Page - 150 - in Media – Migration – Integration - European and North American Perspectives

Augie Fleras | Ethnic and Aboriginal Media in Canada 150 outside their sphere of influence, mainstream newsmedia possess the power, resources, and resourcefulness to make a difference, from agenda setting and defining public discourses to advancing national interests. That fact alone makes it doubly important to theorize aboriginal and ethnic media as dynamics in their own right as well as players coping with the challenges of a global and participatory media culture. 3. Theorizing Ethnic and Aboriginal Media: Putting Social Capital to Work They respond to the needs of ethnic and racialized minorities; they provide a voice in advancing the welfare of the community; they challenge social injustices; they foster a sense of cultural pride; and they articulate the essence of their communities (Gonzales 2001). The ‘they’ refers to ethnic and aboriginal media whose collective objectives address the informational, integrative, and advocacy needs of those historically disadvantaged or diasporically situated. This multi-dimensionality is crucial in clarifying the origins and rationale behind ethnic and aboriginal media; the role they play in society at large, minority communities in particular; the challenges in navigating mediaspace; and their growing popularity because of increased participatory dynamics (Deuze 2006). 3.1 Framing Ethnic and Aboriginal Media Ethnic and aboriginal media consist of mostly small broadcasters, cable channels, newspapers, and magazines that target racial and ethnic minority audiences, including aboriginal peoples, racialized women and men, and immigrants and refugees (also Lieberman 2006). Many are ‘mom and pop’ startups, published on a weekly or intermittent basis in languages other than English (or French), and distributed free of charge. Other ethnic media tend to resemble mainstream media, that is, sophisticated in operation, content, and distribution, employing sufficient resources to publish on a daily basis for profit (Lin and Song 2006). As well, ethnic media can be classified according to origins: To one side are homegrown ethnic media that are conveyed in either the native tongue or host country language or combination of both. To the other side are ethnic media produced abroad but circulated in the host country (Weber-Menges 2005). And while some ethnic media are meant to be intercultural in the sense of generating intergroup dialogue, many cater to a single target. Even here internal variations prevail, with some ethnic media