Family Announcements

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Gayle

Not quite the same Garinda although I get your point to a degree. If you were in Spain and only reading the news from the English media then you would be reading about news that was happening in another country and not locally.

However, the Asian community has Asian Image and Asian News to read local news locally.

I still think it is sadly isolating.

[Gayle]

Originally Posted by garinda

I still think it is sadly isolating.

Perhaps you should start reading Asian Image then.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Gayle

Perhaps you should start reading Asian Image then.

I have done, and regularly check their website.

Like I say, I read everything I can, and don't like to limit myself.

To me it is as sad as someone who fits into a particular demographic, and only reads the Asian/black/gay/Catholic press that is aimed specifically at them.

It must give them a very one dimensional view of the world, and add to their sense of isolation, and living in a bubble.

The Observer, and other local papers, are a medium for all sections of the community to use, and to ignore and isolate yourself from that is counterproductive to a happy, inclusive society.

[Gayle]

Originally Posted by garinda

I have done, and regularly check their website.

Like I say, I read everything I can, and don't like to limit myself.

Not everyone has the time to read everything and so they choose the one that applies the most to them. Papers know that and so have target markets. Perhaps, the Observer does not specifically target Asian readers because its sister paper Asian News appeals more to that demographic.

It's all down to marketing.

[andrewb]

I wish I could get the Accrington Observer over here.. alas I have to settle for just the Hull Daily Mail.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Gayle

Not everyone has the time to read everything and so they choose the one that applies the most to them. Papers know that and so have target markets. Perhaps, the Observer does not specifically target Asian readers because its sister paper Asian News appeals more to that demographic.

It's all down to marketing.

But the Asian News isn't local to Hyndburn, therefore people who only read that are missing out on news in their community.

It isn't all down to marketing, it's down to some people choosing to isolate themselves by only reading a medium that is being targeted at them, which also applies to the other types of press I gave as examples, gay, black etc.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by andrewb

I wish I could get the Accrington Observer over here.. alas I have to settle for just the Hull Daily Mail.

I've told you before, if your mummy loved you as much as mine loves me, she'd post you a copy.

I had my Observer posted every week, first to Liverpool, then to London.

Sometimes it even had money in it, which was really nice of the Editor.

[Gayle]

It's fairly local - more local than the Guardian is to me, yet i read that.

[katex]

Originally Posted by garinda

But as I said that attitude is limiting one's place in the community, and also rather isolating, as examplified by my example of Brits moving to Spain, ignoring the local media, and only reading the English tabloids.

I think the problem in Spain is the language barrier .. my friends buy the local ex pats publication and the English newspapers that are available every day, so naturally they will go for the ex pats. Most people living in Spain are of retirement age and find it difficult to pick up a new language (although some of my friends are making an effort .. the women that is !)

If the Spaniards could issue their publications in English or German maybe more would be bought .. probably not monetary viable though, and why should they.

LOL Garinda .. was just going to say the same thing to AndrewB... will post you mine if you forward your address Andrew.

In the meantime, comments from the News Editor of Observer:-

"Regarding the family announcements, we have tried numerous time to get Asian
families to contact us with their family announcements. We have tried
speaking to asian funeral directors but they don't seem to use our service
for one reason or another.
I don't know whether it has to do with the amount of time they have before
the deceased have to be buried/cremated. I think the main reason is
cultural."

[garinda]

I take the point about the funerals, but the obituaries are free, and it would be interesting to read a brief bio of people who have lived and worked here in Hyndburn.

I also take the point of the language barrier in Spain/France/Italy/wherever, but the Asian press that has been mentioned is all in English, so that's not really applicable.

I think anyone, of whatever background should be informed if some drunken courting couple rolls in to the Tinker brook. That's newsworthy to every person, regardless of background.

Asians don't isolate themselves from local politics. It seems sad that they are isolating themselves from the local press, and therefore the wider community.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Gayle

It's fairly local

Yes, to the whole north west...so not local enough to read if your next door neighbour hasn't paid their TV licence.

[Gayle]

But the Asian population is about 8% of the total population so you'd need to spread your net a lot wider to get the 13,000 readers that the Accy Obs gets.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Gayle

But the Asian population is about 8% of the total population so you'd need to spread your net a lot wider to get the 13,000 readers that the Accy Obs gets.

Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

I'm not saying there isn't a need for specialist media, whatever their target audience is.

But it just adds to feeling of isolation, when thats the only newpaper you read.

Why limit yourself?

If we're playing the minority card, as stated earlier, I have probably less in common with most people featured in the Observer's stories than most, but it doesn't mean I don't have an interest in the community I live in, otherwise I might as well go and live in a ghetto, which would be a sad state of affairs.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Gayle

But the Asian population is about 8% of the total population so you'd need to spread your net a lot wider to get the 13,000 readers that the Accy Obs gets.

So the percentages are the same, so what atraction does local politics have, that the local press doesn't?

[Gayle]

Originally Posted by garinda

So the percentages are the same, so what atraction does local politics have, that the local press doesn't?

Well again - the Asian population of Hyndburn is 8% - I reckon that around 8% of the local MPs are Asian - so represents the local demographics.