Mediating publicness: An analysis of Pacific audiences’ desire for a sphere of their own in Aotearoa/New Zealand (2017)

View/ Open
Type of Content
Journal ArticleISSN
2463-641XRelated resource(s)
http://pacificdynamics.nz/Collections
- Arts: Journal Articles [286]
Abstract
This paper suggests that Pacific groups are positioned narrowly in New Zealand publicness, often in ways that run counter to Pacific audiences’ demand for in-depth news and information and public debate. Focus groups held with Pacific audiences at several urban centres in New Zealand found that Pacific news media are a key site of Pacific people’s publicness in New Zealand. Audiences looked to Pacific media (and, interestingly, Māori media) to fulfil their expectations for timely, in-depth and high-quality journalism, and for a space in which their communities could safely discuss issues and enact their citizenship. However, it is clear that more could be done to realise this role, not just on the part of Pacific media producers, but also funders and policy makers whose focus on Pacific media in terms of ethnicity and culture tends to overlook audiences’ demand for in-depth news and debate. This paper concludes that viewing ethnic media within categories of ethnicity or culture (as do funders, scholars and, often, media producers) risks both exaggerating the ‘otherness’ of ethnic minority groups and overlooking Pacific audiences’ media needs in terms of their participation in society. Instead, it suggests, policy-makers and funders could do more to recognise the journalistic and public sphere roles of the Pacific news media they fund.
Citation
Ross T (2017). Mediating publicness: An analysis of Pacific audiences’ desire for a sphere of their own in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Pacific Dynamics: Journal of Interdisciplinary Research. 1(1). 119-132.This citation is automatically generated and may be unreliable. Use as a guide only.
Keywords
Pacific media; journalism; public sphere; ethnic minority mediaANZSRC Fields of Research
47 - Language, communication and culture::4701 - Communication and media studies::470107 - Media studies47 - Language, communication and culture::4701 - Communication and media studies::470105 - Journalism studies
20 - Language, Communication and Culture::2002 - Cultural Studies::200210 - Pacific Cultural Studies
Rights
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.Related items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
-
Rethinking Journalism and Culture: An examination of how Pacific audiences evaluate ethnic media
Ross T (Informa UK Limited, 2017)© 2016 Taylor & Francis. Studies of indigenous and ethnic minority news media tend to emphasise their political advocacy role, their role in providing a voice to communities overlooked by mainstream media and, increasingly, ... -
Ethnic media and multi-dimensional identity: Pacific audiences’ connections with Māori media
Ross T (2020)This study explores issues of identity, hybridity and media in an Aotearoa/New Zealand context by analysing Pacific audiences’ affinity for and use of Indigenous Māori media. It makes the case for broadening ethnic ...