Changing the media landscape
A driving force for Indigenous reporting and representation
Rhianna Patrick (Bachelor of Arts (Journalism) ’99) is a force to be reckoned with. As a Torres Strait Islander media professional with 19 years’ experience at the ABC, and recently as the Head of Audio and Podcasting at IndigenousX, she has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to reporting on issues that matter.
Ms Patrick is fiercely passionate about representing Indigenous peoples in the news and sat down with Contact to share some insights into independent news reporting, understanding what makes a ‘good’ journalist, and how to ‘be the change’.
Q: What does it mean to ‘be the change’?
A: The mission has always been to be visible within journalism. I recognised very early on that the voices of Indigenous people weren't necessarily included in a positive way. I was aware of that, as a primary school-aged kid, watching the news every night. I did not see people who were like me. When that penny drops, you start realising that there isn't anyone on television that looks like you, or that your community's not being portrayed in a positive light.
In Rhianna's latest project she's hosting a six-part podcast series for the State Library of Queensland called Hi, I'm Eddie.
While some of that has changed, and we see more variety of stories these days from Indigenous people in Indigenous communities, I think there's still a long way to go because we are still framed in this very deficit narrative framework. There are certain ways that Indigenous Affairs is spoken about; the terminology that’s used when it's an Indigenous community that's involved is very different to when it's a non-Indigenous community.
My only agenda is that we are treated with respect in the news and that our issues are given the same amount, but also that our positive stories are given the same level of respect.
However, it's a catch 22; when you're an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander journalist, you automatically get pigeonholed. You are so much more than your Indigeneity. I guess that's why I've always worked heavily in covering Indigenous stories or interviewing Indigenous people, but I've also been acutely aware that I can do non-Indigenous things as well and I have other interests. Showing people that we are fully rounded, universal, with other interests and experiences is also part of that.
Rhianna's love for audio and showcasing Indigenous talent has led her to curating the monthly Original Storytellers playlist from Spotify.
Q: What does representation mean to you?
A: I believe in the voices and the sovereignty of our own media, but our own media needs to be funded properly and supported. I think it's a catch 22, again, because you can't rely on government funding and you must be self-sustainable, but if no one is supporting what you're putting out, it makes it very hard.
I think mainstream media must get introspective about itself, about the exclusion that it's been a big part of and really look at itself in the mirror. That constructive feedback of saying, ‘We need to do better, and we can definitely do better,’ is critical.
The issue isn’t solved by just grabbing every Indigenous journalist that you can and taking them away from Indigenous media, which is then left without staff, because these non-Indigenous media organisations are trying to find Indigenous journalists to do this work. It’s already a hurting sector – it doesn't need any more challenges. It’s not a case of just filling your ranks with the greatest number of Indigenous staff you can, but about those Indigenous staff being in various positions of power, like middle management, senior management and executive directors.
Q: How can we shift the attitude towards alternative media?
A: Media organisations like IndigenousX are important because they’re self-sustainable without taking government funding. I noticed in the time that I was working there that there has been a monumental shift where non-Indigenous audiences are seeking those perspectives now. It’s proven that the appetite has changed and that audiences are seeking alternative views and reporting by Indigenous people, for Indigenous people.
I'm really interested in how places like IndigenousX can tell stories in ways that we do innately as Indigenous people, not as Indigenous people who've been trained in a very Western context. It's not going to be easy, but I believe that just by questioning how you approach something is the start of it. While journalism is incredibly powerful, I think it can be changed to work in a manner that includes the way that many other cultures might determine their own journalism and storytelling approaches.
You’re never not going to not be involved in an Indigenous story. You can't live your life in a bubble thinking that you'll never report on Indigenous Australians, because you will. We might be 3 per cent of the population, but we also track tonnes of news in terms of percentage, as well and column space and online publishing space. You can't avoid that.
I think journalists must be acutely aware of what they’re offering, because there's never going to be a point in their career that they do not have contact with us, whether they know it or not.
Rhianna has a passion for storytelling through audio, and was most recently Head of Audio and Podcasting at IndigenousX.
Q: What makes a good journalist?
A: Observation is a big one for me. I've spent a lot of my career getting stories from observing and questioning things that I see. I think it's a skill that really can't be taught and is underused by journalists. The news doesn't just come and find you; you must generate stories and observation is super helpful.
The second thing is to never make it just about the transaction. Journalists are very good at developing relationships that are about what they can get from it. As an Indigenous journalist, I'm always about reciprocation. Reciprocation is massive in how I guide myself as an Indigenous person. I have always been about having a real relationship with the people who I work with and interview because you get so much more out of that than just ringing a contact because you need something.
Relationship building is more important in the long run for your career than an easy win. The way you conduct yourself and your reputation as a journalist is better. Treat people as human. Sometimes as journalists, we forget when we're on the scene of an accident, for example, that there are human beings involved in whatever has transpired.
Never forget the humanity in what it is that you do.
The third thing is to continue to learn and be curious about spaces that you're not necessarily a part of. Being mindful of dipping into spaces that are not your own, like reading articles from people with different backgrounds to you to understand different perspectives and the different lenses that have been put on things, makes you a well-rounded journalist.
Relationships, respect, opportunities
The UQ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (ATSIS) Unit strongly supports the celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and recognises the enormous contributions that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and perspectives bring to UQ’s Learning, Discovery and Engagement activities.
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