Inuit Broadcasting Corporation facts for kids
The Inuit Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) is a special television company in Nunavut, Canada. It creates TV shows mainly for the Inuit people who live there. Most of its programs are in Inuktitut, the Inuit language. Some shows are also in English. IBC focuses on sharing and celebrating Inuit culture. The company has five production studios across Nunavut. All of these studios are run by Inuit people. IBC started in the early 1980s. It was the very first TV network in North America to broadcast in an Indigenous language.
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How It Started
Television first came to the North through a package from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). This package brought TV shows from southern Canada to 21 communities in the North. But there were no shows made in the North or for Northern people. It was just southern TV extended to a new area.
It was hard to know how this sudden change would affect the language, culture, and daily life in Arctic communities. Some places, like Igloolik, even voted against having television at first. They worried it would harm their traditional way of life. Many Indigenous groups across Canada shared these fears. They believed that Indigenous people should have a say in any TV services in their homelands.
The Inuit Tapirisat of Canada (ITC) was a new group formed at that time. They didn't want Inuit to just be a new audience for English and French TV. They wanted communities to control their own communication. They also wanted Inuit to contribute to Canadian broadcasting in a big way. One of ITC's first goals was to ask the government to let Inuit control new services. This included radio, community TV, and newspapers in the Arctic.
In 1978, the Canadian Department of Communications (DOC) started a program. They wanted to test how satellites could be used. They used the new Anik B satellite. The government was very interested in using satellites to make and share TV shows in the Arctic. The Inuit Tapirisat then launched a project called Inukshuk.
The Inukshuk Project connected six communities: Iqaluit, Pond Inlet, Igloolik, Baker Lake, Arviat, and Cambridge Bay. This early network was simple compared to today's technology. Video and sound were sent by satellite from Iqaluit. The other five communities could receive these signals. People in those communities could send sound back to Iqaluit using phone lines. This meant viewers could see what was happening in Iqaluit. They could also hear audio from the other places taking part.
As the Inukshuk Project grew, the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) listened to Northern and Indigenous concerns. They asked Rheal Terrien to lead a committee. This committee was to study how to bring broadcasting to northern and remote areas. After many interviews and community talks, the Therrien Committee made a recommendation in 1980. They suggested using satellites to send Canadian TV to the North. They also said "urgent steps be taken to enable northern native people to use broadcasting to support their languages and cultures."
The Therrien report came out just as the Inukshuk project finished successfully. Many people in the communities watched the shows. Many Inuit also learned how to make TV programs. The project proved that a northern TV network was possible. Because of this success and the report's ideas, ITC got three more years for Inukshuk. They then started planning a long-term TV solution for the North.
In 1981, the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) was officially created. It launched on January 11, 1982. The CRTC gave it a license to make and share TV shows in the Inuktitut language.
Growing the Network
In 1981, the new IBC shared its long-term goals. Both the Department of Communications and IBC wanted ideas for the Therrien Report. IBC made several suggestions, including:
- A way to fund all Inuit broadcasters (like IBC, Taqramiut Nipingat in Nunavik, and the new OKâlaKatiget Society in Nunatsiavut).
- Recognizing Indigenous broadcasters in the Broadcast Act.
- A special CRTC policy to support Indigenous broadcasters.
- Creating a special satellite channel just for northern programs.
On March 10, 1983, the Northern Native Broadcast Access Program (NNBAP) was announced. This program gave $33.1 million over four years. It went to thirteen northern Indigenous groups. This money was for them to produce radio and TV shows.
While other programs might fund specific projects, the NNBAP helped broadcasters build lasting organizations. It helped them set up management, prepare studios, and plan TV schedules.
The program had some limits. It assumed that one hour of TV cost $5,000 to make. But in 1983, CBC actually spent $36,000 for an hour of programming. This was more than five times what the NNBAP allowed. Funding was also linked to how much they produced. IBC had to make five hours of Inuktitut shows each week. Still, for the first time, IBC and other Indigenous broadcasters had a solid way to get money. They were guaranteed support for at least four years.
To make five hours of high-quality TV each week, IBC set up five production centers. These centers were staffed by Inuit. They created a two-year training program. This program taught Inuit how to be camera people, editors, sound recordists, and more. It also trained content producers like writers, directors, and journalists. Eighteen trainees from five communities started the program in 1983. Sixteen of them finished the course two years later.
The new network's first big test was the 1983 Inuit Circumpolar Conference in Iqaluit. IBC provided live coverage of the whole event. They also shared video with journalists from all over the world.
