communiqué 2017 aptn mission “APTN is sharing our Peoples’ journey, celebrating our cultures, inspiring our children and honouring the wisdom of our Elders.” about aptn APTN launched in 1999 as the first national Aboriginal broadcaster in the world, creating a window into the remarkably diverse mosaic of Aboriginal Peoples. A respected non-profit, charitable broadcaster and the only one of its kind in North America. Sharing our stories of authenticity in English, French and a variety of Aboriginal languages to approximately 11 million Canadian TV subscribers. With over 80% Canadian content, APTN connects with its audience through genuine, inspiring and engaging entertainment on multiple platforms. APTN / communiqué 2017 table of contents Message from Our Chairperson 2 Message from Our Chief Executive Officer3 Year in Review 6 Aboriginal Production 8 Our People 16 Understanding Our Audience 22 Digital Drum 26 Advertising 28 Setting the Technological Pace 32 Uncovering the Stories that Others Won’t 36 Conditions of Licence 42 Programming 52 Aboriginal Day Live 66 Appendix A | Independent Production Activity (Original Productions) 2016-2017 / 1 message from our chairperson JOCELYN FORMSMA Wachiya, This past year was a challenging, The APTN Board of Directors member elections. An open call for yet impressive one for Aboriginal completed a three-year process of board members ensued, focusing Peoples Television Network (APTN). governance growth and evolution. on bringing in individuals that met Offering a truly unique perspective The Board of Directors and the a wide range of competencies for all Canadians, APTN continues APTN Founding Members engaged and best represented our diverse to share Aboriginal stories, cultures, in a process which included an communities across the country. and communities through award- in-depth review of its governing We announced our new Board of winning programming that is structure and best practices in Directors on March 18, 2017. We genuine, inspiring, engaging governance. This process helped had a ceremony for the departing and, above all, entertaining. Our to determine a Board of Director board members, and I would like to investigative reporting and daily composition that would be the take the opportunity to, once again, news broadcasts continually look most effective and best suited thank each and every one of them to place Aboriginal perspectives for the new era of media and who selflessly participated in the and concerns on the broader APTN’s ambitious upcoming process and for their instrumental public agenda. plans to become a multi-platform contributions to APTN. broadcaster. Upon developing the APTN is looking forward to changing APTN began over 25 years ago new governing structure, the APTN and expanding the operation of a as Television Northern Canada Board developed a new set of modern news and multi-platform and expanded to a national corresponding by-laws. The APTN broadcaster into a digital space television network giving Aboriginal Founding Members approved the while remaining true to our mission perspectives a home on the new by-laws at their Annual General to “Share our Peoples’ journey, airwaves. When APTN launched Assembly in December 2016. The celebrate our cultures, inspire our in 1999, it became the first biggest change was to reduce the children and honour the wisdom national Aboriginal broadcaster board size from 21 to 12, as well of our Elders.” in the world and is still Canada’s as to open the process for board APTN / communiqué 2017 message from our CEO JEAN LA ROSE only independent Aboriginal I am honoured to be part of and languages to be broadcast. broadcaster. We hope that we APTN, the world’s first Aboriginal APTN’s Performance Envelope can maintain the same level of broadcaster, as it continues to take (PE) again decreased in this fiscal trailblazing growth over the next its viewers on a journey through year. Being a small independent 25 years and beyond. the lens of Aboriginal Canada broadcaster, APTN faces many and beyond. APTN has unleashed challenges each fiscal year, but On behalf of the APTN Board of some very powerful multi-platform one obstacle is the constant battle Directors, I thank APTN’s senior content, giving an authentic and against larger broadcasters for a management team and all APTN important voice to those on the share of the PE funding. Compared employees for an exceptional forefront. The network plays a major to the average decrease in PEs year. Your outstanding skills, role in capturing and responding among all broadcasters, the network passion and service to APTN to the nationwide call to action performed quite well. create dynamic Aboriginal through reconciliation. content that is viewed across APTN has been recognized as one of Canada and around the world. To engage with Aboriginal and Canada’s Top 100 Employers, for the I am honoured to be a part of this non-Aboriginal audiences across fifth time running, one of Manitoba’s broadcaster as we travel into this the nation through specialized, Top Employers, now the ninth year next chapter of our journey. multi-platform