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KVCR Press Release

KVCR/FNX receives $1.5 million Supporting FNX Native American Programming

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SAN BERNARDINO, California—KVCR/FNX has been awarded a two-year, $1.5 million grant from the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. This grant will enable FNX to purchase television and multimedia broadcasting rights of Native and Indigenous content, hire a producer and other staff to create more local native American content, and expand our current live stream capabilities with the development and launch of a dedicated FNX streaming App. FNX will launch a 24-hour streaming platform with more content including stories and films that highlight Native American creatives in the film industry.


San Manuel is Founding Partner with KVCR and the San Bernardino Community College District for FNX, First Nations Experience television channel, whose launch in 2011 opened doors for the first-of-its-kind media platform designed to promote Native American and Indigenous programming. FNX remains the only innovative national channel exclusively for Native storytellers, news, film makers, producers, entertainers, musicians, sports leaders, and all media.
 

"On behalf of KVCR/FNX, I want to thank the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians for their generosity in awarding us a two-year $1.5 million grant,” said Connie Leyva, Executive Director of KVCR/FNX. “This investment will help FNX create more local content, acquire Native American stories and documentaries and increase viewership not just in the region but across the country and world.”


FNX | First Nations Experience is the first and only national broadcast television network in the United States exclusively devoted to Native American and World Indigenous content. Through Native-produced and themed documentaries, dramatic series, nature, cooking, gardening, children's and arts programming, FNX strives to accurately illustrate the lives and cultures of Native people around the world.


“Creating a streaming platform for FNX advances our vision for Native American and Indigenous media creations to share our experiences with the world,” said Lynn Valbuena, Chairwoman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. “We are proud to support an initiative that will bring opportunities for Native American creatives to make their mark on entertainment and education. We look forward to the stories and quality content that will be shared through this new streaming app.”


“San Manuel Band of Mission Indians have been a steward in this region, and we appreciate the partnership. The Tribe has supported the station for many years, and they have been our founding partner since 2011. I am deeply grateful for the partnership and commitment of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians in helping us fulfill our mission,” said Leyva.


Yucatec Maya producer/director Frank Blanquet, who worked on the concept videos that helped launch the FNX channel, voiced his excitement about the continued partnership with the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians: 

“We are an Indigenous led Broadcast Channel, driven by a small team of Native Creatives, and having the opportunity to grow that team with the help of San Manuel is tremendous. San Manuel was with us when we became the first National Native Broadcast network in the country, and for them to help us as we launch the national FNX digital app is remarkable. The app will be compatible with most devices and mediums where content is being consumed, and it will launch with exclusive content by U.S. based Native filmmakers, it’s really an exciting time.”


The FNX production team made up of Sahar Khadjenoury (Navajo), Mariana Lapizco (Yaqui) and Frank Blanquet (Yucatec Maya) recently received a prestigious Regional Emmy® Award at the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) Pacific Southwest Gala.


For more information about the First Nations Experience (FNX) and its programming, please visit www.fnx.org.