ALBUQUERQUE – A California-based television network dedicated to Native Americans has arrived in the Albuquerque area, New Mexico PBS announced this week.
New Mexico PBS said U.S. First Nations Experience now is live on KNME-TV, HD Channel 5.3, in the Albuquerque market, and features programs focusing on Native American and indigenous people around the world.
“Educators, students and viewers will find a variety of American Indian, Pacific Islander and other indigenous people’s stories and voices via this service,” New Mexico PBS General Manager and CEO Franz Joachim said. “Those viewers familiar with certain tribal stories may find something new in other nations’ achievements, creativity and experiences.”
New Mexico PBS officials say the station will be pushing for Albuquerque-area cable and satellite providers to carry the Native American network.
KENW-TV, the regional PBS-TV affiliate in Portales, New Mexico, also is airing the First Nations Experience network throughout the KENW viewing area across New Mexico and West Texas, KENW Director of Broadcasting Duane Ryan said.
“We’re thrilled to be able to provide a fourth channel of public television broadcasting at KENW-TV, especially designed for Native American audiences,” Ryan said.
Launched in September 2011, the public TV network known as FNX is a partnership of the San Manuel band of Mission Indians and KVCR-PBS in San Bernardino, California.
FNX can already be seen by 11 million people in several states, including California, Arizona, New Mexico, Alaska, Minnesota and Illinois.
The network is scheduled to air Disney-Pixar’s Finding Nemo in Navajo with English subtitles on Christmas Day.
Among the other shows on FNX are Forging Bonds: Pow Wow Stories from California and Back in the Day – a television series about six First Nations people from downtown Vancouver discovering the wilds of British Columbia.
FNX expands as more networks focusing on minorities try to come on air or through streaming services.
Red Nation Television Network, for example, streams movies, original series, documentaries and children programs that focus on Native Americans.
And kweliTV is a streaming service that showcases movies and documentaries about African Americans.
