 In this video, we are going to explore several facets of Australian media in regards to the representation and construction of indigeneity. To do this, we will draw from the academic resource by Kim Bullymaw entitled, Media Dreaming Representation of Aboriginality in Modern Australian Media. The first thing to say is that construction and representation of different identities through televisual practices is always political, even, or especially, when those representations appear to be natural or normal. This is because television tends to conflate identities, that is, television tends to simplify very complex ideas about people in order to fit in with timing constraints as well as ideological views which will not upset those who invest in their assets. As a result, what people are shown is only a very simplistic and narrow view of Australia and Australian people, yet what we are shown appears to be real. Television appears as truth because it mediates through the field of vision, but this often tricks the mind into believing that what is seen is to be believed. On the most surface examination, of course, we realise that what is seen is easily manipulated and much is left omitted. As Kim Bullymaw states, the media not only plays a primary role in informing Australians about the issues that affect Aboriginal Australians, it also plays a central role in the construction of social discourse on what and who is seen to be Aboriginal. We must note here that television culture is dominated by a white, Eurocentric model of relations, so if television is organised and produced by people who do not have a share or an interest in how Indigenous characters are portrayed, then this group is easily misrepresented, leading to assumptions that spread out into many other facets of the community. Bullymaw points out that there has been a dense history of racist, distorted and offensive representations of Aboriginal people in Australia, while overt racism may not be as prevalent in the Australian media as it once was. Covert racism in the form of poor or stereotypical representations of Aborigines still exists. In 1991, the National Inquiry into Racist Violence concluded that there was a tendency in the Australian media for the quote, perpetuation and promotion of negative and racial stereotypes, a tendency towards conflictual and sensationalist reporting on race issues and an insensitivity towards and often ignorance of minority cultures, which, as Bullymaw points out, would contribute to creating a social climate which is tolerant of racist violence. However, even very recently, one cartoon published in a major newspaper, The Australian, portrayed blatant racism at the cost of shaming and vilifying Indigenous Australians. This incident resonates with a study by Jacuba Wicks at AL who find that the media not only tend to perpetuate and promote racial stereotypes, but also have a limited awareness and understanding of Aboriginal and ethnic issues, and they take little or no responsibility for the media product it produces. So, regardless of the cartoonist's intent, or the intent of the paper that published the cartoon, it must be noted here that there is little to no accountability by the media for these representations, and further, that the reality of indigeneity is grossly misunderstood and simplified by white Australian media practices. However, as Bullymaw does note, even when Indigenous agents are portrayed in the media in more positive roles, their portrayal is still determined by the dominant elite's concept of aboriginality. This concept fails to portray aborigines in a manner that reflects the kaleidoscope of aboriginal identity. Thank you for watching.