IBC's programs were shown on CBC. This meant the shows needed to be 30 minutes long and have good technical quality. This was a higher standard than during the Inukshuk project. For the first time, regular weekly series were created. Two of IBC's longest-running shows started in these early years. These were Qaqqiq, a regional news program, and Kippingujautiit, which featured entertainment and storytelling.
One of IBC's most famous programs started in 1986. From the beginning, IBC wanted to reach children. This was a key part of their goal to promote and save the Inuktitut language. After two years of research and training, the network launched Takuginai. This was an award-winning series for Inuit children. It used puppets, stories, live action, and animation. Takuginai taught language, traditional skills, and Inuit values. Takuginai has also led to books, posters, and even tours for the puppets. In 2000, Leetia Ineak, the show's producer, won an award for her puppet designs.
Where to Watch IBC
The 1983 Northern Broadcasting Policy said that northern Indigenous people should have "fair access" to TV systems. This was to help them keep and grow their cultures and languages. But the policy didn't clearly define "fair access." In Nunavut, IBC depended on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) to show its programs.
CBC generally supported IBC and its goals. But CBC's own northern shows were given priority. IBC programs were often last on the list and in the schedule. IBC shows sometimes ran after midnight. They could also be bumped off air if a hockey game ran late. Rosemarie Kuptana, who was president of IBC at the time, joked to the CRTC: "God made our land the land of the midnight sun...it took the CBC to make it the Land of Midnight television."
Even with the late-night times, surveys showed that up to 95 percent of Inuit viewers watched IBC programs. However, CBC's Northern service planned to make more of its own shows. This meant IBC programs were being taken off air more often.
The solution was to create a special satellite channel just for the North. This happened in 1988. The Minister of Communications, Flora MacDonald, gave $10 million for this. This money created Television Northern Canada (TVNC). TVNC was a network made by Northerners, for Northerners. After three years of planning and setting up, the new network launched in 1992. It gave IBC and other broadcasters a channel for their shows. It also allowed them to try new kinds of programs, like they did with the Inukshuk project.
TVNC directly led to the creation of the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) in 1999. The CRTC gave APTN a license. They also made it a rule that TV providers had to include APTN as a basic channel.
IBC programs can also be watched on Uvagut TV.
Programs Today
IBC continues to produce many popular and important shows.
Takuginai
This is North America's first and longest-running Indigenous language program for children. The show features "Johnny" the lemming and other puppets made locally. It also has young hosts, animation, and studio segments. Takuginai teaches cultural values like respecting elders, sharing, and patience. It also teaches Inuktitut numbers and writing. The show has won several awards for its work.
Qanurli
This is a magazine-style show for Inuit teenagers. It has a modern look and feel. It reflects the daily lives of Inuit youth. It is similar to youth programs on other channels but shows life from an Inuit perspective.
Ilinniq
This series features short documentaries. It profiles interesting people who live in Nunavut. These include politicians, elders, authors, and actors. Each episode explores the life and achievements of these amazing individuals.
Qanuq Isumavit
This is Nunavut's only live TV phone-in show. It features discussions about current issues and events. Topics include climate change, polar bears, language use, and the importance of the igloo.
Niqitsiat
Niqitsiat shows how to prepare and cook traditional Inuit foods. It promotes healthy eating. It also traces where the food comes from, whether it's from the sea, the ice, or the land.
Important People
Many important media personalities and leaders from Nunavut have worked at IBC or the Inukshuk Project. These include:
- Rosemarie Kuptana, a former president of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami.
- Zacharias Kunuk, a director and producer of the famous film Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner. He also helped start Igloolik Isuma Productions.
- Paul Apak Angilirq, who wrote Atanarjuat and also helped start Igloolik Isuma Productions.
- Jose Kusugak, a broadcaster and former president of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami.
- Lorne Kusugak, a broadcaster and former mayor of Rankin Inlet.
- Martin Kreelak, a filmmaker.
- Okalik Eegeesiak, a former president of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami.
- John Amagoalik, a former president of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami.
- Abraham Tagalik, a broadcaster and former chairperson of Television Northern Canada.
- Monica Ell-Kanayuk, a former director of IBC and now a member of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut.
In November 2006, IBC and the National Film Board of Canada started the Nunavut Animation Lab. This program offers animation training to artists in Nunavut. Films from this lab include Lumaajuuq by Alethea Arnaquq-Baril. This 2010 animated short film won awards for Best Aboriginal film and Best Canadian Short Drama.
