4/07/2023

SBS Audio has announced the appointment of proud Wiradjuri and Western Arrernte woman, Lowanna Grant, as the Executive Producer of NITV Radio.

NITV Radio is among SBS Audio's more than 60 multilingual services, and is dedicated to exploring news, events and issues that affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. With the latest news alongside interviews and features, NITV Radio shares stories with a national focus and from a First Nations lens.

During her first NAIDOC Week as Executive Producer and Presenter, Grant - who commenced in the role last month - will discuss the importance of First Nations languages with Letetia Harris, Wiradjuri language teacher at Charles Sturt University. Grant graduated from Charles Sturt University herself in 2022 with a Graduate Certificate in Wiradjuri Language, Culture and Heritage.

Conversing partly in Wiradjuri language, the interview will also touch on the language revitalisation work of Wiradjuri Elder, Dr Stanley Grant Snr AM, and Grant's paternal grandfather. Dr Grant, his brother the late Pastor Cec Grant OAM and Dr John Rudder were pioneers in reconstructing Wiradjuri language, which led to the production of a Wiradjuri dictionary, children's books and university teaching materials. In 2022, Dr Grant was awarded the NAIDOC Lifetime Achievement Award for his significant contributions.

Grant said, I'm looking forward to delivering this story during NAIDOC Week which celebrates Wiradjuri language and the Elders who have had such a huge impact by working to keep First Nations languages alive through language revitalisation and teaching.

As Executive Producer, Grant will lead the editorial direction for NITV Radio, presenting the program and producing its distinctive and innovative multiplatform content sharing the diverse voices and perspectives of First Nations peoples.

She was previously at NITV where she has been working since 2017. She brings a range of experience to the role, including most recently as the Indigenous Lead in the Programming team for the channel where she was focused on the curation of NITV's content on SBS On Demand. Prior to that, she worked across a number of areas in NITV, supporting the delivery of content and key projects as well as presenting, including in the Commissioning team overseeing the short-form documentary initiative, Our Stories, as the presenter of The World Game on NITV, and as a key player in the channel's coverage of NAIDOC Week, the Koori Knockout and SBS's Always Was Always Will Be season of programming around January 26.

David Hua, Director of Audio and Language Content said: We're thrilled to have Lowanna join the team at NITV Radio. I'm looking forward to the passion, cultural knowledge and fresh perspective she'll bring for our listeners across platforms. I'm also looking forward to seeing First Nations stories shared with more multicultural and multilingual Australians as outlined in the SBS Elevate Reconciliation Action Plan. We're excited to have Lowanna come on board, particularly at a time when ensuring the voices of our communities are heard is so important, and to continue telling important First Nations stories through NITV Radio.

On her appointment, Grant said: I'm so excited to be joining the NITV Radio team and taking on this important role for such a unique program, and vital part of SBS's broader audio offering. NITV Radio provides a critical platform to cover the news impacting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and dive into the issues and stories featuring a diverse range of voices from our communities including in First Nations languages.

Grant commenced in the role last month, and is based in SBS's Artarmon office.

SBS Audio has also recorded an Acknowledgement of Country in over 40 languages to mark NAIDOC Week, making it accessible to multicultural communities around Australia to use at events. Translated Acknowledgements of Country are available on the SBS Voice Referendum portal. Audiences can hear an Acknowledgement of Country in their language and read information explaining the purpose of an Acknowledgement of Country, it's importance and how to deliver one.

NITV Radio airs on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1pm on SBS Radio 1, as well as the NITV Radio website, and the SBS Audio app. NITV Radio also produces distinctive podcasts like BLA.C.K Medicine and Conversations on Country.

For a PDF version of this media release click here

LINK:	https://www.sbs.com.au/aboutus/lowanna-grant-joins-nitv-radio-as-execu...
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