INTRODUCTION

The Asian American Journalists Association’s research program is crucial to advance equity and hold journalism accountable. With a commitment to pushing for newsrooms to reflect the communities they serve, AAJA has developed a robust research program to measure progress and drive change. By quantifying the diversity of newsroom staff compared with the communities they serve, exploring the underrepresentation of journalists of color in leadership, and providing detailed insights on the nation’s fastest-growing community of color, AAJA’s research program aims to shape a more inclusive and representative media landscape.

The goal is not only to foster better journalism but also to build a stronger news industry. Diverse leaders bring innovation and experimentation, making journalism more relevant to audiences of today and tomorrow. Through groundbreaking projects such as the AAJA Broadcast Snapshot and partnerships to amplify the monthly AAPI Data – AP/NORC Survey, AAJA continues to pioneer research initiatives that deliver insights into the often overlooked views of Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Native Hawaiians.

AAJA focuses on journalism research because it’s an industry that demands accountability and transparency but is often not transparent itself, especially on progress in building newsrooms that reflect the communities they serve. This research identifies concrete opportunities for the industry to do better.

RECENT REPORTS BY AAJA AND PARTNERS

  • Breaking Through: Overcoming Structural Barriers for Journalists of Color (AUGUST 2024) 
A diverse press corps is essential to inform citizens in a multicultural democracy, yet that hasn’t translated into a smooth road for journalists of color, this report shows. With support from The Asian American Foundation, Rapid Research Evaluation surveyed 549 working media professionals and followed up with 37 for focus groups and one-on-one interviews. Respondents reported structural obstacles at many different career stages, and some said they would have left the field without the support of mentors and professional associations. Learn more
TRUSTED MESSENGERS AND PRIORITY AUDIENCES REPORT (APRIL 2024) 
This report by AAIAVote, AAPIData and AAJA measures the evolution of news and information consumption by AAPIs and other communities of color. While exploring whom audiences trust, it confirmed a profound shift to social media for younger respondents but found news media still plays a significant role. Part of the ongoing AAPI Media & Democracy Survey Series. Learn more
AAJA Broadcast Snapshot Project: Underrepresentation of AAPI on Local TV News (May 2022) 
AAJA initiated this broadcast snapshot in the absence of publicly available diversity data from stations. AAJA found that local TV stations in the top 20 designated market areas (DMAs) did a poor job of proportionately representing the AAPI population in their communities. Nearly half (48.3%) of the AAPI population in the U.S. lives in the top 20 DMAs, yet a quarter of the stations had no AAPIs on air. Learn more
THE STATE OF ASIAN AMERICAN FEMALE AND MALE TV BROADCASTERS (AUGUST 2024)
This addendum to the AAJA Broadcast Snapshot Project focuses on gender data. It found a quarter of stations in top 20 markets have no Asian women on air, and half of the stations in top 10 markets underrepresent Asian women relative to the populations they serve. Just 1% of broadcasters are Asian American men. Learn more

OTHER AAPI COMMUNITY RESEARCH

A body of research on different dimensions of the Asian American Pacific Islander community is finally emerging, after years when AAPIs were overlooked or lumped together, despite national origins from more than 20 countries across Asia and the Pacific.

To offer your research for listing here, please contact support@aaja.org