BIAS BY MEDIA IS AN ONGOING NATIVE CHALLENGE.

Byline: HARLAN MCKOSATO

A free press is one of the basic tenets of American democracy. And the most sacred canon of the American press is fairness and objectivity. It's the first rule I learned in journalism school. But let me ask you this: Have Native Americans been on the receiving end of fair press coverage in this country?

I argue that the answer is a resounding no. In fact, not only have our people and our issues not been covered with impartiality, but Native Americans have been getting terrible press for a long time. We are America's original demons when it comes to being demonized by the press. It's hard to refute this argument.

Can you imagine what Fox News coverage of the Battle of the Little Bighorn might have been like? Multiply that bias by about oh, a thousand, and you might be in the ballpark of the reality of the news reports received by the American public about Custer's Last Stand. Do you think press reports were maybe a little biased during the Indian Wars and during the entire Manifest Destiny campaign in general? Think about it.

Twenty five years ago at Pennsylvania State University, a group of Native journalists got together and agreed that it was time to organize a national association to help promote fair and accurate coverage of Native issues and events and to increase the number of Natives employed in the print newsrooms. Originally, the organization was called the Native American Press Association. In 1990, the name was changed to the Native American Journalists Association to include radio and television journalists.

The Native American Journalists Association will celebrate its Silver Anniversary this year in downtown Albuquerque during the annual NAJA Convention which runs July 30 through Aug. 2. The theme is "NAJA 25 Years: Yesterday's Storytellers, Today's Journalists." Early registration for the convention ends June 15.

Two components of this gathering are what are called the Student Projects and Project Phoenix. These are weeklong, heavy-duty, high-intensity and high-anxiety courses for college and high school students. This year 30 students will receive training and mentorship from a team of professional Native journalists and will produce newspapers, as well as radio and television broadcasts and an online contribution to NAJA's Web site.

"We have to keep the flow of Native American journalists coming forward," said NAJA's Executive Director Jeff Harjo (Seminole/Creek). "A lot of us (Native journalists) are getting over-the-hill so we have to nurture young Native people in this field of journalism to carry on and make things better. Raising the next generation of storytellers is an ongoing cycle."

NAJA still has a few slots open for high school students, and here's the kicker -- it's free. NAJA provides travel, room and board for the whole week from July 26 to July 31. If you know of a young person who would make good use of this opportunity, I encourage you to contact the NAJA office at the University of Oklahoma (www.naja.com). The deadline to apply has been extended to June 22.

The NAJA board includes two native New Mexicans. Vice President Rhonda LeValdo is from Acoma Pueblo and Board Member Antonia Gonzales (my colleague and host of National Native News) is Navajo from Gallup.

When asked if Native Americans were finally being provided fair and unbiased coverage by today's mainstream press, Harjo responded, "I don't think (Native Americans) have arrived at that point just yet. We still don't have enough journalists telling our side of the story. That's why we have to develop these young people."

NAJA has increased its membership to more than 700 members in the past few years, including a healthy number of student members.

"We must be doing something right," smiled Harjo. "That's encouraging."

Harlan McKosato, a Sauk/Ioway, is host of the syndicated radio show Native America Calling, which airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on KUNM, 89.9 FM.