Communities: Asian American

The struggle for Asian and Pacific Islander Americans, or Asian Americans, to obtain equal access to opportunities in media is no small challenge.  Asian Americans make up approximately 5% of the American population. In every area – from ownership, to opportunities to work in journalism and entertainment media, Asian Americans are underrepresented.  By contrast, Asian Americans lead the Nation in at-home access to hi-speed Internet, or broadband. 

Asian-American Presence in Media

Asian Americans are keenly aware of the power of the media to affect the way mainstream society perceives them.  Reports indicate that mainstream media continues to contribute to a lack of understanding and awareness of Asian American culture, interests and concerns through underrepresentation of Asian American images onscreen and contributing to negative stereotyping of Asian Americans.   This can be seen in the overwhelming protest to the "Tsunami Song," which was broadcasted by Emmis Communications’ Hot 97 radio station in the days following the devastating tsunami of December 2004.  Another example is the controversy stirred up by the release of "Memoirs of a Geisha," which portrayed the life of Japanese geisha using Chinese and Malaysian actors.

This lack of representation, or misrepresentation, can be also be seen in recent reports.  For example, the National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium (now the Asian American Justice Center) found (PDF) that Asian American actors in primetime represent less than half of the Asian American population. And evidence presented by the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights showed that the majority of Asian American actors were limited to "stereotyped niche" roles, such as "technology geeks" or martial artists.  Other groups argue that programming that shows the Asian American experience as part of the American experience in general, is extremely limited. 

Asian-American Media Ownership

Overall, media ownership by all people of color (who together comprise approximately one third of the US population) remains at low levels.  Together people of color own less than 4% of television and radio broadcast licenses, have no real cable network ownership, and are underrepresented in opportunities to participate in the process of creating media as owners, executives, journalists and actors. 

Media employment statistics for Asian Americans show plenty of room for improvement.  Studies recently commissioned by the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) demonstrate a link (PDF) between Asian Americans employment and coverage of issues of importance to the Asian American community.   AAJA also shows (PDF) that, in the top 25 markets, there are only 106 Asian Americans in news programming as anchors, reporters, etc.  Of this number, only 19% are male.  And in regards to Asian Americans in newsroom management (PDF), the numbers are low in large markets and nearly nonexistent in small and mid-sized markets. 

Asian-American Access to Technology

Researcher Robert Fairlie reports that Asian Americans are more likely than any other racial group – including white Americans – to have at-home broadband connections.  Approximately 30% of Asian Americans have at-home access, as compared to 20% for whites, and about 10% for African-American and Latino households. While these numbers are encouraging for the community, it is important to advocate for policies that make broadband more affordable for everyone. 

Access to broadband is critical because it is a gateway to a wide range of services and information.  An at-home broadband connection can provide access to low-cost telephone alternatives, such as Voice over the Internet Protocol (VoIP), programming alternatives to cable and TV (which may address concerns about Asian American media content), and to a wide array of educational, financial, employment, and health resources. 

Solutions

Moving from these facts to solutions requires a cooperative effort of many individuals and organizations.  Asian Americans must work together to develop and advocate for strategies that take advantage of legislative opportunities and community/market-based solutions to advance the cause of minority media.  Those making this effort include the following:

• The Asian Pacific American Media Coalition (APAMC) publishes an annual report card (PDF) on Television Diversity.  In 2005, none of the networks earned a grade higher than C+. 
• The Center for Asian American Media (formerly the National Asian American Telecommunications Association) was founded "to counter the scarcity of images of Asians in film and television, correct the often distorted portrayals of them in the mainstream media, and create opportunities for the full participation of Asian American producers in the public media."
• Asian Media Watch is an "independent non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to promoting a diverse, fair, and balanced portrayal of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in the media and entertainment industry."

Visit the Community Organization and Resource Bibliography for a more comprehensive directory of groups and information.

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