Walking the talk: reflections on Indigenous media audience research methods

Abstract

Anthropological research methods are characteristic of much of the investigation of remote Indigenous media production in Australia and have enabled the voices of some Indigenous audiences to be heard. However, these approaches generally have been concerned with the social organisation of production in remote communities with audiences seldom, if ever, the focus. This absence was one of the driving forces behind a qualitative study of audiences for Indigenous broadcasting in Australia on which this discussion is based. The article underlines the central place of audiences in media research and the importance of considering methodology as an integral part of the research process. It outlines the range of strategies and techniques used to gather data for the first comprehensive Australian study of audiences for Indigenous radio and television which confirmed the critical cultural role being played by these media in the face of continuing mainstream media stereotyping.