Media Release 32

Tuesday, 7 July 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Yolŋu Radio Live Online

Australia ’s first Indigenous language Radio Service launched live on the web today.

Aboriginal Resource and Development Services (ARDS) today brings the unique culture of the Yolŋu people of northeast Arnhem Land to the world through this web-streaming launch of Yolŋu Radio .

“This represents another big step towards closing the gap between Indigenous communities and mainstream Australia.” said Richard Trudgen, CEO of ARDS and author of the influential book, ‘Why Warriors Lie Down and Die’.

Therese Rein, wife of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Patron for Indigenous Literacy Project, commented on the launch of the web stream saying: “Yolgnu Radio respects and affirms the preciousness, uniqueness and diversity of Australian indigenous languages. The station will also enable Indigenous Australians to communicate in their own language and culture. I wish the station well.”

Yolŋu Radio was established in August 2003 to meet the information access needs of the Yolŋu people of north-east Arnhem Land.

It is helping to close the gap by producing and broadcasting audio education programs around important topics in health, economics and law. This content stimulates community learning, debate and change within communities.

“Most media and education services fail the people because they do not communicate in the people’s language, or start from where the people are at, or address the questions that the Yol ŋu people themselves want answered.” said Trudgen.

The Chairman of ARDS, Djuŋatjuŋa Yunupi ŋu said “By web streaming Yolŋu Radio, our children studying down south can listen to their own radio service that their Yolŋu friends and relatives back home are listening to . We are also proud to show Yolŋu culture to the world. ”

Yolŋu Radio provides the only Yolŋu Matha news, information, local traditional and contemporary music and topical education service for Yolŋu people living in remote locations across Arnhem Land or who are linguistically isolated in an English-speaking world in Darwin or across Australia.

ARDS’ Yolŋu Radio has been built using small grants from government, charitable donations and earnings from ARDS seminars and education resource sales.

In an effort to expand this service, ARDS welcomes new sponsors and donors.

ARDS’ two-day Bridging the Gap seminar Australia wide. These Seminars are conducted by Richard Trudgen, CEO of ARDS and author of the influential book Why Warriors Lie Down and Die, and Yolŋu co-presenters from north-east Arnhem land including Witiyana Marika,
co-founder of the internationally recognised Yothu Yindi band. Learn more about Yolŋu culture in two days than most people will in a lifetime. Income from these seminars is used to support and develop Yolŋu Radio so your attendance can help us keep this vital service online.

Please go to “Seminars” at www.ards.com.au and e-mail the flyer for these Seminars to your friends and networks. http://www.ards.com.au/print/SeminarFlyer2009.pdf

To listen to the Yol ŋ u Radio web stream or for further information about the ‘Bridging the Gap’ Seminars please visit www.ards.com.au.   

ENDS

Notes to Editor:

• Aboriginal Resource and Development Services are the leaders in bridging the gap between indigenous communities and mainstream society
  
• Yolŋu Radio currently broadcasts on 1530 AM in Darwin and Palmerston and from 18 small transmitters across north-east Arnhem Land. Yol ŋ u Radio can also be received Australia wide via a free-to-air signal on the Optus Aurora satellite

• Yolŋu Radio has a listening base of around 6,000 to 8,000 of traditional aboriginal people from the Yolŋu Clan Nations of north-east Arnhem Land. Many other thousands of Aboriginal people in Darwin and Palmerston a listening to your radio. Another untold number of other Aboriginal people and communities across the Northern Territory and Australia are also switching their local radio retransmission services to Yolŋu radio “free to air” signal off the Optus Aurora satellite platform. 

For further information or interview opportunities contact:

Nyssa Berryman

(07) 5445 6513 or 0431 079 102

Kerry Voller

(07) 5445 6513 or 0415 409 892

Richard Trudgen ARDS Nhulun 08 89873910

If you are interested in attanding our Bridging the Cultural Divide Seminars which cover information on yolngu law as well as a host of other topics,Click Here to find out more information or book online