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Viswanath, K and Arora, P

Page history last edited by Wendy McNeal 15 years ago

Viswanath, K., and Arora, Pamela. "Ethnic Media in the United States: An Essay on Their Role in Integration, Assimilation, and Social Control.." Mass Communication & Society 3(2000): 39-56

 

Dr. K. Viswanath is currently an Associate Professor for the Department of Society, Human Development, and Health at the Harvard School of Public Health, a member of the faculty for the Dana-Farber Caner Institute, and his research focuses on communication inequities and disparities, and inequities of public health. He is a tenured professor at the Ohio State University’s School of Journalism and Communication (from which he taught from 1990 to 2000). He is a distinguished researcher, prolific writer, and member of various professional organizations. Pamela Arora is current Editor-In-Chief of “Anokhi Vibe” an Indo-Canadian magazine that targets young Indians.

 

In their article, titled “Ethnic Media in the United States: An Essay on Their Role in Integration, Assimilation, and Social Control”, K Viswanath and Pamela Arora identify five roles that the ethnic community media play. Analyzed through the Asian-Indian Community, the article covers the background trends as well as role ethnic news media plays in sustaining ethnicity for the first, as well as the second generation. Viswanath and Arora conclude their article with a brief analysis of the future of ethnic media in the United States due to the changing medium of information technology.

 

The five roles the Indian ethnic media play are reporting on stories of conflict, distributing information about social events, providing information of community members, being a community booster, and being the community sentinel. Although these roles can be extrapolated to analyze other ethnic community media, the roles can vary depending on the different ethnic groups and their individual characteristics as a community

 

The authors conclude with several questions about the future of the changing technology and the role of ethnic media news coverage. They ask are barriers like social class, political ideology and power will cease to matter. Will some groups choose to send news through electronic media rather than print? Will it be based on which sectors the ethnic groups are working in?

 

As of now, the authors write that web based content reflects hard copy information, but they see more progressive and controversial topics being covered, including a greater focus on civil rights, politics, and cultural identity than exists today. They also identify that content may be focused on the second generation solely, rather than the first or both groups. The authors have a positive view on the future of ethnic news media, and see that the ethnic media is a fluid and changing media, and doesn’t contrast, but offers a different view that that given by the mainstream media.

 

Many people who look to ethnic media for the aforementioned reasons also engage in the likes of mainstream media. For many, ethnic media is a supplement to other mainstream medium. Although media has a primary function in society, ethnic media also entails another dimension that mainstream does not. With many similarities, there are also many differences between mainstream and ethnic media. Viswanath and Arora state that ethnic media are a product of the environment in which they emanate. It’s a critical subsystem of total community. Ethnic media reflect, refract and amplify the concerns of power groupings in a social system. The ultimate goal of ethnic media is social control in the interest of social maintenance. Ethnic media also reflects the norms and values of a community.

 

Viswanath and Arora speak of two main characteristics of ethnic media focusing primarily on a heterogeneous medium and homogenous medium. With a homogeneous medium the power is relatively more centralized and decision making is seldom public and runs on a basis of consensus. The role of a homogeneous medium is to uphold a culture’s image and not “stir the pot”. Essentially, the goal of this particular medium is maintaining the status quo. Ties between the political and media elite are closer and less complex. In many instances, within the social hierarchy of media executives and other community leaders, there is a lot of interaction and the success of a media outlet is predicated on strong social relationships.

 

The role of a heterogeneous medium is quite different from its counterpart. This particular medium relies heavily on audience feedback and welcomes conflict and change. As a matter of fact, coverage of conflict is routine as there are often competing groups within the organized power of the community. The primary social function of a heterogeneous medium performs both informational and feedback functions. Feedback draws attention to potential problems and act as a forum for setting a public agenda.

 

Ethnic media also acts a community sentinel, a watchdog, identifying threats and ensuring the stability of the culture. It acts as the voice for the voiceless ensuring the integrity of the culture is upheld. Ethnic media also acts as a community booster providing information on members’ success in American society and contributions to community in a positive light.

 

 

 

This essay would be of value to anyone researching the various roles of media, the relations between immigrants and the communities and the effects that the communities have on media. This article would be of value to the Social Sciences, Journalism and Communication Studies. The material researched for this article was expansive and drew upon previous work of Viswanath, many journal publications, and to some extent, their own personal experiences as immigrants.

(Created by Jana Ingram) (Edited by Wendy McNeal)

 

Sources

 

 

Viswanath, K.. "Curriculum Vitae." Curriculum Vitae. 1/28/2008. 1 Dec 2008 http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/viswanathlab/pdf/Current_CV.pdf and "Viswanath Lab." 1 Dec 2008 <http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/viswanathlab/people/index.htm>

Little India. 1 Dec 2008 < http://209.85.173.132/search?q=cache:QlKCnmN94-cJ:www.littleindia.com/september2004/TheOtherIndianAmericans.htm+pamela+arora+Anokhi+Vibe&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=us>.

Viswanath, K., and Arora, Pamela. "Ethnic Media in the United States: An Essay on Their Role in Integration, Assimilation, and Social Control.." Mass Communication & Society 3(2000): 39-56

 

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