The annual First Nations Media Awards celebration was held at the Old Quarry, just outside Mparntwe (Alice Springs) on Friday night, 30th November and recognised excellence in all forms of media production.
Around 150 guests travelled from communities in the Torres Strait, Kimberley and Pilbara regions, Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Port Augusta, Arnhem Land, Lismore, Brisbane, Yuendumu and other remote Northern Territory communities, the Ngaanyatjarra lands, Canberra, Wilcannia, New Zealand to join local Alice Springs community members for a night of entertainment and celebration starting with a welcome from Kumalie Riley and the Tinkerbee Dancers.
A highlight of the evening was the presentation of the First Nations Media Lifetime Achievement Award to Freda Glynn, who had traveled from Cooktown to attend the event.
Freda was a founder of CAAMA and then Imparja television and she was recognised for her vision to deliver essential information and news to communities in all the Central Australian Aboriginal languages, something that remains in action today with CAAMA going from strength to strength in the heart of Australia.
In presenting the award FNMA Chair, Dot West thanked Freda for her leadership, acknowledging that it was CAAMA that inspired and guided many of communities around Australia in establishing their own media organisations.
On accepting the award, Freda said, “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.
“I was so excited walking around yesterday and seeing everybody so busy, everybody there, so excited about what you’re going to do next. It’s all going to be just keeping that momentum up and loving what you do, because I must tell you I loved every minute of CAAMA.
”And watching it grow and watching the influence its had around the country, I can watch all the channels and hear all the radio and films and I just think, wait til they see us in another ten years, you wait Australia, we’ve got stories to tell.”
While the awards recognised both Freda Glynn and John Macumba’s contributions to the establishment of the First Nations media industry, modern media formats were also celebrated, including messaging about mobile phone use, podcast content and digital production development, alongside upcoming talent in traditional media formats.
Wayne Bynder received the Outstanding Contributor Award in recognition of over 40 years of igniting passion for broadcasting across the Kimberley and generously sharing his knowledge across the industry.
The full list of award recipients appears below.
Major Awards
Lifetime Achievement Award 
Freda Glynn
First Nations Media Legend Award
John Macumba
Outstanding Contributor Award
Wayne Bynder (pictured right)
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
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