Ngaarda Media

What Ngaarda Media does

Ngaarda Media is an independent not-for-profit community broadcaster and media training hub headquartered in Roebourne, Western Australia. The organization serves Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across the Pilbara and Kimberley regions, positioning itself as the only First Nation Media hub in the Pilbara. It operates a multi-platform broadcasting model comprising Ngaarda Radio (community radio with an extensive program schedule), Ngaarda TV (television platform launched September 2025), the Ngaarda mobile app, and a news website built on Squarespace. Content spans local and regional news, politics, arts, culture, sport, investigative journalism, and cultural storytelling. The organization also functions as a media training hub, offering volunteer pathways and career development for Aboriginal people in broadcasting.

The business operates on a not-for-profit funding model, relying on sponsorships, partnerships, and government or community grants rather than commercial pricing. Key institutional partnerships include the National Indigenous Australians Agency (supporting the Pilbara Ranger Network), the PAKAM Network, and Goolarri Radio Broome, which collectively extend its distribution footprint across Western Australia. Revenue model is categorized as professional services funding with no publicly disclosed pricing. The organization employs 9 people, has operated for over 20 years, and holds a Certificate of Registration as a community broadcaster. It received CBAA Awards recognition in 2025 as a finalist for its 'Missing Men in the Pilbara and Kimberley' investigative journalism project.

The technology infrastructure is conventional multi-platform broadcasting: radio streaming via Listen Live, TV distribution through ngaardatv.com.au, a mobile app, and a website CMS. There is no proprietary technology, AI/ML capability, or differentiated technical architecture evident. The organization's strategic value is rooted in its 20-year community trust, exclusive regional positioning, cultural authority in First Nations storytelling, and an expanding content library, rather than technological differentiation. Its primary competitive advantages are its regulatory license as a community broadcaster, deeply embedded community relationships, and accumulated cultural content specific to the Pilbara and Kimberley regions.

Name

Ngaarda Media

Legal name

Ngaarda Media

Website

https://ngaardamedia.com.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ngaarda Media is a not-for-profit community broadcaster and media training hub serving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across the Pilbara and Kimberley regions of Western Australia through radio, television, mobile, and digital news platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110), Television Broadcasting Stations (51612)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Radio Streaming & Catch-Up Audio Platforms (MPAIADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Radio Content Production & Studios (On-air Production, Imaging, Jingles) (MPAIAEAL)

Keywords

• Community broadcasting
• Indigenous media
• Radio broadcasting
• Cultural storytelling
• Media training

Headquarters

HQ city

Roebourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Not-for-profit funding model: Ngaarda Media operates as a not-for-profit organization that relies on funding to create content and cover stories across the Pilbara. Revenue is generated through sponsorships, partnerships, and potentially government or community funding grants.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Ngaarda Media is an independent not-for-profit community broadcaster and media training hub that produces and distributes First Nations-focused news, cultural, and music content across the Pilbara and Kimberley regions of Western Australia. It operates Ngaarda Radio, Ngaarda TV (launched September 2025), and the Ngaarda mobile app, supported by a Media Services division providing training and career pathways for Aboriginal people in broadcasting.

Product overview

Ngaarda Media is an independent community broadcaster and media training hub representing and empowering the Aboriginal people of the Pilbara. The organization operates as a platform-plus-content model, with Ngaarda Radio (core radio broadcasting), Ngaarda TV (television launched 2025), and the Ngaarda App (mobile accessibility) serving as the primary distribution platforms. The Media Services division provides professional training and career pathways, while Programs & Podcasts and Ngaarda News deliver extensive content spanning news, music, culture, and investigative journalism across multiple formats.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ngaarda Radio: Radio broadcasting service with programming including news bulletins, Indigenous content, and community programs
• Ngaarda TV
• Ngaarda Investigates

