National Media Spotlight on Chickasaw Nation
Chickasaw Nation success stories are being highlighted on two national media outlets.
National Public Radio aired “A Sovereign (And Successful) Chickasaw Nation” during the second hour of its Monday, April 27 “Morning Edition” program.
This story, produced by Peabody-Award winning producer Arun Rath, features the Chickasaw Nation as an example of a successful sovereign Indian nation.
The story goes beyond the tribe’s successful economic diversification efforts to illustrate how the tribe has translated that economic success into programs and services which benefit Chickasaw people.
Rath spent several days in the Chickasaw Nation, visiting the headquarters, Diabetes Care Center, child care facilities, Bedr# Chocolates and the hospital construction site.
“Nightly Business Report,” a production of the Public Broadcasting Service, aired a segment on its April 27 program featuring Chickasaw Nation owned Bank2.
“Native American Entrepreneurs – Bank2” focused on the successful home mortgage operation of the bank.
Jeff Yastine, NBR correspondent, interviewed Bank2 CEO Ross Hill and Bank2 President Rod Whitson at the Oklahoma City bank. Yastine also interviewed Chickasaw citizens doing business with Bank2.
While many lending institutions in the United States are in the midst of a mortgage crisis, Bank2 has been expanding its home mortgage operations.
Bank2 has increased lending under the Housing and Urban Development Section 184 Indian Home Loan Guarantee program.
Bank2 has made mortgage loans in 37 states and has a remarkably low default rate of about 1 percent. That rate compares to a default rate of more than 7 percent in the broader U.S. mortgage market.
To listen to the National Public Radio story about the Chickasaw Nation (or read the transcript) log onto the following Web address. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103348033
For more information about the Native Public Media “We Shall Remain” radio project log onto the following Web address.
http://www.nativepublicmedia.org/Our-Work/the-radio-project.php
To see the Nightly Business Report story about Bank2 log on to the following Web address.- http://www.pbs.org/nbr/info/local-player.html?s=nbre07s25bcq88a
Both stories were produced and broadcast in coordination with the Public Broadcasting Service “American Experience -We Shall Remain” series.
That series includes five 90 minute programs airing on local Public Broadcasting stations nationwide. The programs are also available online.
For more information about the series log on to the following Web address.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/weshallremain/