programming, in running and, significantly, one of a plethora of languages across Canada’s Top Employers for Young all time zones, APTN continues People. This latter award is especially Jocelyn Formsma, to depend greatly on the Canada meaningful for the network since Chairperson Media Fund (CMF) to meet the it reflects our commitment to APTN Board of Directors Canadian Radio-television and developing skills in our communities Telecommunications Commission’s and providing meaningful (CRTC) expectations on the employment opportunities. different genres of programming APTN has also contributed to / 3 the career development of young Quest for Innocence and a Beyond 2017 Leo Awards for the episode Aboriginal journalists through a new Borders ECPAT Canada Media “Animal Habits.” fellowship program with Canadian Award 2016 for Forgotten Survivors. On June 21, 2017, National Aboriginal Association of Journalists (CAJ) APTN has also become involved Day, APTN produced Aboriginal and continued its joint internship in important media interventions Day Live, its most ambitious live program with Journalists for and collaborations regarding the production since APTN first aired on Human Rights. These distinctions freedom of the press in cases September 1, 1999. The network, with show APTN is committed to the involving Aboriginal Peoples. many partners, supporters, artists ongoing success of attracting and Members of the news team were and participants created all day retaining employees at all levels of appointed to the Boards of Directors celebrations of Aboriginal cultures, the organization. for the CAJ and also the Canadian artists and Peoples in eight different Journalists for Free Expression. Of distinction, APTN National News Canadian cities to highlight the received the CAJ Charles Bury Every year, the network works diverse cultures and achievements Award 2017. The highest award the with hundreds of storytellers to of First Nations, Inuit and Métis CAJ can give, marking APTN as a bring the true and authentic voice Peoples. All Canadians were significant contributor to Canadian of Aboriginal Peoples on multi- welcome to join the celebrations journalism. Also, Paul Barnsley of platforms. As the most influential and actively participate. Canadian APTN Investigates was awarded Aboriginal storyteller in Canada, television and Canadian audiences the Journalists for Human Rights APTN offers a broad range of high- have never seen anything like this Lifetime Achievement Human quality programs recognized at before: First Nations, Inuit and Métis Rights Reporting Award 2016. industry award galas and festivals. Peoples together from East to Once again, the news team was North to West, all at the same time RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked nominated in four categories from celebrating our cultures, our diversity the World won a World Cinema the CAJ. At the Awards, APTN and our resilient strength in Canada. Special Jury Award for Masterful Investigates received a nomination It marked a new high point for Storytelling at the Sundance Film for the Open Broadcast Feature APTN. It showed, in a tangible way, Festival, a Best Music Documentary Award for Forgotten Survivors and what the network has been able to at the Boulder International Film a nomination for Best Photography achieve with the support and drive Festival, and two awards at Hot Docs in a News or Information Program, of our communities, leaders and (Hot Docs Audience Award, and Series or Segment for Defiance. many others since APTN launched. Rogers Audience Award for Best APTN National News received a Cumulative attendance nationwide Canadian Documentary). Another nomination for the Open Broadcast was just over 127,000. Viewer documentary; Rise, an APTN and News Award for Black Tickle and statistics reached 427,000, with Viceland series, was awarded Best a nomination for the Scoop Award 16,361 online viewers, and 10 radio Documentary Series at the Yorkton for Police Admit Racism. Beyond networks broadcasting to 1,097,000 Film Festival. Also, Coyote’s Crazy recognition from the CAJ, APTN potential listeners for the total Smart Science Show was honoured received an Honourable Mention for combined reach of over 1.5 million with a Best Sound for Youth or the Canadian Hillman Prize 2017 for across all platforms. Aboriginal Day Children’s Program or Series at the APTN / communiqué 2017 Live 2017 was the highest rated and First Peoples Radio Inc., a non-profit most watched edition in its history corporation established by APTN, and hosted a welcoming stage from was awarded two radio licences from Toronto in advance of the event to the CRTC in June 2017 to operate be held there in summer 2018. English and Aboriginal-language Type B Native FM radio stations APTN faces its challenges head-on to serve the urban Aboriginal and continues to adapt to digital communities in Ottawa and Toronto. spaces. The development of a Information concerning this initiative digital transformation strategy will be available as the network will continue as APTN builds its moves further into the process.