Launch of Inuit TV, a 2nd Inuit television channel in the Far North

The channel will also air on Arctic Co-op cable in communities and will be available on computer, phone or tablet through the taku.tv app (New window).

The idea of ​​an Inuit TV channel began to emerge 16 years ago, says Lucy Qavavauq, co-CEO of Inuit TV and former CBC North employee.

It’s a collection of our stories, our lives and we tell our stories for the Inuit, for usshe explains, adding that there is also the desire to hear stories from the circumpolar world in general.

Programming by and for Inuit

Lucy Qavavauq was recruited as co-CEO in February alongside Tom McLeod, originally from Aklavik, Northwest Territories.

She argues that the ultimate goal is to provide programming created by and directed to Inuit 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In the meantime, Monday’s launch isn’t meant to be that ambitious.

We’re going to do a few hours of programming with some sort of idea of ​​what Inuit television will look like. So there will be different beautiful images and videos.

After that, the channel hopes to offer consistent programming across all territories. Some of the programs will be in English since not all Inuit speak Inuktitut, she explains.

Ms. Qavavauq also hopes to soon sign an agreement with Bell that would allow the channel to be available across the country.

For now, the content comes mainly from Alaska and theInuvialuit Communications Societybut the management of Inuit TV is seeking productions from Nunavut, Nunavik and Greenland.

” We know there are many directors and very talented people [dans le Nord]. »

Inuit TV is also in negotiations with the Inuit Broadcasting Corp. to use some of the nonprofit’s content and programming.

The director adds that the Government of Nunavut has declared Inuit TV as the regional educational channel.

Competition support

Inuit TV is the second Inuit-centric TV channel to be launched recently as in January 2021, Uvagut TV came into existence.

In a statement, Uvagut TV Managing Director Lucy Tulugarjuk celebrates the launch of the new channel, calling it a resounding confirmation that Canada must embrace and support multiple Indigenous content platforms.

Interest and creativity are therecan we read in the press release, and with every new product, whether it’s a new Indigenous TV channel or a new Indigenous streaming service, we have the audiences for it all.

Lucy Qavavauq, co-CEO of Inuit TV, says she has spoken with Uvagut TV to avoid overlap in programming. They’ve also been very supportive in trying to bring in as much expertise as possible, because they’re way ahead of us in this wonderful thing that we’re doing.

Ms. Qavavauq says the funding they received from Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. helped them recruit staff where previously Inuit TV relied mostly on volunteer work. The funding, in the amount of $2.4 million over three years, was announced on Nunavut Day 2020.

Television, even for young children, is seen as one of many ways to support literacy developmentsaid a statement sent by Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. at the time.

There is currently a lack of Inuktitut programming on Nunavut television to balance the daily influence of Western culture and languages.

With information from Joanne Stassen