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New America Media: Nichi Bei Times Closes, Nonprofit Hopes to Continue Legacy
Vimeo: The Nichi Bei Times
SF Gate: Leaders try to save Japanese American newspaper by AAJA member Benny Evangelista
AP: Japanese American paper to close after 63 years
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August 21, 2009
The Nichi Bei Times is on the verge of closing after serving the Japanese American and Asian American community since 1946, the oldest Japanese American newspaper in Northern California, which is published from San Francisco's Japantown. As with many publications, declining circulation and advertisements has led to its demise and is slated to close Sept. 10.
But the staff and community, including AAJA member Keith Kamisugi, plan to create the Nichi Bei Foundation, making it a non-profit newspaper that can benefit from diverse funding sources and continue serving the community. AAJA members Helen Zia and Jon Funabiki support the endeavor. Zia told New America Media there is a greater need for publications that reflect the community. Funabiki hopes the non-profit model will influence other ethnic news media.