Daniel Featherstone, General Manager of Indigenous Remote Communications Association (IRCA) of Australia, presents “Why One Size Doesn’t Fit All: Towards a Policy for Remote Indigenous Media and Communications.”
The presentation describes the issues of top-down policy and one-size-fits-all programs that often do not have the desired outcomes for remote communities. Case studies include the National Broadband Network not meeting telephony needs, Digital Switchover as Direct-to-home, the introduction of NITV, the reduction of IBP to radio only, the National Jobs Package not designed for multi-site delivery. Daniel proposes more consultative, flexible and ground-up program delivery and described the need for a specific remote indigenous media and communications policy, using a development model to address the specific needs and context for remote communities.
