Why Indigenous-Owned Media Matters: A Conversation with Windspeaker’s Sandra Crowfoot
In early December, the Indigenous Music Office sat down with Sandra Crowfoot, one of the emerging leaders behind Windspeaker Media, a powerhouse Indigenous-owned broadcaster with a reach that covers nearly 90% of Alberta, yet remains under-recognized in mainstream industry circles. Our conversation covered far more than radio programming.
It became a wider reflection on narrative sovereignty, community connection, and the future of Indigenous music, both on the airwaves and beyond.
For Sandra, Indigenous-owned media isn’t simply a platform. It’s a responsibility.
“Owning our own media allows us to tell our own stories, counter stereotypes, and make sure our cultural values guide everything we do,” she shared. “It’s about reclaiming our histories and protecting how our stories are carried.”
That perspective reflects a truth felt across the Indigenous music ecosystem: when communities own the narrative, artists, languages, and Indigenous People thrive.
Sandra’s journey at Windspeaker spans almost every role in the organization. From shipping and reception to radio traffic and bingo administration, she has seen the organization from the inside out. Today, she is being mentored
into a future leadership position, alongside her colleague Jeremy Harpe, as the next generation prepares to step into roles held by radio legend and Windspeaker founder, Bert Crowfoot.
This continuity, grounded in kinship, teaching, and succession, is one of Windspeaker’s greatest strengths. It reflects an Indigenous way of leading that prioritizes relationship, responsibility, and legacy.
Windspeaker has undergone a significant transformation in recent years, namely:
News has shifted from print to digital to fully online.
Radio leadership is pushing deeper into community engagement, which means literally showing up in Nations and rural communities that mainstream media rarely visit.
Programming now showcases a diverse range of Indigenous music, encompassing genres such as country, rock, pop, hip-hop, and alternative.
While many media outlets downsize or centralize, Windspeaker continues to expand, building towers, launching HD channels, increasing online advertising capacity, and strengthening its presence across Alberta.
Sandra put it plainly:
“Radio is a beast that won’t die. It evolves. And for rural Indigenous communities with limited internet access, radio is still free, accessible, and essential.”
One of the strongest points of alignment between Windspeaker and the Indigenous Music Office is the shared belief that Indigenous artists deserve space, support, and visibility.
Sandra explained that Windspeaker’s stations (CFWE, CJWE, and The Raven) already feature a high volume of Indigenous content. While current policy conversations in Canada suggest a 5% Indigenous music quota, Windspeaker sits closer to 13–15% of Indigenous music rotation.
More importantly, they are intentional about breaking stereotypes around what Indigenous music “sounds like.”
“People assume Indigenous artists only make Pow-Wow or traditional music. Then they hear a rock song or pop track they love and say, ‘Wait, that’s an Indigenous artist?’ We want to show the full diversity of who we are.”
That diversity matters deeply for emerging artists, many of whom struggle to access mainstream airplay. Windspeaker’s willingness to open doors and minds strengthens the entire sector.
While nothing is formalized, our conversation surfaced in several areas where Windspeaker’s work naturally aligns with the Indigenous Music Office’s work to strengthen visibility, opportunity, and support for Indigenous artists.
Sandra spoke about the ongoing need to highlight emerging and established Indigenous musicians, and how Windspeaker’s diverse programming already creates space for these voices. There was interest in exploring ways to continue elevating artists from across the country as the Indigenous music ecosystem grows.
Sandra shared thoughtful reflections on how some artists submit strong songwriting with early-stage production quality, a common reality for many self-releasing or independent Indigenous musicians. This highlighted the broader need for development pathways in our sector, including future IMO initiatives aimed at helping artists refine or strengthen their recordings. Windspeaker expressed openness to learning more as these supports evolve.
Sandra also discussed the value of ensuring artists, funders, and industry partners understand the depth of Windspeaker’s presence in Alberta. As the network expands, sharing high-level reach information can help artists make informed decisions about airplay, advertising, and community connection.
These conversations reflect a shared momentum: Indigenous-owned media and Indigenous-led music institutions both working to build pathways where artists are supported, heard, and celebrated.
The alignment between Windspeaker’s community-centred approach and the IMO’s national vision signals the potential for future relationship-building that strengthens the entire Indigenous music ecosystem from discovery to development to visibility at home and abroad.
Strengthening Indigenous Music Together
Indigenous artists deserve platforms that honour their stories, amplify their voices, and support their growth. As Windspeaker continues expanding and the Indigenous Music Office builds national pathways for development and visibility, we invite artists, funders, and industry partners to stay connected and take part in the momentum of what we are building.
If you’re an Indigenous artist looking for airplay, mentorship, or sector support, or an organization interested in contributing to the future of Indigenous music in Canada, connect with us:
Music Submission Guidelines: Music Submission Guidelines | CFWE Northern Alberta
Submit new music to Windspeaker 📢📢📢: music@windspeakermedia.com
Together, we can strengthen the music ecosystem one song at a time.