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Ethnic media can change with the times

Ethnic media can change with the times

18 November 2014

Ethnic media channels can expect to prosper if they produce a high quality, cost-effective and measurable product that convinces agencies, businesses and public bodies to allocate a bigger share of their advertising budgets.

This was one of many valuable insights shared at the inaugural Unitec Ethnic Migrant Media Forum (Nov 13) which drew an audience of academics, stakeholders, current and potential advertisers plus leaders from New Zealand’s ethnic media organisations.

“Te Noho Kotahitanga Marae in Mt Albert provided a fitting venue for a robust discussion on the role, relevance and future of ethnic media,” says Marty Pouwels, CEO of event partner Niche Media.

Pouwels, who also chairs EMINZ, this country’s Ethnic Media Association, says the forum was a timely reminder that the media industry is driven by new technologies and independent surveys, the results of which determine where organisations spend their budgets.

“It was for this reason Niche Media, in partnership with the government, commissioned Reid Research to conduct a comprehensive survey to find out how New Zealand’s growing ethnic communities used mainstream and/or ethnic media.

“Niche Media’s General Manager Paul Doyle set the scene for the forum by presenting an overview of the survey’s results which focused on the media preferences of Chinese, Korean, Indian and Pacific communities.

“The findings sparked as much discussion on the marae as they have in the offices of advertising agencies, company boardrooms and the public relations sector where the research overview has been presented over the past year.

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“The feedback has been encouraging with communications executives and CEOs alike telling us that while they’ve been aware of these niche markets for some time now, they’re astounded by the growing size and buying power.

“We’ve also been impressing upon public servants the importance of ethnic media not only as an important channel for news and stories of general interest, but also for those communities to learn more about society, government and how they could contribute. It’s our view that these communities want to feel part of the wider Kiwi community and play an active and valued role.

“We’ve been advocating on behalf of ‘ethnic’, or as I prefer ‘niche’, media organisations for some 13 years now to build the sector’s reputation and viability. It hasn’t been easy to compete with mainstream media which attracts nearly all advertising revenue, leaving ethnic media with less than 1%.

“The research we’ve invested in is starting to pay dividends for the ethnic sector but we have a long way to go to reach funding parity for 46% of the Auckland population which is Asian, Maori and Pacific.

“Before anyone can expect to attract and retain new advertisers, we need to listen to the decision-makers and deliver the media experience that will reach their consumers and citizens,” he says.

INSIGHTS FROM THE FORUM:

• The NZ media scene is changing and ethnic/niche media can prosper by moving with the times and operating multiple platforms

• Online channels, e.g. SkyKiwi and Coconet, offer advertisers an increasingly attractive product as they’re targeted and, most importantly, measurable

• Well represented at the forum, Auckland Council spoke of the importance of ethnic communities in the context of its new Significance and Engagement Policy

• The desire for a state-funded, non-commercial public service TV channel like Australia’s SBS was mooted

• Unitec’s Department of Communication Studies, in association with Niche Media and EMINZ, hosted the one-day forum that sought to explore the roles of ethnic, migrant and diasporic media in New Zealand.

ends

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