The station will get a $15,000 research and development grant from Vision Maker Media for a documentary film and companion radio piece.
When KSUT signed on in 1976, it was just the eighth tribal radio station in the U.S. There are now 53.
Today, KSUT Tribal Radio serves a large area of Native peoples in the Four Corners region. The station broadcasts at 91.3 FM on Southern Ute Tribal lands in southwest Colorado, and at 89.7 FM in northwest New Mexico. Tribal Radio and Four Corners Public Radio, together, are known as KSUT Public Radio.
KSUT will get to tell their story through a documentary film, A History of Native American Public Radio. It will look at the history of Native American public radio from its origins in 1976 to today. The film will focus on the original eight stations, including KSUT.
A History of Native American Public Radio will mix narration, oral traditions from Tribal Elders, Native American ceremonial music and dance, archival audio and video, and still photographs to tell a compelling and unique story about Native American public radio stations.
The film and a companion radio piece will be broadcast and distributed on both Native American media and public radio nationwide, as well as on PBS.
According to KSUT Tribal Radio Manager Sheila Nanaeto, "The Vision Maker grant is an exciting opportunity to share the history of tribal radio stations through the public television forum. Tribal radio stations have overcome hardships, celebrated success and serve an important role in each of their individual communities. This project gives a platform for stations to tell their own history as a collective, united voice.
Native American radio stations are an informational and cultural lifeline to the communities they serve," added Nanaeto. "This project will highlight the importance of tribal radio in providing access to news, information and cultural programming to Native American people, many of whom have no other connection to their tribe or outside world."
Vision Maker Media shares Native stories with the world. These stories represent the cultures, experiences and values of American Indians and Alaska Natives. It accomplishes this mission by funding, producing and developing educational content for all media, including television and the internet.
Vision Maker Media agreements are underwritten by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and intended for Public Television distribution. PBS will maintain exclusive domestic broadcast rights for four years after the completion of the film.