COMMUNIQUÉ 2019 MISSION APTN is sharing our Peoples’ journey, celebrating our cultures, inspiring our children and honouring the wisdom of our Elders. ABOUT APTN The launch of APTN on Sept. 1, 1999 represented a significant milestone for Indigenous Peoples across Canada. The network has since become an important entertainment, news and educational programming choice for nearly 11 million households across Canada. Since APTN had its beginnings in the Canadian North more than 30 years ago, the dream of a national Indigenous television network has become a reality. The rest, as they say, is broadcast history. APTN’s fiscal year runs from Sept. 1, 2018 to Aug. 31, 2019. APTN COMMUNIQUÉ 2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 Message from Our Chairperson 4 Message from Our CEO 6 Year in Review 8 Indigenous Production 18 Our People 24 Understanding Our Audience 28 Advertising 32 Setting the Technological Pace 36 Community Relations & Sponsorships 40 Covering the Stories that Others Won’t 44 Conditions of Licence 52 Programming 72 APTN Indigenous Day Live 76 APTN’s Extended Family Appendix A | Independent Production Activity (Original Productions) 2018–2019 Cover art by Mike Valcourt. 1 MESSAGE FROM OUR CHAIRPERSON JOCELYN FORMSMA WACHIYA, From the very beginning, APTN’s mission This ensures we are better able to meet industry demands while still has been to share our Peoples’ journey, delivering high-quality, relevant celebrate our cultures, inspire our children content to our audiences. We demonstrated our commitment and honour the wisdom of our Elders. to audiences when we launched Nouvelles Nationales d’APTN in late Over the years, our mission has remained August. While we have provided audiences with a variety of French- unchanged, but our approach and language programming for several methods have continued to adapt to years, this is our first-ever national news program in French. This new our ever‑evolving industry. program aims to represent the important voices of Indigenous French-speaking audiences and strengthen our relationship with them. It will also enable us to meet our new conditions of licence from the CRTC. APTN COMMUNIQUÉ 2019 WE ARE ALWAYS At the end of December 2019, we PUSHING THE will say Wachiya to Jean La Rose, BOUNDARIES OF WHAT our long-time CEO. After an in- IS POSSIBLE, AND THIS depth conversation between Jean UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR and the APTN Board of Directors, we agreed that it is time to open IS NO EXCEPTION. our doors to a new CEO. On behalf of the APTN Board of Directors, Coinciding with the 20th I thank Jean for his passion, anniversary of the network, APTN dedication and integrity as CEO of will launch APTN lumi on Sept. 1, APTN over the last 17 years. It has 2019. This new streaming service been a pleasure to work with him, will provide unique, Indigenous- and he has undoubtedly left an focused content that audiences indelible mark on APTN. I wish him can enjoy anytime, anywhere. all the best in his future endeavours, This exciting offer will connect and look forward to the new the network with new viewers challenges and opportunities that while strengthening our existing lie ahead for the network. relationships with audiences across the country. Jocelyn Formsma, Chairperson APTN Board of Directors 32 MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO JEAN LA ROSE This past fiscal year A first for the network, we part of Rogers Hometown Hockey. continued to reach even more Featuring Cree analysis and has been one of great audiences by launching two radio commentary, this landmark program stations in two major urban centres brought all Canadians together as change, innovation in the fall of 2018. With the help they celebrated a shared passion and achievements for of APTN, First Peoples Radio that unites us all: hockey. now hosts two ELMNT FM radio APTN. As a network, stations in Ottawa (95.7 FM) and This event was made all the more Toronto (106.5 FM). These stations appropriate and poignant by the we pushed ourselves offer unique programming with recent proclamation made by the harder than ever a minimum of 25% Canadian- United Nations General Assembly: Indigenous music and are a 2019 is the International Year of before, allowing us significant platform for Indigenous Indigenous Languages. APTN Peoples, their cultures and their has fully supported this initiative to reach new heights incredible musical talent. from the beginning, which can be seen in our Indigenous-language and accomplish so A national spotlight was shone programming and promotion of much in such a short on Indigenous languages and Indigenous languages through a culture in the spring of 2019. The variety of partnered events during amount of time. network made history on March the past fiscal year. 24, 2019 when we teamed up with Sportsnet to broadcast the first- And finally, the network wrapped