Who We Are
Ngaarda Media was created by the Yindjibarndi community for all Aboriginal people of the Pilbara region. We are the only licensed Aboriginal broadcaster in this 500,000 square kilometre region and the collective voice of more than 30 language groups of Traditional Owners.
Ngaarda Media is a respected news broadcaster and local content producer. We connect Aboriginal communities across the Pilbara through the sharing of language, culture, news, sport, community messaging and entertainment. We are the only First Nations media outlet in Western Australia with a dedicated daily bulletin focused on First Nations breaking news. We pride ourselves on giving a voice to the people of the Pilbara and ensuring First Nations issues are acknowledged, aired, and discussed.
Ngaarda Media was originally established in 2004 as Juluwarlu Media, the publishing arm of Juluwarlu Group Aboriginal Corporation, to document and archive Yindjibarndi language, culture, and law. Yindjibarndi Elders were encouraged to speak on video and audio tape, with precious oral language and stories captured by archivists who often travelled out on country to sit down with Elders before generations of history could be lost.
Juluwarlu Media obtained a community broadcast license and established a community radio station in Roebourne. With ten language groups in Roebourne alone, Juluwarlu Media recognised the need to expand beyond Yindjibarndi language and culture to reflect all Aboriginal language groups in the area. In 2014, Juluwarlu Media transitioned to Ngaarda Media Aboriginal Corporation, with the name coming from the Yindjibarndi word ngaarda, meaning ‘everybody’. Representatives from four Yindjibarndi community organisations are represented on the Ngaarda Media board and continue to guide and support the direction of Ngaarda Media.
Ngaarda Media broadcasts on FM radio 24 hours a day, 7 days per week via 14 transmitter stations located across the Pilbara, reaching an estimated population of 60,000 people. Our transmission network broadcasts as far north as Broome in the Kimberley and across Ngaatjatjarra Lands to the south. In addition to our radio listeners, Ngaarda Media increasingly engages online audiences through website and Facebook broadcasts. As part of our four-year strategy, Ngaarda Media is seeking to extend into television and online streaming in association with ICTV and Channel 34.
Ngaarda Media’s purpose remains rooted in our origins: to preserve and promote Aboriginal languages and culture across the Pilbara. By connecting Aboriginal people with their ancestral languages and culture, Ngaarda Media unites communities and families, strengthens people’s spiritual connection to country, and sustains living Aboriginal culture today and into the future.
Our Governance
Ngaarda Media is overseen by a board made up of five members, including representatives from four Aboriginal corporation stakeholders. The community representatives only have voting power on the board, which is currently chaired by Yindjibarndi-woman Lorraine Coppin. The board guides the strategic direction and objectives of Ngaarda Media. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), currently Tangiora Hinaki, is responsible for implementing the strategic direction endorsed by the board and for managing the day-to-day operations and administration of Ngaarda Media.
The CEO oversees a small team currently comprised of five employees. Ngaarda Media has a large volunteer base: 20 volunteers of all ages and backgrounds provide more than 500 hours each year to present programs and to assist with governance, organisation, and administration work.
Ngaarda Media receives funding from local, state, and federal governments, and partners with various corporate and community stakeholders on specific projects. If you’d like to support us in any way or become a partner, please contact ceo@ngaardamedia.com.au
Values
Truth
Courageous | Honest | Representative
Integrity
Trusted | Transparent | Fair | Accessible | Independent
Respect
Culture | Elders | Community | Family | Inclusion
Connection
Leadership | Partnerships | Teamwork | Unity
Our Mob
Lorraine Coppin
Chairperson
Lorraine Coppin is the Chairperson of Ngaarda Media. Lorraine has been Cultural Recording, Language, and Archive Manager for Juluwarlu Aboriginal Corporation for 15 years.
Kaye Warrie
Board Member
Yindjibarndi painter, Kaye Warrie is a Ngaarda Media Board member and has been painting since the early 2000s. Before the Cheeditha Art Group was established, she worked with other artists’ cooperatives, including Roebourne Art Group (RAG). With RAG, Kaye exhibited in the Cossack Art Award, Colours of our Country and Ngurra Nyingu.
Josie Samson
Ngarluma Broadcaster
Josie Samson is a Ngarluma woman who is active in the Roebourne community as an advocate for First Nation people. She is a talented singer-songwriter who has produced two albums. Josie's first love is Jesus Christ and hosts a regular gospel show on Ngaarda radio every Wednesday morning from 9am. Josie is also a cultural advisor as a traditional owner of the land we broadcast from.
Middleton Cheedy
Cultural Advisor
Boonjah(Middleton) is a quiet man, he takes his time to reply and when he does! The way he speaks can conjure beautiful scenes and instil knowledge that you simply can't turn your ears away from.
Tangiora Hinaki
CEO
Tangiora Hinaki is from the eastern tribes Ngāti Kahungunu and Ngāti Porou, she is a citizen of both Aotearoa (NZ) and Australia. She worked at ABC Pilbara in Karratha for eight years as a content creator and her passion for telling First Nation stories lead to working at Ngaarda Media, the only indigenous media hub in the Pilbara based in Ieramagadu (Roebourne).
Tangiora received a scholarship to attend the Leadership WA Rising program in 2020 which has been instrumental in learning about emotional intelligence and leading a team.
Contact Tangiora: thinaki@ngaardamedia.com.au
Marion Cheedy
Senior Yindjibarndi Broadcaster
Marion Cheedy has been working at Ngaarda Media longer than most. She hosts Ngaarda Media's only national broadcast, a cultural hour dedicated to matters that impact First Nation people.
Contact Marion: mcheedy@ngaardamedia.com.au
Promod Thomas
Senior Creative Director
Contact Promod Thomas:
Andrew Sharps
Broadcast Manager
Andrew has decades of experience in all aspects of broadcast television and radio, including production and operational roles with the BBC, RTÉ, ITV, Sky, TV2 Denmark, MBC and the Seven Network. His current role at Ngaarda Media is to manage daily news, content and commercial scheduling operations, while planning and executing major editorial projects. This is across Radio and TV, for linear and on demand platforms.
Contact Andrew Sharps: andrew@ngaardamedia.com.au
Asad Khan
Lead Journalist
Asad Khan is the Lead Journalist at Ngaarda Media Aboriginal Corporation, where he is dedicated to amplifying First Nations voices and stories. With a major in Journalism from Monash University in Melbourne, Asad has honed his skills in reporting, storytelling, and community engagement. Having lived in Melbourne for seven years, he brings a diverse perspective and a deep understanding of the media landscape.
At Ngaarda Media, Asad is committed to creating impactful content that resonates with Indigenous communities and fosters cultural pride. His work focuses on delivering news and stories that are relevant to First Nations peoples, ensuring that their narratives are told authentically and with respect.
Contact Asad Khan: news@ngaardamedia.com.au
Sudarshan Paudel Videographer & Editor
Sudarshan Paudel, a videographer and Editor at Ngaarda Media since September 2023, brings a unique creative vision and a deep passion for cinematography to his role. Known for his drive to explore innovative and uncharted ideas, Sudarshan excels at crafting compelling visual narratives. His love for engaging with people and building connections enhances his creative work. With a Master’s in Screen Arts from Curtin University, Western Australia, Sudarshan combines his educational background with a fresh perspective to make a significant impact in the media landscape.
Contact Sudarshan Paudel: sudarshan@ngaardamedia.com.au