Organizers

The World Indigenous Television Broadcasting Conference (WITBC) was an initiative of Māori Television of New Zealand. The aim was to get the major indigenous television broadcasters together and speak up for indigenous tribes. The first conference (WITBC ’08) took place in Auckland, Aotearoa-New Zealand from March 26th to 28th, 2008. Themed “Reclaiming Our Future” it aimed to integrate indigenous television broadcasters from around the world to come together to preserve and develop their unique indigenous languages and cultures. This conference helped solidify a consensus among all major indigenous television broadcasters worldwide and it was decided the WITBC would convene every two years.

The other important decision made during WITBC ’08 was to establish the World Indigenous Television Broadcasting Network (WITBN). Through international exchange, we are able to promote the preservation and development of each indigenous culture and language, and allow more people to understand the intensions of indigenous cultures. There are currently nine country members in WITBN: Public Television Service (PTS) / Taiwan Indigenous TV (TITV) / Taiwan, Māori Television / New Zealand, National Indigenous Television (NITV) / Australia, Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) / Canada, BBC ALBA / Scotland, TG4 / Ireland, S4C / Wales, Sámi Radio / Norway and South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) / South Africa. The WITBN holds two committee conferences per year and its regular organizational operations allows the discussion and communication among members, the production and exchange of indigenous news and information as well as the sharing of indigenous programme contents.