ANCHORAGE — An Alaska Native broadcaster who helped preserve the Yup’ik language and culture one story at a time died Monday. John Active was 69.

He worked at KYUK public radio and television stations in Bethel for about 47 years, translating the day’s news from English to Yup’ik and vice versa and hosting talk programs, said KYUK general manager Shane Iverson. ‘‘He was an incredible storyteller,’’ Iverson said.

Mr. Active typically began newscasts by telling a story in the native language. Often these were Yup’ik stories related to him in his youth by his grandmother, tales such as ‘‘How the Fox Turned Red’’ and ‘‘How the Crane Got Its Blue Eyes,’’ Senator Dan Sullivan said when honoring him on the Senate floor a few months ago upon Mr. Active’s retirement.