November 14, 2010

Cheyenne and Arapaho educational TV

Tribal educational television station launched in OklahomaThe Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes were awarded a grant from the United States Department of Commerce. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration awarded the funds under the Public Telecommunications Facilities Program. This grant will enable the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes to assemble a digital low-power television station in Concho, Okla. and will serve approximately 39,000 people.

“This educational television station will enhance efforts to promote education and preserve the history, language and culture of our tribes,” said Janice Prairie Chief Boswell, Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes governor. “We are delighted to have the opportunity to develop an educational system that will strengthen the vision of the tribes.”

“The possibilities are endless,” said Teresa Dorsett, executive director of education. “The preservation of our tribal languages has been challenging to say the least and to have the opportunity to use this form of mass communication to not only educate tribal members but residents of Western Oklahoma on Cheyenne and Arapaho culture and history is long overdue.”
Comment:  For more on Native broadcasting, see San Manuel Launches TV Channel and NWIN on Cable TV.

1 comment:

Burt said...

Its about time! When I was younger in Oklahoma there used to be a program called, "Indians for Indians" hosted by Sammy Tonkei White. It was only a half hour show (I think) and it featured alot of contemporary and traditional programming. That was the 70s and of course Oklahoma, being the segregated state it is, has not expanded on Natives in media outlets.

Blame can be shared from both tribes and the non-native communities in Oklahoma that keep the states large native population from access and information about politics, the arts and educational opportunities/events.

This might explain Oklahoma's lack of progressive changes that keeps the state in a standstill with poverty and anti-education conservative leadership.

Oklahoma's leading newspaper, as well as the states smaller community publications, rarely feature Native events and opportunities unless it involves tourism or revenues generated for said communities. Publicity generated for tribes and tribal members (and African Americans) is mostly negative and criminal in nature IN COMPARISON to whites that commit equal, if not greater, criminal offenses.

I hope the Cheyennes and Arapahos make good on this opportunity and enlist other tribes to do the same, it is long overdue.

I am impressed with KILI radio station in South Dakota and SW Colorados airing of native programming as well.