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FNMA News
Hi to all the FNMA Members, supporters, stakeholders and especially to the First Nations broadcasters and news organisations.

We are now well and truly settling into 2022 and getting down to business for the year.
As you would be aware the Federal Election has been called for 21 May of this year and campaigning has begun by all political parties.

I, as the CEO of First Nations Media Australia (FNMA), have met with both major parties and discussed and updated them on FNMA plans and aspirations for the future. As the Election Campaign proceeds, FNMA will meet with candidates and stakeholders to ensure the voices of First Nations media are heard so that we are able to work with whoever will be in Government for the next few years.

In other updates, it was decided that CONVERGE Adelaide was to happen online in April, but this has proven to be too much to get sorted logistically, taking into account time zones and other factors, so CONVERGE will now take place in Alice Springs in person in November 2022. This will let us hopefully be in a better place with Covid-19 and allow as many people as possible to meet in the flesh and give you an opportunity to visit the new FNMA Office in Todd Street Mall.

Speaking of, the new office it is slated to be ready for occupation by July this year and for the Staff to be settled in by August giving FNMA a much need visible presence in the
heart of the town and giving members better access to service and facilities.

The FNMA AGM for 2021 will, at this stage, be held in May. This again has been delayed due to unforeseen circumstances and issues arising from Covid again. Notifications will be issued to voting members soon.

FNMA would also like to send our thoughts out to the community in Northern NSW and to recognise the great work that the Koori Mail, especially Naomi Moran, is doing in keeping not only the First Nations community together but all the community as a whole. A job well done.

As mentioned, FNMA and myself possibly won’t get an opportunity to catch up with you in person until November but I will say that I am contactable via email and phone if you feel you would like to talk to me. I am always open to have a chat about what matters you have on your mind and encourage you and your organisations to make contact.

Stay safe and talk soon.

Dennis Stokes
Penny Watson and Steve Hodder working together at FNMA in Mbantua. Photo credit: David Liddle
Team Changes
This month we welcome Penny Watson to the FNMA team in the Archiving Project Manager position. Penny takes over from Liam Campbell to lead the development of the First Nations Media Archiving Facility in Alice Springs. Penny is working alongside Steve Hodder-Watt who is busy digitising as much content collections from PY Media and Congress at the moment. Penny has lived and worked in central Australia and surrounding communities for 30 years and has a background in project management, Indigenous tertiary education, employment and community development. Over the past four years, she worked with Indigenous peak body Desart providing professional development and digital literacy skills for community based Aboriginal art workers. Penny and Steve have worked together previously at Central Land Council and will be looking for a third person to join this team soon - watch this space.

COMMUNICATIONS JOB OPPORTUNITY
We are currently seeking a new Communications Officer following the departure of Tash Gillespie this month. Tash has been a great contributor to the team over the past year and we wish her the best in working more closely with community in Geraldton moving forward. View the job ad for this role here.

POLICY JOB OPPORTUNITY
Very soon we will also be looking for a new Policy Officer as Claire Stuchbery will be wrapping up her work with FNMA next month. Claire has worked with FNMA for four years, supporting the transition from IRCA to FNMA and changes in leadership for the organisation. We thank both Claire and Tash for their contribution to the sector during their time at FNMA and will likely cross paths with them again as they remain committed to the development of community media. If you or someone you know would be interested in talking about these positions, reach out to Dennis Stokes.

INDIGIMOB eSAFETY TEAM
Meanwhile, Wayne Bynder, Chantal Ober and Jack Nixon have joined the inDigiMOB team as Digital Mentors. They will be travelling to remote communities in the NT and WA to support digital inclusion over the coming months, working to improve online safety for our communities. They’ll be engaging with partner organisations in regional and remote areas to understand people’s experiences of eSafety and to provide tools and information to assist with these issues. The team will be delivering sessions about protecting your personal information, avoiding problems with Facebook and other social media, and being aware of cyberbullying and common scams. The Online Safety Grant project is supported by the eSafety Commissioner and delivered by inDigiMOB and FNMA.
Wayne Bynder and Chantal Ober
Data Studio & Google Ad Grant Project
In February we began the early stages of developing the Data Studio and Google Ad Grants. Project Manager, Kirstyn Lindsay will work directly with FNMA members to design a SuperMetrics Data Studio and Google AdGrants suite to collect analytics from the organisation’s websites and social media platforms that can be transferred into reports used for grant writing and program development.

