At the New News conference in Melbourne, a panel comprising Indigenous media personalities discussed the potential impact of social media for Aboriginal communities.
The general manager of the National Indigenous Radio Service, Brett Leavy, said that social media was allowing indigenous Australians to speak on their own terms about the issues that affected them most.
The Walkley Award-nominated journalist and former National Indigenous Television political editor Jeremy Geia said there was still a lack of Indigenous voices in mainstream media.
“When was the last time or first time a black Australian was a panelist on the ABC ‘Insiders’ program?”
Mr Geia said social media channels were important tools of activism needed to keep diverse opinions alive.
He said Internet-delivered content was the most important development in the ongoing representation of outside voices.
“When was the last time or first time a black Australian was a panelist on the ABC ‘Insiders’ program?” he asked prior to Friday’s session.
Luke Pearson, the creator of the collective Twitter account IndigenousX agreed. He said social media had helped many communities engage with each other and was providing a forum for wider debate and awareness.
Mr Pearson said he wanted to expand the IndigenousX concept.
“We’re looking at an IndigenousX website, radio show, numerous resources developed under the banner [and] potentially a web-TV element, but that’s probably still 12 months down the track.”
He said that IndigenousX had managed to cross over into mainstream media, most notably with The Guardian’s Australian site publishing some of its stories.
He added that more and more Indigenous organisations and community groups were using the new technology.
“Facebook is really huge and Twitter is picking up all the time, but a lot of people are still using it in much the same social way that I think everybody uses it, [but also] as a tool for online advocacy, online education, all of those sort of aspects – that recognition is building quickly.”
Mr Leavy said he hoped in the future that Indigenous media would cover many issues using Indigenous sources.