Products and services

• Ngaarda Radio Community radio broadcasting service covering the Pilbara region with live streaming, diverse programs including news bulletins, music shows, Indigenous cultural content, and specialty programming. Aimed at Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, and regional Western Australian audiences.
• Ngaarda TV Television broadcasting service launched in September 2025, expanding First Nations media coverage to include video content, news bulletins, and visual storytelling across the Pilbara and Kimberley regions.
• Ngaarda App Mobile application providing access to Ngaarda Radio broadcasts and First Nations media content on smartphones, enabling audiences to listen and stay connected on-the-go.
• Media Services Professional media training hub and production services offering career pathways and skills development in broadcasting for Aboriginal people in the Pilbara region, including commercial media services for booking and sponsorship opportunities.
• Ngaarda News News publishing platform providing comprehensive coverage of local, regional, and national stories including politics, community, health, environment, arts, culture, business, and investigative journalism serving the Pilbara and Kimberley regions.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Indigenous Australians AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe National Indigenous Australians Agency is a key partner supporting the Pilbara Ranger Network. The agency funds the Pilbara Ranger Network and supports their coordinator or business manager to bring together rangers on different topics related to looking after Country.
• PAKAM NetworkminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Mary G Show broadcasts live on the PAKAM Network, extending Ngaarda Media's reach across Western Australia through the PAKAM radio network infrastructure.
• Goolarri Radio BroomeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCountry Affairs with Sandy Dann broadcasts from Goolarri Radio in Broome, extending coverage into the Kimberley region and connecting Ngaarda Media content with broader First Nations radio networks.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation): The ABC operates the national public radio and television networks in Australia, including extensive Indigenous programming. It is a broader incumbent that competes for the same Indigenous audience and grants, with significantly greater resources.
• SBS (Special Broadcasting Service): SBS is Australia's multicultural and multilingual public broadcaster, now operating NITV. It serves as a broader incumbent competitor for Indigenous audiences and First Nations content funding.

Direct peers

• Koori Mail: Koori Mail is an Indigenous-focused newspaper published in NSW covering First Nations news and culture. It is comparable to Ngaarda Media's news and investigative journalism function, though delivered in print/online rather than broadcast.
• NITV (National Indigenous Television): NITV is Australia's national Indigenous television service, providing news, drama, and documentaries from a First Nations perspective. It is the most direct peer for Ngaarda Media's recently launched Ngaarda TV product and competes for the same audience and grant dollars.
• Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association (CAAMA): CAAMA is an Aboriginal-owned media organization operating radio (CAAMA Radio), television, and production services in Central Australia. It is the closest structural peer to Ngaarda Media, sharing the same Indigenous community-broadcasting, training, and multi-platform model.
• PAKAM Network (Pilbara Aboriginal and Kimberley Aboriginal Media): PAKAM is a network of Aboriginal community radio stations across the Pilbara and Kimberley. Ngaarda Media's programming already broadcasts via PAKAM, and the network operates in the same geographic and cultural niche.
• 3KND (Kungaroo Radio) / Koori Radio: Koori Radio (3KND) is an Indigenous community radio station in Melbourne serving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Comparable in mission, programming structure, and community-broadcaster funding model.
• Goolarri Radio (Broome): Goolarri Radio is an Aboriginal community radio station in Broome broadcasting on the PAKAM Network. It produces culturally focused programming from the Kimberley and is directly comparable in audience, model, and mission.

Regional players

• Noongar Radio (6RPH Perth): Noongar Radio is an Aboriginal community radio station based in Perth serving Western Australia's Noongar community. Geographically overlapping with Ngaarda Media's WA footprint and operating under the same community-broadcasting regulatory framework.

Emerging players

• IndigenousX: IndigenousX is an Indigenous-owned media platform publishing commentary, podcasts, and editorial from First Nations contributors. It overlaps with Ngaarda Media's editorial mission and audience, but operates as a digital-first platform rather than a broadcaster.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ngaarda-media

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ngaarda Media