|
|
|
|
|
GOLDSEA |
ASIAMS.NET |
ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
WHY THE MEDIA BIAS AGAINST ASIANS?
(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:58:58 PM)
o aspect of American life angers us more relentlessly and insidiously than the way we're alternately maligned and ignored by the U.S.-based mass media. None of us could name a major film studio, publishing company or TV network -- other than perhaps PBS -- that hasn't committed these sins hundreds or even thousands of times.
The mass media's distortions of Asians and Asian Americans have been decried far too often to bear repeating here. In a nutshell, though, they center around sexualizing and cheapening Asian women while simultaneously desexualizing and dismissing Asian men. Suffice to say that instances in which the U.S.-based media portray us fairly are so rare as to draw stunned disbelief each time they are encountered.
Why this persistent assault on the culture and phenotype of a third of humanity? Some spy the heavy hand of moguls seeking economic advantage in portraying Asian competitors as inferior, and therefore, unworthy of trust, patronage or investment. Others see a conspiracy to keep down a race whose burgeoning global influence threatens in due course to overshadow that of white western peoples. A history of wars against Asian nations, sexual rivalry, economic scapegoating, xenophobia and simple ignorance are other often cited factors.
Likely, what's at work is some combination of those and other forces.
Share your hard-earned insights on the subtle and gross workings of the American mass media's apparent crusade against the Asian and Asian American image.
This interactive article is closed to new input.
Discussions posted during the past year remain available for browsing.
CONTACT US
|
ADVERTISING INFO
© 1996-2013 Asian Media Group Inc
No part of the contents of this site may be reproduced without prior written permission.
|
|
|
|
WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
How can HK media be a two way street? How many blacks,latinos,whites do you think there are in Asia? Not as many as in America. You need some common sense. I'm sure the asian studios would actually hire those groups if they actually lived in large concentrations in those countries. But they don't, so that kind of defeats your argument Twowaystreet.
KDK
Saturday, February 08, 2003 at 07:19:55 (PST)
[67.213.169.206]
Boycott Burberry!:
Where did you read this Rose Marie Bravo quote? Unless you provide a credible source, I have no reason to either believe you or boycott Burberry.
Also, your "spaghetti-swilling, mafioso" comments make you a bit of a racist hypocrite too.
Q4U
Friday, February 07, 2003 at 10:43:53 (PST)
[206.208.171.1]
I have just recently read that Rose Marie Bravo, CEO of Burberry made a comment as to that "Selling to busloads of Asian tourists gave Burberry a downmarket image."
We Asians need to boycott that stupid ugly fatass spaghetti-swilling, mafioso C*** and her crap mass-produced products!
Boycott Burberry!
Thursday, February 06, 2003 at 18:38:27 (PST)
[69.3.216.238]
To Michael T. Richter,
You wrote: "Are you for real? The "bias" against Asians in American mass media is no different from the "bias" against all other races in Asian mass media..."
Now let's see. What could possibly be wrong with your argument? Oh yeah, I've got it. There are people of Asian racial derivation who are AMERICANS. As a matter of fact, there are as many Americans of Asian extraction as there are of Jewish extraction (about 4%). Are you going to tell me there are no more positive depictions of Jews than there are of Asians? You're not going there are ya buddy?
By the way, no charge for the tip about the fact that there are such creatures known as AsianAMERICANS.
Naki
Wednesday, February 05, 2003 at 17:58:00 (PST)
[24.198.93.205]
Are you for real? The "bias" against Asians in American mass media is no different from the "bias" against all other races in Asian mass media.
I live in China now, for example. When watching almost any Chinese movie or television series, what do I see? I see non-Chinese women sexualised and cheapened and non-Chinese men desexualised. When I watch Korean and Japanese movies I see the same thing (inserting "Korean" or "Japanese" for "Chinese" as appropriate).
Sheesh!
Michael T. Richter
mtr1966@hotpop.com
Tuesday, February 04, 2003 at 22:14:07 (PST)
[211.141.100.130]
Japanese do pay Hollywood stars small fortunes to appear in their multi-media ads. Yet, when was the last time u saw a Japanese star pitching some American products here? Nope, it's a one-way street...
Big in Japan
Tuesday, January 28, 2003 at 08:32:49 (PST)
[148.104.5.7]
TWO Way Street,
You are wrong when you say other Asian movie industries are not as open to foreign actors and actresses. Asian movie industry would love to have foreign actors and actresses so that they can market their movies to non-Asian markets. More often than not, these foreign actors and actresses only have eyes for Hollywood.
Disciple of the Dragon
Monday, January 27, 2003 at 13:22:39 (PST)
[170.148.10.30]
"Hollywood" VS The Asian Movie industry
(50Year or more) and Asians
LOL I HATE to say this,
But!"Hollywood" IS More Open to Asians,
then"HK", Bollywood,
Japan and Corean
..etc, Movie
industry.
Ask yourself this!
When last have you seen a White,Black or a Latin in "Asian Movie"?
Name your Top or So So White, Black or Latin Actor/Actress
in "The Asian" Movie industry?
Untill "Asian" and The Asian" Movie industry address this intense hypocrisy, They will always be a Poor #2 in The World Market.
