A slew of First Nations titles produced by the Australian Children’s Television Foundation (ACTF) will air in 29 states across the US after being acquired by First Nations Experience (FNX), a North American channel devoted to Native American and world Indigenous content.
As part of the deal, which includes the acquisition of several series and relicensing of others, the live-action series Barrumbi Kids and series two and three of the preschool animation Little J & Big Cuz will premiere in the US, while season one of the latter has been relicensed.
The broadcaster has also acquired Thalu, Red Dirt Riders, and Ready for This, and relicensed Double Trouble and the first two seasons of Waabiny Time.
FNX is carried by 34 affiliate stations broadcasting into 29 states from Alaska to New York, with a potential viewing audience of more than 75.5 million households. Several additional stations stream FNX digitally throughout their communities and states.
FNX producer and television director Frank Blanquet (Yucatec Maya) described the ACTF titles as the “perfect fit” for the channel.
“First Nations Experience, the first national Native American and World Indigenous TV Channel in the US, is extremely proud to partner with the Australian Children’s Television Foundation,” he said.
“FNX aims to be a showcase and a platform for all indigenous people to celebrate their vibrant cultures, stories, songs, music, and especially our children and elders. Celebrating the pillars in our societies, and empowering our future generations is crucial to help uplift our Native and Indigenous communities. We are thankful for the opportunity to bring these stories to our national US audience, and plan to continue to do so for years to come.”
ACTF CEO Jenny Buckland said the foundation was excited to see the programs reach a wider audience.
“Australia’s First Nations screen practitioners are among the most talented members of our screen sector, and we’re proud to have such a range of engaging, high-quality content that celebrates and elevates First Nations culture in our offering for children,” she said.