For More Information:
Erik Ernst, PBS Wisconsin Communications Associate Director, [email protected]
Ebonye Delaney, ICT executive producer, [email protected]

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PBS Wisconsin News and ICT (formerly Indian Country Today) have selected Erica Ayisi as an Indigenous Affairs Multimedia Reporter for a collaborative partnership between PBS Wisconsin and ICT’s parent company, IndiJ Public Media.

An independent journalist and media educator, Ayisi comes to PBS Wisconsin and ICT with experience writing, reporting and producing documentary films around the world. She has also worked as a multimedia reporter in commercial news, taught video production in classroom settings and has provided professional development to journalists in university settings across the United States. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Arts degree from the New York Institute of Technology.

In her new role, Ayisi will work with PBS Wisconsin and ICT to produce news content and reporting on issues from Indigenous communities in Wisconsin. This reporting will be published online and shared on social media and broadcast platforms by both organizations. She will begin her work Monday, Nov. 11.

“We are excited not only for Erica to start in this new role, but also for the Indigenous communities in our region to get the news coverage they deserve on issues that impact them,” said Karen Lincoln Michel, CEO of IndiJ Public Media and president of ICT. “This partnership is built on the journalistic integrity of both our organizations and is an example of what’s possible when we join forces for the good of the communities we serve through our journalism.”

“A critical part of PBS Wisconsin’s mission is to ensure that our work reflects the full diversity of our state,” said Christine Sloan-Miller, PBS Wisconsin Director of Production. “We have long respected ICT and its journalism, so it is an honor to join together in this new partnership. We look forward to serving our combined audience with this unique shared reporting project that will focus on Wisconsin’s Indigenous communities and issues.”

“Reporting on diverse communities is at the heart of what I do as a journalist," Ayisi said. "I'm delighted and honored to amplify the issues, concerns and achievements of Wisconsin's Indigenous communities in this new collaborative partnership between PBS Wisconsin and ICT.”

Since its inception in 1981 as a weekly newspaper, ICT has grown into the largest news organization serving Native American communities. In April 2020, the organization expanded into public broadcasting through the daily ICT newscast, reporting on how the coronavirus pandemic affected American Indians, Alaska Natives and First Nations. New journalism partnerships, including this one with PBS Wisconsin, expand the reach and impact of ICT’s work covering indigenous communities across the U.S. while also expanding the coverage of Wisconsin’s Native communities on PBS Wisconsin’s broadcast and digital news platforms.

As a leader in public media journalism, PBS Wisconsin News content is broadcast statewide each week on Friday night with Here & Now, daily reporting at pbswisconsin.org/news, and is also featured regularly on national PBS News Hour broadcasts.

ICT is the news division of IndiJ Public Media, an Arizona 501 (c)(3) public charity. IndiJ Public Media’s vision is to honor our ancestors and future generations through stories that make Indigenous peoples come alive. ICT reaches audiences through a digital platform, ictnews.org and a broadcast carried via public television stations. IndiJ Public Media sustains ICT through funding from members, donors, foundations and supporters and offers a variety of advertising, sponsorship and underwriting opportunities. Find ICT on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube, subscribe to our email updates and check ictnews.org for the latest stories.

PBS Wisconsin is a place to grow through learning on WHA-TV, Madison; WPNE-TV, Green Bay; WHRM-TV, Wausau; WLEF-TV, Park Falls; WHLA-TV, La Crosse; and WHWC-TV, Menomonie-Eau Claire. Learn more and donate at pbswisconsin.org.

PBS Wisconsin is a service of the Educational Communications Board and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

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