Launched in 2014 after a successful pilot program ‘The Northern Ontario Initiative’, the now multi-award winning Indigenous Reporters Program seeks to increase the quality and quantity of Indigenous stories and voices in media in Canada.

To achieve this the program

• Works directly in and with Indigenous communities, engaging interested community members on journalism and media literacy capacity building programming.
• Creates pathways of opportunities for Indigenous peoples to pursue careers in journalism through internship, mentorship and networking opportunities ultimately strengthening Indigenous voices in Canadian media.
• Engages and trains non-Indigenous journalists and journalism students on best practices for reporting on Indigenous stories to ensure stories are reported on with more accuracy, frequency, and offer better informed perspectives.

With better coverage, people across Canada can have a better understanding of Indigenous stories and the media can better reflect the diverse voices in the country.

JHR has also published a series of reports through the program. Including, Buried Voices and Buried Voices: Changing Tones which examined the frequency of Indigenous coverage in Ontario media from 2010 to 2013 and 2013 to 2016, respectfully. And, Emerging Voices, a dual examination into access to post-secondary journalism education for Indigenous youth in Ontario, and what post-secondary journalism programs in the province are doing to implement TRC Call to Action #86. Read the studies in the publications page, here.

Indigenous Reporters Network

Indigenous journalists and journalism students in Canada are invited to join the Indigenous Reporters Network, a JHR initiative in partnership with the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ), and supported by RBC Future Launch.

The Indigenous Reporters Network is a network of Indigenous journalists within the CAJ. This network will provide Indigenous journalists at all career stages with opportunities to develop their skills, participate in CAJ events and professional development, and build new connections with their peers across the country.

This program aspires to contribute to the meaningful development of Indigenous voices and perspectives from coast to coast to coast.

Click here for more details and information on how to join the network.

J-School Curriculum: Reporting in Indigenous Communities

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action #86 calls upon journalism programs to require Indigenous content in their courses. A well informed media sector is an essential precursor to a well informed public.

JHR’s Reporting in Indigenous Communities Curriculum is freely available to all post-secondary journalism and media programs in Canada.

This modular curriculum can be implemented as a standalone course or individual modules can be integrated into existing courses.

For more information about the curriculum, please click here.