Indigenous peoples build community radio stations

Alongside the challenges of mainstream media, Indigenous people continued to create their own stories and media. Sometimes this involved using new tools and technologies.

In the 1950s, the federal government established a network of radar and microwave radio stations in remote and northern territories. At that time, Indigenous peoples began working with CBC Northern Services to incorporate Aboriginal-language programming on a local and regional basis. CBC was available in many Inuit communities as early as 1958. Listeners phoned in to join on-air conversations in Inuktitut. Since radio only required cheap, easy to use equipment, communities could produce their own content.

By the 1970s, several communities set up their own FM radio stations.