(July 9, 2020 – Iqaluit, Nunavut) – Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (NTI) and Inuit TV Network launch Inuit TV with a special Nunavut Day announcement.
“It is our collective aspiration to strengthen Inuktut in all aspects of life for Nunavut Inuit,” said Aluki Kotierk, President of NTI. “I am especially thankful to Inuit TV for their vision to bring Inuit culture and language into our homes and ensure Inuit have access to information in the majority language of the territory.”
NTI is investing more than $2.4 million, over three years, to strengthen Inuktut, Inuit culture and identity and access to information in Inuktut, the majority language of the territory. Currently, there is a lack of Inuktut programming on Nunavut television to balance the daily influence of western culture and language. As an independent broadcaster Inuit TV will help to counter that influence by educating, entertaining and engaging Inuit in Inuktut.
“The board of Inuit TV would like to thank the many volunteers and partners across Nunavut that have supported us over the years, and provided their valued expertise in language, education and broadcasting to bring this important dream into reality,” said Alethea Arnaquq-Baril, President of Inuit TV Network.
In its first year, Inuit TV will do occasional special broadcasts, and ramp up to a regular schedule of programming in 2021. Please find the Inuit TV Facebook page, or go to inuit.tv to keep up to date.
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Contact:
Malaya Mikijuk,
Director, Communications Trainee
T: 867-975-4907
Tunngavik.com
Alethea Arnaquq-Baril,
President, Inuit TV Network
inuit.tv
Backgrounder
About Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (NTI)
NTI coordinates and manages Inuit responsibilities set out in the Nunavut Agreement and ensures that the federal and territorial governments fulfill their obligations.
About Inuit TV
Inuit TV’s mission is to be an independent Inuit television broadcasting service that informs, educates, entertains and engages Nunavummiut. Inuit TV will promote, preserve and enhance Inuktut while reflecting Inuit identity and culture.
Inuit across the territory and country will have access to Inuktut content. Television viewing, even for very small children, is considered one of many ways to support literacy development.
An audience survey in 2016 (commissioned by TVNEBS) to examine the level of support by Nunavummiut to establish an educational television (ETV) broadcasting channel revealed strong support for relevant content that is currently not available in Nunavut.
While radio offers some Inuktut language content and information, Inuit TV will build on that medium by providing rich audio and visual information to reach all ages and learning needs.
NTI’s investment
NTI will provide the $2,469,578 over three years to cover overhead and programming. The source of funds is NTI’s portion of resource revenue.
The Resource Revenue Policy, approved by the NTI Board in November 2011, outlines the shared and sustainable use of a portion of the economic benefits derived from mineral resource development in the Nunavut Settlement Area. Resource revenue is allocated half to an operating fund and half to an endowment fund. The operating fund is allocated annually between NTI and each of the Regional Inuit Associations.
Inuit TV will seed investment in Nunavut’s economy by way of training, skilled jobs and infrastructure.
