By Patrick Quinn
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The Nation
With construction recently completed on a new studio in Mistissini, the James Bay Cree Communications Society is evolving to meet the needs of a changing media environment. Initially formed as a regional radio network, the organization now produces video and multimedia work.
“Radio is still very important but as we move forward in the direction that youth are going, everything is on the phone and the iPad,” explained Patrick Forward. “Naturally, the next step is to create a nice TV studio here where we’re going to be able to record live broadcasts, messages to the Nation and create even more children’s programming.”
Founded in 1981 to provide independent daily Cree-language cultural and social programming, the non-profit JBCCS radio network first hit the air through CBC in 1986. It officially launched in 2001 after receiving funding to build its own network.
Executive director Scott Forward has guided the organization’s growth over the past 15 years. After his brother Patrick joined seven years ago, JBCCS has expanded to live streaming and video creation. An extensive digitization project transferred interviews, storytelling and other programming from old cassette tapes.
“We had an incredible crew of co-workers who learned some video editing and did their part to help us accomplish something special,” Patrick Forward said. “It will give us the opportunity to hopefully provide addresses from Grand Chiefs or emergency alerts live to the community. We try to come up with creative ideas to help save the language.”
Radio programming remains predominantly in the Cree language, except for advertisements. Over the years, it’s expanded to include more interviews and stories from Elders. Special events and live-streamed Cree Nation Government meetings are sometimes aired over the nine local community stations.
Video production often features more English to access a wider range of youth who are generally less fluent in Cree. Last summer, students gaining work experience with JBCCS created five episodes of a new show called Youth Cast. By request, the show continued after the summer ended to cover the Cree Nation Youth Council election and the Cree School Board symposium.
“I think we’ll find that video is probably much more targeted to the different audiences,” suggested Forward. “If it’s vaccine campaigns or simple Christmas messages, [Youth Cast] has the ability to reach out to the youth because they have about 5,000 followers. It’s very easy to insert messages and reach a mass group who are following the show.”
The children’s puppet program John and Friends – described as a “Cree Sesame Street” – was a regional hit with younger audiences after its debut a year ago. Seven more episodes will air this year along with short clips featuring the popular characters to promote messages like brushing teeth or keeping warm in winter.
“We’re starting to realize we can use these characters for more than just a show,” said Forward. “We’ve had invites from teachers to do in-class visits that have been very successful. We haven’t stopped the kids from touching the puppets because we want to see the interaction, for them to feel like these are their own.”
The puppeteers behind the characters joined the school visits. The excitement they witnessed in a special-needs class was a particular highlight, and recordings of the children’s joyous interaction may be integrated into future episodes. Forward revealed that fans will see a few new puppets in the series towards the end of the year.
The latest episode of John and Friends is streaming exclusively on the CreeTV app, which can be downloaded from the JBCCS website. Their library of content includes original series and live-streamed events across Eeyou Istchee, such as the recent CNYC youth summit and coverage of the Junos, where Cree musician Siibii was a nominee.
With studies showing younger students below the school board’s target level of Cree fluency, programs like John and Friends provide a fun and engaging way to expand proficiency. The JBCCS and Language Foundry, an interactive Indigenous language learning platform, are also developing Cree-language learning games.
“They will know words, how to pronounce them, especially if it’s voiceover sounds too,” said radio host Clarence D. Snowboy, who lent his voice to the project. “If you doubt yourself with sounds, then you just press ‘how does it sound?’ button. I believe this is going to help.”
The new studio will provide capacity to expand Cree broadcasting in exciting directions. While it’s not yet equipped with the necessary technology, the building features a green room, an editing and recording room, and another technical room downstairs.
“Then we have the bigger upstairs portion, which is a full, open studio,” said Forward. “That’s going to come with a stage, proper lighting, soundproofing, and its own control room. My hope is that in the next six months we’ll have all the equipment and once that happens, we’ll do a grand opening.”
He’s relieved that the major work is completed and radio hosts no longer have to joke about all the hammering and drilling listeners could hear in the background. The CNG and Cree Nation Department of Commerce and Industry are major funders of the project, while Caisse Desjardins provided a loan to complete the job.
The creative JBCCS staff have no shortage of ideas, and Forward anticipates a steady stream of new content in coming years. Tech-savvy youth will doubtlessly push Cree content into new realms. Forward envisions a morning show giving people a daily update of anything going on around the Cree Nation.
“Sporting events should be televised so that parents and grandparents who can’t always travel can watch them,” Forward asserted. “Same with news and powwows, dance festivals, swim meets. The hope is as many youth as possible interested in making content go out to study and come back with their ideas.”