YOUR demand/request
Must be a TWO WAY Street.
"Hollywood" will be
on top for a long long time, Do to The Asian Movie Industry
Layziness
In the meantime,You guys need to check out "The Asian Movie Industry" and get them in lind first.
TWO Way Street
Labyrinth7@webtv.net
Sunday, January 19, 2003 at 05:20:47 (PST)
[209.240.198.63]
To All,
Thank you for your responses. At present my partners and I have commitments from two prominent Asian/Asian-American actors for one of our film projects in development. Needless to say, it is an interesting time right now as several prominent industry types who are Non-Asian have expressed interest in this project. However, these individuals are the creative types who generally work independently of the major studio system; it's up to the studio heads to decide whether or not the film is worthy of their logo for distribution purposes. These studio heads are the people who always think they know what the public wants, and who greenlight projects that are biased.
Another interesting note: Several people in the major studios have taken a liking to films from Hong Kong/China and Japan just the way they are; this could potentially signal some changes in the future. I hope this takes us to a point where the heads are no longer afraid to market a foreign language film (CTHD and Hero are two examples - but don't get too happy yet). And if this is the case, I want to sneak in a few English-language films that are Asian-themed. I think our first project is just a couple of months away from the first pitch to the majors; we'll see how this goes.
In the meantime, my partners and I have been contacted by other industry types (both Asian and Non-Asian) regarding our services to their projects that have Asian themes. What an exciting time to be a part of this.
I'll post more when I can.
AsianHollywood
Saturday, January 11, 2003 at 20:03:46 (PST)
[63.233.26.181]
Charlotte G:
Hey, half the battle is calling this to the attention of non-Asians like yourself. Looks like we're heading in the right direction. ;)
Thanks for acknowlegding our cause.
Living in LA
Sunday, January 05, 2003 at 23:45:16 (PST)
[172.168.170.243]
I feel like I should apologize for my ignorance about Asian issues. I only began to notice when I became interested in the career of Chow Yun-Fat in America. Now it's like I'm seeing the media issues through Asian eyes. So many times I have turned to my family after watching a movie or TV show and said something about the Asian character or sometimes the lack of Asians as if I could see the problem for the first time in my life. I'm not so sure it is a lack of respect on the part of most whites as everyone seems to think Asians are smart, but rather a case of ignorance or not caring enough. I hope you can do something about the situation and I will applaud your success.
Charlotte G.
Saturday, January 04, 2003 at 06:32:23 (PST)
[12.81.160.39]
Asian Hollywood,
As an Asian American actor myself (Chinese), I would very much like to see Hollywood put out some quality films that portray asians more accurately rather than always as nerds, kung-fu guys, or sexual accessories to white males like that ridiculous piece of sell-out trash known as "The Joy Luck Club". Its nice to know that someone in Hollywood is passionate about portraying asians the way we should be portrayed...Truthfully.
I agree that after the success of CTHD and the probably success of "Hero" now is a good time to strike with a film that will wake up the ignorant masses. I hope when you eventually get the greenlight for one of your projects you will cast at least a few unknowns to give them a chance to launch their careers.
In the meantime, good luck to you, and good luck to the rest of us asian actors, directors, producers, executives, models, screenwriters and every other asian wanting to break in to the biz.
Max
orgazmo83@hotmail.com
Saturday, January 04, 2003 at 00:25:45 (PST)
[12.224.63.215]
Reply: TO New kid from Britain--
You say that we must take in the culture and country that we live in to be accepted and stop whining... (basically)
America is different from Britain. America is the melting pot in which almost everyone is an immigrant. People all over the world came to this "new" country and settled here. There are cultural differences but that is "the" characteristic of America.
As for giving up your "old accent" ....
Imagine if everyone did that...
There would be no other cultures left.
English is the main language in this world and people all over the world are learning it to communicate for industrial reasons.
Imagine if everyone in the world learns English and gives up their "old accent"....?
When you learn a language, you learn its culture as well.
If you give up your language then you give up your culture as well.
We need public exposure to correct stereotypes and to place a better image of Asians to the rest of the world thru media. So far, we're known as gangsters, store clerks, hookers, and kung fu fighters in the media.
As there are more younger Asians adapting to the American culture, we need the media's help to portray the new generation of Asians to help identify ourselves.
Lavienrose
Friday, January 03, 2003 at 23:20:49 (PST)
[32.101.149.222]
AsianHollywood:
I applaud your efforts to bring forth quality films starring Asian performers. As a hapa actor, I know that these are few and far between (at least, films that get greenlighted).
If you are not already acquainted with MANAA in Los Angeles, I highly recommend you check them out. They seem to be very on top of things (issues/films regarding roles/stereotypes of asians in film and television) when I can attend the meetings.
Blayse
Friday, January 03, 2003 at 09:00:52 (PST)
[66.14.62.2]
AsianHollywood:
Your goal sounds great. Best of luck, I'm behind you all the way.
Good Luck
Thursday, January 02, 2003 at 19:51:29 (PST)
[66.214.175.114]
NEWEST COMMENTS |
EARLIER COMMENTS
|