The project will see a pilot program trialled by June 30, 2022, with three organisations that have expressed interest in the project after discussing the opportunity with Adam Galea-Dixon at Converge 2021 in Lismore. The rollout and design stages with other members will start at the end of June.
Kirstyn will be contacting organisations over the next three months to discuss the project and how their organisation's data can assist them to drive content, increase community engagement and membership and steer a larger audience to their station homepage.

If FNMA members would like to get involved or learn more about the Data Studio and Google Ad Grant Project please contact
Kirstyn Lindsay.
Member Highlights
Koori Mail steps up
The team at Koori Mail has been joining an incredible job of coordinating a community response to the flooded regions in northern NSW, not only in their home-town of Lismore, but across the Bundjalung lands providing support to people impacted in Ballina, Coraki, Cabbage Tree and surrounds. The Bundjalung Community Flood Relief Go Fund Me page has now raised over $1million in much needed funds, which has helped provide emergency supplies including food, clothing, cleaning materials and other essentials to help get people going on a huge rebuilding and recovery effort ahead.

The national Indigenous newspaper office was severely damaged by the flood waters, but the staff turned the site into a hub of community support, offering emotional and health support as well as cleaning crews and building teams to get access to houses and other Indigenous businesses.
FNMA congratulates everyone at the Koori Mail on their tireless work to support communities in northern NSW through this extraordinarily difficult time. After the first break in production in over 30 years, we're pleased to see the newspaper back on sale this week. Subscribe here.

This is just one example of how, in times of crisis, First Nations media organisations become all the more important. Read More.
6DBY is Hiring!
Derby Media Aboriginal Corporation is looking for people interested in the following positions to join their team!
  • Full-time: Trainee Broadcaster/Office Assistant, $25 per hour (starting)
  • Part-time: Broadcaster, $30 per hour
If you're interested in these positions please don't hesitate to get in contact through email at manager@6dby.com.au or by phone, 9193 1966.
Keeping Community Spirit Strong during the Pandemic
Check out this video from Judy Napangardi Brown, Ruth Nangala Jigili and Valerie Napanangka Patterson from Lajamanu as they send an important message out in Walrlpiri language about how to keep community spirit strong while helping each other through COVID-19. Produced by PAW Media.
Opportunities
Walkley Indigenous Scholarship
This is an exciting opportunity for an aspiring Indigenous journalist aged 30 years or under to develop their newsroom experience with two leading news providers. This twelve-week scholarship will be broken down into six weeks with Junkee Media and six weeks with 10 News First in Sydney. You’ll develop a broad understanding of newsroom and production processes and requirements, and as a member of the team, you will be encouraged to share your ideas, skills and knowledge. Applications are now open and close April 26. Read more.
NT Volunteer Applications Open - May 2022
The NASCA team is excited to be back working in the community in the Northern Territory and is currently recruiting volunteers for two one-week sessions between May 7 - 14 and May 14 - 21. Read more.
Churchill Fellowship Program
Churchill Fellowship program offers Australians from all walks of life an opportunity to travel overseas for four to eight weeks to explore a topic or issue that they are passionate about. It is a non-academic program, and no specific qualifications are required to apply. As Churchill Fellows, the recipients will receive an average of $28,000 each and Churchill Fellowship Trust support to explore international best practices and innovations in a field. Read More.
Funding
Indigenous Skills & Employment Program
Applications for Round 1 of the ISEP are open now for activities that support career pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The funding opportunity is a two-part competitive process, including a development stage and an implementation stage. Read more.
Positions Available
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FIRST NATIONS MEDIA AUSTRALIA
2/70 Elder St,
PO Box 2731 Alice Springs NT 0871
www.firstnationsmedia.org.au | 08 8952 6465


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