The indigenous media network WIBN gathered in Kautokeino to strengthen cooperation and development

Nils Johan Heatta, former director of NRK Sápmi co-founded the indigenous media network WIBN in 2008. He is happy that indigenous journalists continue to meet to set new goals.

- It is important to constantly work to develop. When you reach a goal, it is important to set new goals to work towards, says Heatta.

"Needed more than ever"

It was at the beginning of September that WIBN held a conference in Kautokeino. Indigenous media worldwide gathered to exchange experiences.

One of them was Tanya Denning-Orman, head of Indigenous media at Australia's public service channel SBS.

- Indigenous media in particular are needed more than ever. Happily, it feels like we're gearing up. Our journalists are incredible, they know they are building on the work of others, says Denning-Orman.

The Sami have been the driving force

WIBN - World Indigenous Broadcasters Network - was founded in 2008, but the work started long before that. Nils Johan Heatta tells us that the Sami have been the driving force in indigenous collaborations since the beginning in the 1970s.

- It was important that we got to see that there were other indigenous people who were faced with exactly the same problems, and that we got to feel a sense of belonging to the indigenous group.

Heatta believes that indigenous media play an important role today.

- Indigenous peoples' knowledge and perspective are important in the world today, because they open up a new world. They believe that the world they have created, where conflicts only increase and increase, is the solution for the future, says Heatta.

In the season premiere of 15 minutes from Sápmi, you get to join the media conference at the beginning of September, where Tanya Denning-Orman talks about the racism faced by Indigenous journalists in Australia.

15 minutes from Sápmi can be seen on Saturdays in SVT2 at 16:05 and on SVT Play.