The mass media are an essential constituent in the construction of a nation's and an individual's self-image. Whether people like and know it or not, from early childhood on people are surrounded by media images and messages that to a great extent shape their perception and understanding of the world as well as contribute to their identity formation and their perceived place in society. What if these images and messages are generated within a culture that is not one's own? What if one's self-image is incongruent with the national self-image constructed in the mass media? What kind of consequences does such incongruence have for individuals? These are questions that Aboriginal people in Canada are faced with, questions that could direct discussions about the present state of Aboriginal Canada toward thinking about colonization and neocolonialism and their devastating consequences for Aboriginal Canada. This article calls attention to some aspects of the presentation of Aboriginal issues in Canada's mainstream media and outlines the concept of "decolonizing the media" before briefly discussing the conditions and frameworks of indigenous media creation. It then presents a closer look at the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) and the radio stations Native Communications Incorporation (NCI) in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and the Wawatay Radio Network (WRN) in Sioux Lookout, Ontario. The article explores the politics of the three media institutions concerning their mandates and missions, structure and government, staff, finance and advertisement, focus and program, acquisition, and broadcast language in order to see how they can decolonize the Canadian media. (Contains 5 figures and 100 notes.)