Alaska Native Media Group

Alaska Native Media Group is a multi-platform Indigenous media organization based in Anchorage, Alaska that produces print, radio, and digital content serving Alaska Native communities across the state. The organization operates within a network of tribal corporations, regional nonprofits, and cultural institutions to distribute news, language resources, and arts programming to rural and urban audiences. Its work engages with issues affecting Alaska Native peoples and connects to national Indigenous media initiatives, public broadcasting entities, and cultural preservation programs.

History

Founded amid the rise of Indigenous broadcasting and Native regional activism in the 1970s, Alaska Native Media Group traces roots to earlier enterprises such as the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act-era Cook Inlet Tribal Council initiatives and community radio projects influenced by Native American Rights Fund advocacy. Early collaborators included the Alaska Federation of Natives, Tanana Chiefs Conference, and regional corporations like Doyon, Limited and Bristol Bay Native Corporation that supported local media training. Through the 1980s and 1990s the group expanded alongside the growth of public broadcasting hubs such as KTOO (AM) and KYUK (FM), and partnered with national organizations including Native Public Media and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. During pivotal moments—such as coverage of the Exxon Valdez oil spill and the passage of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act—the organization collaborated with outlets like Alaska Native Heritage Center, Anchorage Daily News, and tribal councils to document impacts on villages like Chenega Bay and Shishmaref. In the 2000s and 2010s, technological shifts led to partnerships with entities such as National Public Radio, PBS affiliates, and digital platforms developed with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Organization and Governance

The group is governed through a board drawing representatives from regional consortia including Aleut Corporation, Kenaitze Indian Tribe, Kodiak Area Native Association, Northwest Arctic Borough, and the Metlakatla Indian Community. Executive leadership has included professionals with ties to institutions like University of Alaska Anchorage, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Smithsonian Institution, and the Institute of American Indian Arts. Governance structures reflect nonprofit standards used by organizations such as First Alaskans Institute and Alaska Community Foundation, and comply with federal funding requirements from agencies like the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Department of Health and Human Services when applicable. Advisory councils have featured elders and language experts associated with bodies such as Sealaska Heritage Institute, Alaska Native Language Center, and regional tribal colleges like Ilisagvik College and Yuut Elitnaurviat.

Publications and Broadcasts

The organization publishes a statewide print periodical, digital news site, and produces radio programming distributed through regional stations including KNBA (FM), KIAL (FM), and KSKA (FM). Its print titles have been archived in collections at Rasmuson Library and cited by outlets including Anchorage Daily News, The Arctic Sounder, and Alaska Journal of Commerce. Broadcast series have featured documentary work in collaboration with PBS Alaska, NPR, and independent producers associated with Native American Journalists Association and American Public Media. Content has highlighted cultural productions linked to institutions like Alaska Native Heritage Center, artistic showcases from Sitka Sound Science Center partners, and language revitalization programs using curricula from Alaska Native Language Center and Yup’ik Language Consortium. Special series have examined subsistence and environmental topics with contributions from researchers at University of Alaska Fairbanks, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and community scientists from villages such as Nome and Bethel.

Community Programs and Outreach

Community initiatives include youth media training camps modeled on partnerships with Camp Fire Alaska and mentorship collaborations with Danny Musqua-style local leaders, internships with University of Alaska Anchorage journalism programs, and oral history projects archived with Sealaska Heritage Institute and the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Indian. Outreach extends to cultural festivals such as Alaska Federation of Natives Convention showcases and regional events in communities like Haines, Ketchikan, and Sitka. Health communication campaigns have coordinated with organizations like Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and public health units tied to Indian Health Service funding streams. Minority media capacity building has been advanced through training supported by Native Public Media and exchanges with groups such as First Nations Development Institute and Broadcasting Board of Governors-linked programs.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding sources include grants and contracts from entities like the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Endowment for the Arts, and state arts councils including the Rasmuson Foundation. The group partners with tribal corporations—NANA Development Corporation, Koniag, Inc., Arctic Slope Regional Corporation—and nonprofit partners such as First Alaskans Institute and Alaska Humanities Forum. Collaborative projects have been supported by federal philanthropic initiatives administered through the Administration for Native Americans and research grants involving institutions like National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. Strategic media alliances have included co-productions with NPR, PBS Alaska, and independent Indigenous producers affiliated with the Native American Journalists Association and Native Public Media to secure underwriting from foundations like Ford Foundation and W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Category:Alaska Native organizations