Cherokee Show Set to be Available Nationwide

The National Educational Telecommunications Association has made the well-liked docuseries “Osiyo, Voices of the Cherokee People” accessible to public media stations around the country.

“The power of storytelling is ingrained in Cherokee culture, and there’s something truly remarkable and powerful in having the opportunity to tell our own story in a way that connects people to their very core,” said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. “It is wonderful that now people across the United States can join us in experiencing that same overwhelming sense of belonging the show offers while celebrating our history, language, culture and values.”

Since its debut in 2015, the program has colorfully highlighted hundreds of Cherokees from both the past and the present, introducing viewers to their language, rich customs, and engrossing contemporary tales. Native American representation is changing because to the groundbreaking series that Jennifer Loren, a Cherokee Nation resident, filmmaker, and Emmy-winning journalist, hosts and executive produces.

Numerous regional, national, and worldwide awards continue to be given to the tribe’s cultural television series and the brief films contained within it for its creative method of conveying the true history of the Cherokee people. The program, also known as OsiyoTV, is among the most honored Indigenous-run programs in the business, having won 22 Heartland Regional Emmy Awards.

“It is really incredible to see our series become nationally syndicated. OsiyoTV will now be available to hundreds of public TV stations across the U.S., bringing our authentic Cherokee stories into the living rooms of millions of people, many of whom have likely only known inaccurate accounts of Cherokee history and still believe stereotypes passed on by generations of non-Native media and pop culture references,” said Jennifer Loren, senior director of Cherokee Film. “Being on the air regionally for eight seasons, garnering 22 Emmys and now receiving national syndication prove that there is a hunger for new and accurate portrayals of our people and our rich culture and history.”

The TV series is now accessible to over 250 PBS member stations across the country, and regionally in Tulsa via RSU-TV. Additionally, it’s aired on FNX, a network specializing in Native programming across 25 national markets. Sponsored and produced by Cherokee Nation Businesses, the show is adaptable across various platforms, encompassing osiyo.tv, YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, Twitter, and more.

OsiyoTV is an entity under Cherokee Film Productions. This arm is committed to sharing genuine Cherokee narratives on behalf of the Cherokee Nation, its community, and its enterprises. They achieve this by crafting, producing, promoting, and distributing a diverse array of original content across film, television, and other media channels.

The National Educational Telecommunications Association stands as one of the top entities fortifying and enhancing public media’s educational endeavors. As a 501(c)(3) member-driven organization, it offers leadership, reinforcement, and services to individual public media licensees, associated groups, and the broader public media ecosystem.