EVTV

PY Media (Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjattjara Media ) had its genesis in community television EVTV (Ernabella Video and Television) in Pukatja (Ernabella) in the early 1980s.

Extracts from 30 Years of Indigenous Media by Chris Guster:

"The first introduction to video technology for the Ernabella community was when school teacher, Rex Guthrie began using a video camera as an educational tool in 1982 to assist the local school teachers to better communicate with their pupils, and to break down the barriers between local Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in the community.

The video unit at Ernabella was brought into being in 1983 by local elder, Wally Dunn and Guthrie in his new role as Community Adult Educator. Dunn and Guthrie held a series of community meetings about the coming of satellite television. As a result of these meetings, 'The Ernabella Video Project’ was formed with six local ‘video production trainees’, including Simon Tjiyangu and Pantjiti Tjiyangu.

In November 1984 EVTV conducted its first test TV transmission and by April 1985 EVTV began regular television broadcasts. In its first year EVTV produced 17 productions including Bush Medicine and the re-enactment of the dreaming story The Seven Sisters.

In September 1985, local school teacher Neil Turner took over from Rex Guthrie and remained with EVTV (later PY Media) until he moved to Broome in 1996."

PY Media is now based in Umuwa - a service centre for the APY Lands.