About the IBC
For over four decades, Inuit Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) has been a national leader in Inuit-led media production. Since 1981, IBC has created original television and digital programming by and for Inuit, primarily in Inuktitut. Its programming includes beloved children’s shows like Takuginai, documentaries, cooking shows like Nunnavumi Mamarijavut and other cultural content like our long-running talk show Qanuq Isumavit. Our programming is focuses on preserving language, community knowledge, and lived experience. IBC’s work has been broadcast nationally and internationally and continues to train and employ Inuit media makers.
IBC also maintains one of the most significant Inuit audiovisual archives in existence. The collection holds thousands of hours of Inuit-produced footage documenting daily life, political movements, land claims, arts, and cultural practices over several decades. These materials are not simply historical records, they are a living resource that supports language preservation, education, research, and the ongoing work of Inuit storytelling.
IBC History
Learn about the history of the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation.
Mandate & Goals
Preserving language, culture, storytelling, and Inuit representation in media.
Board and Staff
Dedicated leaders supporting Inuit voices, culture, and broadcasting.
Employment
Opportunities to empower Inuit storytelling and media careers.
History of the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation
The roots of the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation extend back to the 1970s as part of a federally sponsored initiative called the Inukshuk Program.
In the beginning...
In the early 70s, basic television production facilities were set up in six northern communities, and teams of Inuit trainees started learning the ropes of TV production—laying the foundation for something ground-breaking.
By 1980, the Inukshuk Project took off, broadcasting from Iqaluit via the Anik B satellite. This was more than just TV; it was a chance for unprecedented connection Inuit across the Northwest Territories. For eight months, people could see one another, discuss important issues, and share information—all in their own language. The Inukshuk Project showed Inuit that they could embrace technology and lead broadcasting projects that reflected their unique culture and needs.
The momentum didn’t stop there...
In 1981, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) granted a network television license to the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada, paving the way for the birth of the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation (IBC).
On January 11, 1982, at the stroke of midnight, IBC officially hit the airwaves with its first program: a 90-minute special introducing the new network to viewers. This was more than just a broadcast—it was the beginning of a movement to preserve and celebrate Inuit stories, language, and culture through the power of television.
From those humble beginnings, IBC has grown into a vital institution for Inuit across the North, sharing stories that matter and connecting communities in meaningful ways.
Mandate and Goals
At IBC, we use the technology of television to make programming that matters to Inuit — programming in our own language of Inuktitut. In so doing, we have achieved much more than producing television programming every week.
Our Objectives
- To provide a forum and vehicle by which Inuit can exercise our rights of freedom of expression
- To train and employ Inuit in media
- To document, strengthen, enrich and serve as a means of communicating the cultural and social fabric of Inuit
- To promote the learning, understanding and day-to-day use of the Inuit language
- To be recognized as a vehicle to educate our children and youth on our social and cultural history and contemporary life in the Inuit language.
We Empower Inuit Expression and Communication
Provide a platform for Inuit to exercise freedom of expression and act as a cultural and communication link for sharing perspectives on local, national, and global issues.
We Preserve and Enrich Inuit Culture and Language
Document, promote, and strengthen Inuit cultural identity, language, mythology, and social heritage while fostering daily use and understanding of the Inuit language.
We Educate and Inspire Future Generations
Serve as a vehicle to educate Inuit children and youth about their social and cultural history, as well as contemporary life, through the Inuit language.
We Support Inuit Participation in Media
Train and employ Inuit in all areas of media production while promoting Inuit culture and showcasing participation on the global stage.
We Strengthen Inuit Identity Through Media
Use media to interpret and communicate Inuit perspectives, enrich the cultural and social fabric, and foster broader understanding and appreciation of Inuit culture.
Board of Directors
Adamee Itorcheak
Member at Large
Qikiqtani Inuit Assoc
Paul Emingak
Kitikmeot Inuit Assoc
Richard Manitok (Rico)
Kivalliq Inuit Assoc.
Oolooci Taukie
Julie Therese Ivalu
Management and Staff
Malakie Kilabuk
Director of Operations
Ex 202
Jimmie Papatsie
Ex 220
Philip Joamie
Ex 215
Karen Prentice
Executive Director
Ex 222
Anacelia Perez Torres
Director of Finance
Ex 227
Melanie Davie
Ex 223
Ross Sillett
Ex 228
Samer Abdullah
Finance Assistant
Ex 227
Janet Evvik
Ex 224
Kate Chappell
Senior Training and Communications Advisor
Ex 230
Ipeelie Ootoova
Manager of Programming
Ex 228
Employment Opportunities
Digital Archive Assistant Full-Time, Ottawa
Provide a platform for Inuit to exercise freedom of expression and act as a cultural and communication link for sharing perspectives on local, national, and global issues.
Don’t see anything for you? Send us your resume anyway! We will reach out if a position opens up that we think you might be a good fit for!
Donate
Help preserve Inuit language, culture, and storytelling. Your donation empowers Inuit voices, supports local programming, and strengthens our communities.
IBC News
Stay connected with the latest Inuit stories, news, and insights. Our coverage highlights the voices, traditions, and issues that matter.
Contact Us
Have questions or feedback? Connect with our team. We’re here to listen, support, and share the vision of Inuit broadcasting.
Our Partners
