Understanding Ethnic Media

This is the first book to provide a comprehensive review and analysis of how media produced by ethnic communities, and for ethnic communities, affect identity and perceived lines of division between "us" and "others," as well as how the production and consumption of ethnic media affect the character of the larger media and societal landscapes.

Integrating key ethnic media studies with original research, this book makes a unique contribution by covering both consumers and producers of ethnic media, as well as the history of ethnic media, its role in ethnic communities, the effect of globalization, and the professional challenges faced by ethnic media journalists. A compelling discussion on the future of ethnic media concludes the book and points the way toward further research.

Key Features:

• A fresh viewpoint: The book focuses on how and why ethnic and racial minorities produce and consume media for themselves—not just how they are represented in or by the media.
• An ecological approach: The authors explore the growth of ethnic media in different socio-political contexts and approach ethnic media from the vantage points of both the audience and the media organization.
• An international focus: Provides readers with comparative examples from around the world.
• A conceptual and practical focus: Conceptual content is relevant, timely, and connected to readers′ lived experiences through real-world case studies.
• A student-friendly presentation: In each chapter, introductory bullet points identify the main concepts and issues, key terms are defined, student projects are suggested, and discussion questions are provided.

Matthew D. Matsaganis (Ph.D., University of Southern California) is an Assistant Professor of Communication at the University at Albany, State University of New York. His research addresses issues of ethnic media production and sustainability, neighborhood effects and the role of communication in building civic engagement and community capacity, as well as health disparities and the social determinants of health. His research has been published in the American Behavioral Scientist, Human Communication Research, the Electronic Journal of Communication, and the Encyclopedia of International Media and Communications; he has presented his work at a number of academic and professional conferences. Matthew is also a recovering print journalist. He has worked for a variety of publications in Athens, Greece and New York City. In November 2001, he received a certificate of recognition from the U.S. Congress for his work as a journalist and for promoting Greek-American friendship and cooperation. Vikki S. Katz (Ph.D., University of Southern California) is an Assistant Professor of Communication in the School of Communication and Information at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. Her research explores issues of ethnic media consumption, particularly the interplay between media content and access to community resources in ethnic minority and immigrant neighborhoods. She has conducted research on the relationship between family decision-making around media content and disparities in connecting to health care, schools, and social services; children’s translating activities around media content; the viability of ethnic media with second and third generation audiences; and the role of family communication in civic engagement. Her research has been published in the Journal of Communication and the Journal of Children and Media. She has also presented her work at academic and professional conferences on topics including ethnic media viability, intergenerational media connection patterns, and immigrant family media use. Sandra J. Ball-Rokeach, PhD, is a professor of Communication and Sociology in the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California. She is the founder and principal investigator of The Metamorphosis Project—an in-depth inquiry into the transformation of urban community under the forces of globalization, new communication technologies, and population diversity. This multi-method project is guided by communication infrastructure theory. It has addressed issues of civic engagement, health disparities, intergroup relations, and community news site development.