By Corin Ramos
Akin to the Hispanic-American community, companies ignore the tremendous growth rate among Asian Americans at their own peril. The 2000 U.S. Census reported that there are more
than 10 million Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in this country; by year 2020, the Asian population in the U.S. is expected to reach 23 million. In April 2002, the first-ever
survey quantifying ethnic media usage reported what many people in these communities already knew: a significant percentage of non-white Americans rely on their own ethnic groups'
newspapers, radio and television as sources of information, advertising and cultural affinity.
Bendixen & Associates, the Florida-based pollster, surveyed more than 2000 Californians identifying themselves as Hispanic, Asian American and African American. Here's what
it found:
- Ethnic media outlets reach 14.2 million California residents, including 89% of Hispanics, 75% of African Americans and 75% of Asian & Pacific Islanders
- 84% of the survey's Hispanic, African American and Asian American respondents say they get information through ethnic television, radio and newspapers
- 68% of the respondents say they prefer ethnic TV stations compared with English channels for watching news
- 40% of respondents say they pay more attention to ethnic-language ads than ads in English media
PR professionals need to be aware of the specialized ways to go about working with the ethnic media of each group.
The challenges of working with Asian-American media differ greatly from the African-American and Hispanic media. Language can be a major obstacle, for one. Both African-
American and Hispanic media "speak" in one language: English and Spanish, respectively. But the languages used by Asian-American media are as diverse as the groups they serve.
Each Asian group's culture is also different - a common mistake made by mass-market media outlets. So, acknowledging that diversity is the first step in launching an effective
PR campaign in the Asian American media.
Don't get lost in translation: Before sending out press releases, get them translated for each respective community. Most Asian newspapers are written in that community's
native language. Your release will have a better chance of getting published if it is in-language. With the exception of Filipino-American media (which prefers submissions in
English), some Asian media won't even consider your news item if it is not in their native language. Find a translation service; prices range from $150 to $250 per 500 words.
Translation software is also available.
We are not monolithic: Although possessing numerous commonalities, Asian communities are very diverse. For example, do not assume that Chinese media will publish a press
release aimed at Vietnamese consumers and readers. Or if you are targeting the pan-Asian-American community, highlight each ethnic community's involvement in your event or
services; a press release for Vietnamese-American media should mention the Vietnamese-American "angle," such as Vietnamese Americans who will be involved in the event. Highlight
Vietnamese-American staff, if you have them.
Some English spoken here: Follow up your press releases. This is the same for any publicity efforts, but again, the language barriers can be more challenging and even
frustrating when calling Asian media, whose staff members generally speak limited English. (Filipino-American media, again, is the exception.) Delegate follow-up calls to
bilingual staff and/or volunteers involved in your event. Speaking the same language speaks volumes.
A (JPEG) picture is worth a thousand words: Make your press releases "camera-ready" - e-mail or send text and photos on diskette. Scan and save photos as JPEG files. Most
Asian media have very lean staffs, which is both good and bad for publicity-seekers. Good because editors are always on the lookout for local stories, and will generally be happy
to publish your press release and accompanying photo(s) "as is." Bad because they don't have a battalion of reporters to send out to cover events or write stories for you, so you
will have to do most of the work.
"Send it to us": Don't forget post-event publicity. If your event is an annual occurrence, this can be just as important as pre-event publicity. Just because most Asian media
can't always send reporters to cover your event doesn't mean they won't publish any post-event stories (or pictures).
Corin Ramos is president of Anaheim, CA-based Access Media, a cross-cultural public relations and event marketing consulting firm specializing in outreach and promotion to the
Asian & Pacific Islander populations. She can be reached at 714. 926.9681; [email protected].
Asian-American Media Outlets:
Chinese
Chinese Daily News
http://www.cdnnews.com
Tel: 323.859.8904
Sing Tao Newspapers
http://www.singtaousa.com
Tel: 415.989.7111
Filipino
Asian Journal
http://www.asianjournal.com
Tel: 213.250.9797
Philippine News
http://www.philippinenews.com
Tel: 650.872.3000
Japanese
Nichi Bei Times
http://www.nichibeitimes.com
Tel: 415.921.6822
Rafu Shimpo
http://www.rafu.com
Tel: 213.629.2231
Korean
Korea Central Daily
http://www.ihkib.com
Tel: 510.272.4600
Korea Times
http://www.ihkib.com
Tel: 510.444.0220
Vietnamese
Nguoi Viet Daily News
http://www.nguoi-viet.com
Tel: 714.892.9414
Viet Bao
http://www.vietbao.com
Tel: 714.418.5099