Chipping away at the fourth wall - fighting media silence and looking to the future

First Nations in Australia have had extraordinary patience in the face of extraordinary denial.  In the words of Yothu Yindi’s song, Treaty, Aboriginal people have repeatedly seen “promises can disappear just like writing in the sand.”  In this series we’ve talked about how the media has repeated…

Independent Black Media on sovereignty and self determination

We know that bad reporting can lead to bad policy and this can adversely affect the lives of First Nations people.  So far in this series, we've heard how the Australian mainstream media has failed to connect with Aboriginal communities. But for Aboriginal journalists deeply embedded in their comm…

A test we have always failed: A history of Aboriginal politics in the media

It was 1992, when Prime Minister Paul Keating spoke to the mostly Aboriginal crowd that had gathered in Redfern Park in inner city Sydney.  This was the first time a Prime Minister had spoken about the dispossession, violence and prejudice carried out against First Nations people in Australia.  I…

Does the Media Fail Aboriginal Political Aspirations?

A white lens has distorted Black stories ever since Captain James Cook took possession of the continent now known as Australia and since that time the interests of settlers have dominated media reporting on Aboriginal people.  This matters because reporting shapes the way Aboriginal political worl…

Introducing Black Stories Matter

Ever since Captain James Cook evaded British instructions to take possession of the continent now known as Australia “with the consent of the natives”, the interests of settlers have dominated media reporting on Aboriginal people.  This year, there’s been a global awakening. The events of 2020 inc…