The University of Idaho Argonaut

Jeff Harjo, Left, Ronnie Washines, center, and Mark Trahant, speak to journalism students and public in the Whitewater room about Native American media. Steven Devine/Argonaut

Panelists who have worked in Native American media discussed the obstacles of free press Monday — an issue to which a resolution is complicated and hard to obtain.

“Storytellers and Warriors: Issues in Native American Media,” a town hall meeting hosted by the University of Idaho School of Journalism and Mass Media, addressed funding within Native American media, as well as the conflicts with mainstream media.

"I’ve been at the mercy of current tribal council members — the governing body,” said Ronnie Washines, president of the Native American Journalist Association. “They approve funding for the newspaper, and you can find yourself out of a job if you don’t report the way tribal leaders expect.”

Jeff Harjo, executive director of NAJA, said it would be ideal if a newspaper staff could do their own paper without the oversight of the chief or tribal council.

“Tribal leaders need to hear feedback,” Washines said. “It allows tribal members a voice and access to complain.”

Washines said that being able to report on all issues is needed in order to be a credible media forum.

Because all tribes are treated as sovereign nations, the problem of free press will have to be resolved within each tribe, and the panelists agreed that’s the way it should be. Mark Trahant, Kaiser Media fellow, said the problem is complicated and difficult to solve.

“One of the very first cases involved tribal membership, and it was ruled that it is up to the tribe, not the U.S. government,” Trahant said. “It all depends on the tribe.”

Some tribes have passed resolutions that separate newspapers from the tribal council oversight.

Harjo, however, said he was fired from a newspaper he had worked at for seven years after getting politically involved.

“In my tribe, there is no freedom of press — you just know your bounds,” Harjo said. “Working for a tribe can be cutthroat. You can be here today, gone tomorrow.”

As for the defense of a fired tribal member, Harjo said the best they can do for someone is send a pro bono attorney.

Washines said one of the main problems the Native American media face is still funding, frequently allocated by tribal leaders.

“It always seems we are not a high priority,” he said.

Conflicts with mainstream media and coverage of Native American news were also addressed.

“It seems like the same old thing all the time,” Harjo said.

Referring to The Oklahoman, he said “If there’s anything bad about Native Americans it’s on the front page, if there is anything good it’s buried in the back.”

The use of certain mascots also brings about an issue for Native American media.

“We have newspapers that say they won’t use them and don’t, then you have newspapers that say they won’t and still do,” said Harjo.

While newspaper media has taken strides with Native Americans, Trahant said broadcast media hasn’t at all.

“I think it’s institutional pressure from ratings rather than racism,” Trahant said.

The goals of Native American media include communicating and telling stories as well as embracing new technology, Trahant said.

Trahant said he sees a big move toward social media reporting, and he said it would help constraints the Native American media faces.