up ever NHL game in Plains Cree as this past fiscal year on a high note with the development of APTN lumi. APTN COMMUNIQUÉ 2019 creating new and engaging content This year also marks my last year as for APTN lumi once it launches in CEO of APTN. I will be moving on the fall of 2019. to new opportunities in December 2019, but I will never forget my 17 The marketing department was years at APTN. I look back on this also transformed and realigned time with the utmost pride for all this past summer. New positions, the network has accomplished and including executive director of the deepest gratitude to have had marketing, were created to review this life-changing experience. our marketing efforts and look at ways to increase our profile and In these uncertain times, carrying visibility while remaining true to out our mission has become more our values, mission and mandate. important than ever before. I have full confidence that the network These changes reflect the need will continue to push the limits of for APTN to operate in an ever- what’s possible, break new ground changing industry as we strive to THIS NEW INITIATIVE and grow with audiences across meet new challenges, initiatives SHOWS THAT APTN Canada and around the world in and seek out new global partners. the years to come. CONTINUES TO Meeting these goals means we BE A FORCE TO BE need to be ready for any and all I would like to express my sincere RECKONED WITH IN THE obstacles that come our way, thanks to the APTN Board of BROADCAST INDUSTRY. while providing our audience and Directors and to our hardworking communities with stories that executive management team and reflect their lives and realities. staff for their fantastic and many Starting Sept. 1, 2019, this brand- achievements over the years. It new streaming service will give Back when APTN first joined the has been the honour of a lifetime audiences the freedom to watch industry in 1999, no one expected to work with you all and see their favourite APTN programs us to be around in another year, the network become what it is whenever and wherever they want. let alone another 20 years. Since today. Your unfailing dedication then, we have continued to exceed These exciting projects and and enthusiasm make APTN an expectations and blaze new trails in initiatives made it necessary for the organization that is always striving the industry. network to undergo department to go above and beyond and change lives across Canada. restructuring and growth – a In a time when news organizations rare move in today’s broadcast are cutting back or shutting Here’s to 20 more years. industry. As a result, Digital Drum down, APTN’s unprecedented is now a part of our programming growth speaks to the importance Wliwni – Merci – Thank you, department, a change that signals of our mission and our effect on a new range of opportunities for audiences across Canada, both Jean La Rose the team. They are tasked with Indigenous and non-Indigenous. Chief Executive Officer APTN 54 YEAR IN REVIEW MORE % MORE % % OF THAN 86 THAN 95 62 EMPLOYEES Canadian programming content Canadian programming broadcast are of Indigenous ancestry was independently produced Broadcasts Broadcasts $ MORE HOURS/ HOURS/ 10,000 THAN 50 WEEK 22 WEEK Band Aid program grant Indigenous-language programming French-language programming was presented in partnership in 23 different languages with MusiCounts to an Indigenous school in northern Newfoundland and Labrador APTN COMMUNIQUÉ 2019 2018–2019 Highlights Reached an audience of NEW 13 ADVERTISERS 4.3 MILLION 1.46 MILLION secured for TV and aptn.ca combined users on APTN and during multi-platform delivery of APTN National News websites APTN Indigenous Day Live 2019 INDUSTRY JOURNALISM TOP EMPLOYER 9 AWARDS 6 AWARDS for top programming including awards for Best AWARDS commissioned by the network Feature Story, Best Feature for Canada’s Top 100 Employers, Photo and General Excellence Canada’s Top Employers for Young from the Native American People, Manitoba’s Top Employers Journalists Association (NAJA) and first-time recipient of the Company of the Year Award from Women in Communications and Technology 76 INDIGENOUS PRODUCTION Distinctive, entertaining and uplifting Indigenous programming is developed, commissioned and acquired by APTN for broadcast in both linear and non-linear formats. APTN is honoured to have been the primary platform for Indigenous Peoples for the past 20 years, enabling them to share their knowledge and experiences with all of Canada. APTN COMMUNIQUÉ 2019 8 9 By broadcasting web series, which allowed • CAUTION: May Contain Nuts, programs in Indigenous another documentary series, a popular sketch comedy Lands Wandered, to be greenlit series, released a series of languages, not just for production. virtual reality web sketches that English and French, amassed remarkable views and MULTIPLATFORM CONTENT impressions on YouTube.