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Journalism newcomers and veterans remain cautiously optimistic about the future of the ethnic press and journalism as a whole.
By Nalea J. Ko, Reporter
Published February 5, 2010
As some Asian Pacific American publications devise strategies to stay afloat in a changing industry, journalism hopefuls and veterans are still voicing concerns about the future of the ethnic press.
It is no secret that ethnic newspapers have been struggling to stave off financial difficulties. Changes in technology, decline in advertising and subscriptions have caused ripple effects throughout the industry. These changes have prompted nationwide layoffs, closures and bankruptcies due to economic distress.
Last year the Hokubei Mainichi newspaper folded after over 60 years in operation. The closure of the Nichi Bei Times preceded it.
Japanese American publications like Rafu Shimpo are also appealing to the public for solutions to amassed debt. In a Jan. 20 article, staff writer Mikey Hirano Culross reported that the Rafu had accumulated over $350,000 in debt and needed “revenue increases of $12,000 per month.”
Although the fate of print journalism seems grim, some journalism professionals are still optimistic about the future.
“I think that we’re right in the middle of a kind of reinvention of journalism. I’m actually an optimist,” said Jon Funabiki, journalism professor at San Francisco State University. “I think it’s a difficult time, but I also think it’s a time for new opportunities.”
Funabiki’s aunt and uncle were Pacific Citizen editors during World War II.
Others echo Funabiki’s optimism.
“Well, we will still continue on,” said Gwen Muranaka, Rafu English editor, during a phone interview.
“I mean there’s no question that the newspaper is going to continue,” said Muranaka. “But I think the message we wanted to get out to the community is that like every other newspaper in the country, we’re facing some pretty difficult times.”
The Future of Ethnic Media
A study conducted last year by officials with New America Media, or NAM, found that ethnic media has expanded its reach to more readers.
The study showed that “ethnic media now reaches 57 million African Americans, Hispanics and Asian Americans,” an increase of about 16 percent since 2005.
But some have said that JA newspapers are not seeing the same growth.
“Japanese American press are not seeing the same pickup that other ethnic presses are seeing, because immigration from Japan is limited, and the advertisers know that,” said Ken Abiko, with the Nichi Bei Times, in a 2009 NAM article. “However, the ethnic media’s financial troubles do not signal a diminished need for their services.”
For ethnic publications like the Nichi Bei Times financial woes began before the economy took a nosedive. Other newspapers also saw a decrease in ad revenue before the economic downturn.
“When I first started at the paper in the late 1980s, full-page ads from companies like AT&T and JAL [Japan Airlines] were common,” wrote J.K. Yamamoto, former English editor for the Hokubei Mainichi, in an e-mail. “Over the years, these ads were scaled down. Advertising overall was on the decline well before the economic downturn, but the current conditions made a bad situation worse.”
Many factors contributed to the closure of ethnic publications. For the Hokubei Mainichi the decline of subscriptions and advertising could not offset the rising costs of production and postal fees.
The closure of ethnic publications also trickles down and impacts companies like U.S. Asian Wire, a news distributor, by reducing its print reach.
“Although some newspaper publishers have ceased or scaled back their print operations, thankfully Hokubei Mainichi, AsianWeek, and Nichi Bei Times are still reaching and capturing audiences through their online/web presence,” said Leslie Yngojo-Bowes, president and founder.
The Pacific Citizen, which was founded over 80 years ago, is also not exempt from some bad news.
“Last year was the first time the Pacific Citizen saw a small deficit but this was because of two budget cuts by national JACL rather than a lack of revenue from the newspaper,” explained Caroline Aoyagi-Stom. “In fact, unlike other publications, the P.C. saw a rise in regular advertising in 2009 and our annual fundraiser raised a record number of funds last year. I think this clearly shows that the P.C. still has a lot of community support.”
The Community’s Voice
For many people the ethnic media is the voice of the community. In 2008 the Center for Integration and Improvement of Journalism released its “Health of Ethnic Media Report,” where 300 people in the field of journalism were polled. The study found that giving a voice to the community and strengthening cultural pride were some of the most important goals identified by those surveyed.
“They really think about themselves as part of a community and not so much as a business,” Funabiki said, who co-directed the study. “And I think for them — I think of ethnic media outlets as being more like community organizations than like your traditional newspaper or television stations; that’s mainly there as a business. That’s not to say that they are all that way.”
The bleak news is not completely deterring some aspiring journalists from their dreams to break into the field.
“At the moment I'm not sure about my plans, but for the past several years I have been wanting to take a shot at photojournalism,” explained 21-year-old Masaru Oka, a senior at Stanford University. “The fact that many newspapers are having a hard time is one of the things that is discouraging me.”
Oka added that his parents are discouraging him from pursing a career in journalism because of the unstable job market. He said he would try to find a science-related job as a back-up plan while he tries out a photojournalism internship. Other students are just as flexible about adjusting their career plans.
“I've learned how to interview, how to write, and how to edit precisely,” said Brianna Pang, a freshman at Stanford University. “I feel that even though many news organizations are laying off workers, I can still apply the skills I've learned to other fields of work.”
Some students like Pang feel that the future of journalism is heading online. Wherever journalism heads, ultimately the readers need to realize that the future of ethnic media depends on them, said Yamamoto.
“Having worked 25 years, almost half my life, at the P.C. and the Hokubei, I can see that the ethnic media still serve an important function that the mainstream press can't fill,” Yamamoto said.
“If people want ethnic publications to continue, in whatever form, they have to ‘put their money where their mouth is.’ Words of encouragement are fine, but what is needed is monetary support. Maybe the events of the past year will force everyone to realize that.”
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