Urban Mediascapes and Multicultural Flows: Assessing Vancouver’s Communication Infrastructure

Abstract

This article adopts a communication infrastructure model in mapping the flow and meaning of ethnic media in Vancouver and their interaction with local, national, and global conceptions of a public commons. A communication infrastructure consists of a “thick” social network of media and organizations, which create and disseminate everyday conversations and news to any given community. Without the existence of a sustainable communication infrastructure, communities cannot form and function. The intersection of social capacity and media infrastructure, then, becomes an important predictor of potential for democratic deliberation and political engagement. Presenting an empirical study of ethnic media in Vancouver, this article asks how well these outlets provide resources to construct inclusion in an urban setting. A more complex infrastructure was mapped than anticipated, but several blind spots were still found. A set of recommendations is made to expand the politics of inclusion and recognition of shared citizenship and civic engagement.Resumé : Cet article adopte un modèle d’infrastructure communicationnelle pour examiner les flux et sens des médias ethniques à Vancouver ainsi que les interactions de ceux-ci avec des conceptions locales, nationales et mondiales de ce que serait un lieu d’échange public efficace. Une infrastructure communicationnelle se compose d’un réseau social « riche » composé de médias et d’organismes qui créent et diffusent les conversations et nouvelles de la journée à une communauté donnée. Sans l’existence d’une infrastructure communicationnelle durable, les communautés ne peuvent ni se former ni fonctionner. L’intersection entre les capacités sociales et l’infrastructure médiatique devient ainsi une mesure importante du potentiel que possède une communauté de susciter des engagements politiques et des débats démocratiques. Cet article, en présentant une étude empirique des médias ethniques à Vancouver, s’interroge sur l’efficacité de ces derniers à fournir des ressources favorisant l’inclusion en milieu urbain. La recherche a décelé une infrastructure plus complexe que prévue, tout en repérant plusieurs lacunes. L’article effectue des recommandations en vue d’améliorer les politiques d’inclusion et de reconnaissance de la citoyenneté partagée et de l’engagement civique.

Front Page Challenge: A case study examining what the ethnic media promises and what it delivers

“…The priorities identified by ethnic publishers and editors are consistent with the social responsibility theory of journalism, defined by Ahadi and Murray (2009) as local news coverage that aims to "raise intercultural awareness and assist new immigrants with integration" (603). Scholarly research, however, suggests there are significant differences in the extent to which individual ethnic news outlets live up to these goals.…”

“…One study of the people who produced ethnocultural publications in Canada (Miller 2006) found that 41% had no business or journalism training. Researchers in British Columbia have suggested that some proprietors of ethnic news operations are in the business more for the money than to provide a voice for the community (Ahadi and Murray 2009). Lam (2010) said that while most of his staff members did not receive formal journalism training in North America, the majority did study journalism in mainland China or Hong Kong and almost all had journalism experience prior to joining Ming Pao.…”

“…When the editors and publishers of ethnic news outlets in Canada are asked about their newsroom mandates, they identify priorities that include building bridges among cultures (Miller 2006;Murray, Ahadi, and Yu 2007) and providing news that helps newcomers adapt (DiversiPro 2007). Yet detailed analyses of news content produced by ethnic media organizations in this country and elsewhere often reveal that information that fosters understanding of life in Canada takes second place to news from the group"s home country (Ahadi and Murray 2009;Karim 2002a;Karim, Eid, and Ebanda de B"Beri 2007;Lin and Song 2006;Lindgren in press).…”

Interpreting the city: Portrayals of place in a Toronto-area ethnic newspaper

“…One survey, for instance, found that 41 per cent of the people producing ethnic news had no business or journalism training (Miller 2006). Researchers in British Columbia identified the belief in some ethnic communities that some publishers are in the business more for the money than to provide a voice for the community (Ahadi and Murray 2009). While most of the journalists at Ming Pao did not study journalism in North America, the majority did receive formal training in mainland China or Hong Kong, and almost all had journalism experience prior to joining the paper (Lam 2010).…”

Toronto-area Ethnic Newspapers and Canada's 2011 Federal Election: An Investigation of Content, Focus and Partisanship

“…The decision by Canada's political class to embrace ethnocultural media highlights the need to understand the role of these news organizations in the political process. Limited research in this area has led scholars to suggest it would be worthwhile “to investigate ethnic media's ‘behaviour’ during election times to better understand the type of issues that get covered, as well as how politicians and policies are addressed in the ethnic media” (Ahadi and Murray, 2009: 605). More generally, Kymlicka (2008) has identified the need for a better understanding of institutional structures, including ethnocultural media, in ethnic and immigrant communities.…”