To increase distribution of its audio and video products, Native American Public Telecommunications (NAPT) is introducing a new strategic plan and mission statement: "NAPT shares Native stories with the world."  The organization has approved three new board members to help implement the ambitious plan.

"The Internet is playing a huge part in being able to share NAPT productions beyond public television and radio stations," said Shirley Sneve (Rosebud Sioux), NAPT executive director. "This is an exciting time for the organization and for Native people as we continue to use multiple sources of media to document and tell our stories."

NAPT plans to expand its original content by producing more audio podcasts and broadening its Native Radio Theater productions. NAPT also plans to unveil a new Web site in 2008 to uniformly present its products, AIROS and VisionMaker Video.

Lastly, NAPT would like to create deeper relationships with its audience and partners with some of its improved services, and diversify its funding sources as part of the strategic plan. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Ford Foundation provide a majority of funding for the 31-year-old organization.

In addition to creating a new strategic plan, the 11-member board approved the following new board members for three-year terms: Julie Andersen, executive director of South Dakota Public Broadcasting in Vermillion; JoAnn Chase (Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara) of Chase Group Consulting in New York; and Laura Waterman Wittstock (Seneca) of Wittstock & Associates in Minneapolis. The following officers were also approved for another year's term: Octaviana V. Trujillo, Ph.D. (Yaqui), chair; David Cournoyer (Rosebud Sioux), vice-chair; Brian Bull (Nez Perce), secretary; and Sydney Beane (Flandreau Santee Sioux), treasurer.

Other board members include: Nan Rubin of Community Media Services, Rita Pyrillis (Cheyenne River Sioux), freelance journalist and University of Wisconsin instructor; Lyn Dennis (Lummi), Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians executive director; Chris Eyre (Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribe of Oklahoma), major motion picture director; and Rod Bates, Nebraska Educational Television general manager (ex-officio).