Minority ethnic media: challenges for the future

ABSTRACT

Minority ethnic media play a unique role in preserving the languages, shaping the identity, and improving communication and cohesion of the ethnic groups it represents. However, traditional ethnic media outlets such as television channels and printed media worldwide have been facing decreasing viewership, especially because of strong competition from Internet media. Obtaining the support of people in the targeted ethnic group is critical and challenging. This paper elucidates the obstacles—dwindling viewership, competition from new media, and debates on intragroup and intergroup (intercultural) communication—that minority ethnic television channels face in many societies. By using the Taiwanese minority ethnic channel Hakka TV as an example, this study examined audiences’ viewing behaviors with respect to both the terrestrial channel and its online platform. A National Survey on Hakka Population and Languages (supported by the Taiwan Hakka Affairs Council) and in-depth interviews were used to explore the relationships between ethnicity, language, and communication in ethnic media. The results indicate what ethnic media outlets should prioritize to increasing viewership. Methods by which these outlets can reach out to other ethnic groups and enhance multiculturalism are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Hakka TV
• ethnic media
• audiences
• minority media
• viewing intention
• multi-culturalism
• social inclusion

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 There are many prominent Hakkas in the world, such as Li Ka-shing, Lee Kuan Yew, Tsai In-wen, etc.

2 2 Hakka Affairs Council in Taiwan: https://www.hakka.gov.tw/Content/Content?NodeID=626&PageID=37585.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Higher Education Sprout Project of National Chiao Tung University and Ministry of Education (MoE), Taiwan; Hakka Affairs Council Taiwan; and the Ministry of Science and Technology Taiwan [Grant Number MOST 107-2410-H-009-036-SS2].

Notes on contributors

Hsin-yi Sandy Tsai

Hsin-yi Sandy Tsai (PhD, Michigan State University) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication and Technology at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University. Her research interests include the use and impact of information and communication technologies (ICTs), ICT policies, and media and information literacy, with a focus on digital inclusion and social inclusion. She is a former associate executive editor of Global Hakka Studies.