Working for fair and accurate coverage of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders is a core mission of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA). On many occasions, AAJA responds or takes a position on items relating to print, broadcast or online coverage of AAPI communities and issues. Specifically, AAJA assumes the role of media “watchdog” to ensure that media outlets are aware of comments, statements, reports or opinions that are considered offensive or derogatory to AAPI communities.

In 2000, AAJA published “All-American: How to Cover Asian America,” a handbook that includes: a) a glossary of terms that should be used or avoided when writing stories about Asian Americans, b) examples of insensitive, offensive or racially-charged news items on Asian Americans and issues, c) a field guide to the Asian countries. The handbook is available for viewing/downloading on the Style Guides page.

The following Q&A summarizes the purpose and guidelines of AAJA’s MediaWatch program, based on recommendations of a Task Force created by the AAJA Board of Directors. The most recent guidelines were approved by the Board on March 12, 2006.

Under what circumstances does AAJA respond or take a position related to media coverage of AAPI’s or issues?

In general, AAJA takes a position on media-related items that are considered inaccurate, insensitive, offensive, stereotypical or racially-charged. The most common AAJA response is to call the attention of the reporter, news anchor, cartoonist, editor, news director, publisher or owner of the media outlet involved to express AAJA’s concern about the comment, reference or news story in question.

Similarly, AAJA takes a position when there appears to be LACK OF COVERAGE of an issue or story that is considered insensitive, offensive, stereotypical or racially-charged.

Due to the volume of requests and availability of the AAJA MediaWatch Committee, AAJA regrets being unable to address all issues, even if they meet these guidelines. However, AAJA does encourage everyone to use the online reporting form to let us know about these issues, since we track each issue reported to us.

What types of media outlets or activities are covered by AAJA’s MediaWatch?

• Media outlets and activities that are primarily outlets of news/journalism such as The New York Times, AsianWeek, Amazon.com News, ABC News, Newsweek Magazine, etc. These would also include “news digests” or electronic emails and other bulletins consisting of news stories or summaries that are widely distributed.
• Media outlets and programs that fall under the “spinners and influencers” category, those that exist to comment on the news, to influence how journalists cover the news and to influence how the public perceives and understands the news. These would include talk shows, news blogs and shock jocks.
• Non-journalism media outlets and activities that may be scrutinized on a case by case basis. These would include movies, music, non-news magazines, Internet sites, commercials and television entertainment shows that perpetuate stereotypes of AAPIs, unfairly or inaccurately portray AAPIs or distort history.
• Journalism organizations and journalism schools that fall short of helping to promote AAJA’s goals for fair and accurate coverage or equal employment opportunities for AAPI journalists.

AAJA may inform other media watchdog and community organizations such as the Media Action Network for Asian Americans (MANAA), Organization of Chinese Americans, Japanese American Citizens League, Asian American Justice Center, etc.. These organizations may then write letters or position statements on behalf of the communities they serve, or even organize protest activities or campaigns.

AAJA also has a Community News section on our national web site at www.aaja.org to post press releases, media advisories or position statements by AAPI organizations. Postings are at the discretion of the editor.

What is AAJA’s reporting and response procedure for MediaWatch items?

If the issue is local, the local AAJA chapter can formulate a response (ask for a meeting with the journalists, editors or publishers concerned; write a letter; write an op-ed piece on behalf of the chapter; issue a media advisory to all local media outlets, etc.) Copies or information taken by the chapter should be forwarded to the AAJA National Office for tracking purposes.

If the issue has a broader regional or national scope, AAJA members or local chapters should contact the National Office which will in turn bring up the issue with the National Officers, Governing Board or MediaWatch Committee for appropriate action or response.

MediaWatch items can also be reported through AAJA’s national web site at aaja.org.

Updated Dec. 26, 2006

AAJA MediaWatch
Task Force Guidelines

The Governing Board of the Asian American Journalists Association approved at March 12, 2006 new guidelines for AAJA's MediaWatch Committee, based on a report by the AAJA MediaWatch Task Force. The following is a summary of the new guidelines.

In the March, 2006 MediaWatch Task Force report, the Task Force agreed on four items that are intended to help improve AAJA's MediaWatch. The Task Force agreed to new guidelines that would enable flexibility within AAJA's mission, more diverse forms of responses to issues, a more diverse MediaWatch Committee to help bring different points of view and balance, and methods of response to issues that fall out of the MediaWatch guidelines as well as committing more resources to staff to forward the MediaWatch mission.

The Task Force agreed that the following groups were open for scrutiny by MediaWatch: newspapers, television news broadcasts (local, national, network, and cable), news radio, magazines, news/journalism related Internet sites (eg. Slate.com), talk shows on 24 hour cable channels (eg. Bill O'Reilly, Larry King, Hannity and Colmes), news/journalism-related blogs, news/journalism-related e-mail newsletters (eg. Shoptalk, The Note), documentaries (as factually-based works that could offend or misrepresent AAPIs and/or AAPI culture), defense of AAJA members (eg. The recent cases of Arthur Chi'en and Michiko Kakutani) including editorial cartoons, comic strips, op-ed pieces and syndicated columns, movie reviews, and even "Dear Abby." In addition, the Task Force also agreed to a one-year test period to comment on non-journalism media outlets. This would be done on a case-by-case scenario and would include movies, music, non-news magazines, Internet sites, commercials, and television entertainment shows.

The following is the course of action that the Task Force agreed upon if a potential issue were to arise. The MediaWatch chairperson would be alerted, the members of the committee would have 24 hours or the specified deadline time to vote on whether or not they would respond to the issue. If it is agreed that action is needed, the chair will solicit/assign someone to respond which could be via phone, prepare a template, or draft a letter. As each incident occurs, a summary and its outcome will be recorded in the database by National staff. The range of responses can be a phone call or private letter to the offender, public letter, demand a retraction or apology, press release, or a press conference with the AAJA President.

The MediaWatch committee will strive for balanced views from diverse backgrounds, with diversity spanning ethnicity, geographic area, and type of news media. The amount of participation a committee member partakes in can be a requirement that the chairperson uses. The committee may become more proactive in searching out violations rather than responding to only those that are reported to the committee.

For issues that fall out of the MediaWatch guidelines, the actions that AAJA can take are sending template letters to those concerned with the issue, post a "news" piece on the AAJA web site, an "AAJA Alert" e-mail may be sent out to members, post on the web site why or why we did not respond to an issue, if outside of AAJA scope a guest may be invited to comment with the disclaimer that the view does not reflect that of AAJA, convey all recommended processes and responses to the local chapters to assist them in their local MediaWatch functions.

Finally, the Task Force agreed to identify and earmark specific resources of staff and budget to the MediaWatch mission. If necessary, fundraising goals will be specified for this part of AAJA's mission.

Approved by MediaWatch Task Force Chair, Helen Zia on January 13, 2007. To request a full copy of the 13 page MediaWatch Task Force report of March 2006, write national@aaja.org