Page - 153 - in Media – Migration – Integration - European and North American Perspectives

Augie Fleras | Ethnic and Aboriginal Media in Canada 153 that ultimately privileges ideology over balanced coverage (Hsu 2002). To be sure, evidence suggests that not all ethnic minorities are gung-ho over ethnic media as sources of help or information (Lam 1996; Mahtani 2007; but see Gillespie 2005). Outlets that pander exclusively to ethnic minorities may be criticized for ghettoizing minority experiences or for excessively ‘soft’ news media in their own language, are recognized as basic human rights for all citizens. These rights should be included as part of the concept of civic citizenship and they should be enshrined in all media policies, legislation, and all social inclusion policies of the European Union and national member states. - Being aware that sensitizing the majority populations to the benefits and challenges of immigration are core elements in a proactive social inclusion policy and that the mass media have a major responsibility in their role as educators of public opinion. - Being aware that mainstream media have great difficulties in attracting ethnic minority audiences and to make their mainstream products a real reflection of the multicultural society. - Being aware that unlike mainstream media, minority community media are able to link into networks of spokespeople and community leaders, and thus can act as a mediator. - Being aware that minority community media, as part of the public ser vice…can play a major role in encouraging equal and full participation of immigrants and ethnic minority groups, by addressing issues of impor tance…and by offering them a platform for discussion within their own communities on important national and local issues, as well as providing them with a platform to share these views with the rest of the national population. - Convinced that minority community media can contribute to the participation and emancipation process of immigrants and ethnic minority groups within the concept of civic citizenship, the improvement of intercultural communication, common understanding and dialogue. - Convinced that by using the language of their audience, minority community media are able to effectively reach out to immigrants and ethnic minority audiences, which cannot normally be reached by other national and local media. - Convinced that minority community media can have an important supporting role to mainstream media, as mediator between minority communities and mainstream society, in providing access to minority networks, and to alternative sources of information. - Convinced that minority community media is a basic public service and that, as such, they should be a structural part of the national and European media environment. - Convinced that minority community media need meaningful and relevant support in order to fulfil their important role.