A trailblazer and founder of one of the nation’s largest Indigenous radio stations was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the First Nations Media Awards on Friday night in the Northern Territory.
Around 150 people from across remote, regional and urban Australian communities travelled to the Old Quarry near Alice Springs for the second First Nations Media Awards, to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander excellence in media.
The highlight of the evening was when Kaytetye woman Freda Glynn - who founded the Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association (CAAMA) in 1982 and then Imparja Television, which helped launch Indigenous film and television - was respectfully acknowledged.
“Just looking around, and watching in the last few days, the group working together, I know with all the praises that you give me, I’ve left it in good hands,” said Ms Glynn on accepting the award.
“I must tell you, I loved every minute of CAAMA. And watching it grow and watching the influence it’s had around the country, I can watch all the channels and hear all the radio and films and I just think, wait until they see us in another 10 years, you wait Australia, we’ve got stories to tell.”
Ms Glynn has long aspired to deliver news and entertainment in language to regional communities and has become a source of inspiration for many.
CAAMA has grown from an organisation where news was told on cassette players to now being a major broadcaster maintaining delivery in multiple Indigenous languages.
The station has also become a leading First Nations media organisation, which many other communities have been inspired by, ultimately setting up their own networks, said First Nations Media Australia chair, Dot West on presenting the award.
In October, Ms Glynn was also acknowledged three times over at the Adelaide Film Festival and won the Don Dunstan Award for her outstanding contribution to screen culture in Australia.
The award has also previously been won by big industry names including actor David Gulpilil and director Scott Hicks.
The passion for film making doesn’t stop with Ms Glynn but runs in the family’s blood with her son Warwick Thornton, director of Sweet Country, and granddaughter Erica Glynn, director of Redfern Now, continuing the tradition.
2019 First Nations Media Award Winners
Lifetime Achievement Award
Freda Glynn
First Nations Media Legend Award
John Macumba
Outstanding Contributor Award
Wayne Bynder
Recognition of Contribution
Daniel Featherstone
Best Digital Product Award
ICTV – InLanguage
Best Training and Professional Development Award
Goolarri Media
Best Promo or Campaign Award (TV, Print, Online)
33 Creative – RUOK?
Best Promo or Station ID
PAW Media – Safe Mobile Phone Use community service announcement
Best Photography Award
Ngaarda Media
Best Interview or Oral History
NITV – Living Black for Karla Grant’s interview with Jack Charles about homelessness
Best News or Current Affairs Story
RTR FM – Special Sorry Day broadcast
Best News or Current Affairs Program
RTR FM – Moorditj Mag
Best Music Video Award
Barkly Arts – Let Us Stand Together, a song by Warren H Williams
Best Drama or Comedy Award
Iwantja Arts – Never Stop Riding
Best Sports Coverage Award
PAW Media – 60 Years of Yuendumu sports weekends
Best Culture/Language Award
PAW Media – Governance video translated in Warlpiri
Best Community Television Documentary Award
Jade Runner by Nevanka McKeon
Best Television Documentary Feature Award
She Who Must Be Loved
Best Feature Radio Documentary Series
33 Creative – The Real Podcast
