched, taking over from ICTV on Optus Aurora and extending services into remote Aboriginal communities. It soon became available free-to-air via Optus D1 satellite to audiences across Australia and eastern Papua New Guinea.
NITV began broadcasting on 1 November 2007 through Foxtel and Austar satellite platforms on channel 180, later expanding to cable networks. Its programming featured Australian content including sports shows such as The Marngrook Footy Show and coverage of the annual NSW Aboriginal Rugby League Knockout tournament.
On 27 October 2008, NITV joined Sydney’s Digital Forty Four datacasting service on channel 40; however, this service ceased operations on 30 April 2010.
Integration with SBS
In 2010, a government-commissioned review examined funding for Indigenous broadcasting and recommended continued support for NITV contingent upon organizational restructuring.
Communications Minister Senator Stephen Conroy invited NITV to negotiate with the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) regarding access to an unused digital terrestrial channel. On 8 May 2012, SBS secured $15 million annually to establish a new free-to-air Indigenous channel that would replace NITV by July 2012, with approximately 90% of staff transitioning to SBS.
SBS assumed control of NITV management on 1 July 2012 and relaunched it as a free-to-air service on Freeview channel 34 on 12 December 2012. The relaunch featured a live broadcast from Uluru, titled From the Heart of Our Nation, followed by an episode of Living Black focusing on Indigenous media, capped by a prime-time concert simulcast across both NITV and SBS One.
Tanya Denning-Orman, who identifies with the Birri Gubba and Guugu Yimidhirr nations, was appointed as NITV’s leader and continued in this role through to 2021.
On 29 February 2016, SBS refreshed NITV’s branding and programming schedule to place greater emphasis on Indigenous news and current affairs.
Denning-Orman became SBS’s inaugural Director of Indigenous Content in early 2012. In December 2020, Kyas Hepworth was appointed Head of Commissioning and Programming; Rhanna Collins took on the role of Head of Indigenous News and Current Affairs; while Karla Grant expanded her responsibilities as Executive Producer of Living Black & Special Projects.
On 12 December 2021, NITV introduced new branding developed by indigenous design agency Gilimbaa. This rebrand incorporated SBS’s Mercator logo combined with traditional clapsticks imagery and earth-toned colors inspired by natural landscapes. The update included adjustments to primetime scheduling alongside launching the "Reimagine Australia" campaign. The following year marked NITV’s tenth anniversary as a free-to-air broadcaster.
In May 2023, citing persistent experiences of "racism and hate" on social media, NITV announced it would discontinue its official Twitter presence.
On 31 October 2023, SBS revealed plans for NITV to transition to high-definition broadcasting in December 2023 on channel 34 while maintaining a standard-definition simulcast on channel 36. The week following this announcement saw NITV celebrate its eleventh year as a free-to-air network.
Programming
NITV’s content is designed specifically for Indigenous Australian audiences, offering a diverse range of documentaries, current affairs programs, sports coverage, drama series, adult animation, and children’s shows under the Jarjums label that emphasize Indigenous heritage. Additionally, it broadcasts content highlighting First Nations cultures from around the world.
News and current affairs
The network’s news lineup features programs such as NITV News Update, Nula, The Point, and Living Black. In December 2020, Rhanna Collins was appointed as Head of Indigenous News and Current Affairs.
NITV News Update delivers a nightly ten-minute national news segment dedicated exclusively to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues. Since its inception in February 2008, it initially offered brief updates before expanding to a 30-minute format and later settling on its present duration. Natalie Ahmat is the program’s anchor.
Sport
As Australia's second-largest free-to-air rugby league broadcaster following Nine Network, NITV has been airing the Koori Knockout tournament since 2012 and regularly broadcasts the NRL All Stars match on a delayed basis. Its flagship weekly rugby league program is Over the Black Dot. Beginning in 2024, NITV secured broadcasting rights for one European Super League game per week along with the annual World Club Challenge.
In March 2020, Yokayi Footy, an Australian rules football panel show aimed at younger audiences and co-hosted by Tony Armstrong, Bianca Hunt, and Darryl White, replaced the long-standing Marngrook Footy Show.
Other programs
From 2011 to 2012, Volumz, hosted by Alec Doomadgee, highlighted the Indigenous Australian music scene.
Notable programs aired during 2018–2019 included:
- First Voices
- Future Dreaming
- Going Places with Ernie Dingo
- Little J and Big Cuz