In December 2024, a small group of Indigenous media leaders came together over a video call. The conversation was informal at first. We were sharing experiences, frustrations, and the ongoing challenges of working in Indigenous media.

It quickly became clear that we were all navigating the same conditions. Despite the growth and strength of Indigenous media across the country, there was no national body to advocate for the sector as a whole. We had no unified voice in funding discussions, policy development, or decisions that directly affect our work.

What began as a conversation became a decision.

IMAC was formed out of that moment, as an organic response to a shared need. It was not created through a formal process or external directive, but through lived experience and a collective recognition that something was missing.

The founding group includes Kerry Benjoe, Maureen Googoo, Katherine Ross, Eden Fineday, and Francine Compton, who together bring decades of experience in Indigenous journalism, broadcasting, and media leadership.

IMAC continues to be guided by the relationships and shared purpose that brought it into being.