A California-based Native American multicast network is spreading its reach into New Mexico, slowly joining other ethnically targeted diginets getting increasingly wider play across the country.
First Nations Experience, which is focused exclusively on Native American content, is now live on KNME, PBS New Mexico’s multicast station in Albuquerque-Santa Fe. KENW, another PBS affiliate, has picked up and will broadcast FNX as well.
New Mexico PBS will be lobbying for cable and satellite providers to distribute the network, in hopes of furthering its reach beyond over-the-air delivery, according to the Associated Press.
Created in 2011 by KVCR, a San Bernardino, Calif. PBS affiliate, and the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, FNX airs native-produced or themed programming including documentaries and dramas as well as cooking, arts and children’s programming. The network will air Finding Nemo in the Navajo language on Christmas Day.
FNX is among a small but increasingly strong number of diginets that target particular ethnic groups. Bounce TV, produced for African-American viewers, is among the most successful.
FNX is broadcast by roughly 20 stations in 18 states, reaching 22 million households, the company said. It has been formally affiliated with PBS since 2014.
