Pacific Time, the nationally distributed public radio program about Asian and Asian American affairs, is being taken off the air by San Francisco PBS station KQED.
SFGate has a story, but we first heard about it through Keith Kamisugi's Facebook page.
I always thought Pacific Time's mix of news from Asia and stories about Asian Americans didn't always mesh. At Hyphen, our focus is Asian American subjects because that is the audience that is under served by the mainstream media. While there obviously is interest in Asia among Asian Americans, it always seemed to me that Pacific Time covered Asia to make the program more marketable to a non-Asian American audience.
KQED says finances are to blame for Pacific Time's demise, and that some of the stories it covered will be aired in other programs. That may be a good thing, as one of the goals of diversifying the media is also to "mainstream" stories about under covered subjects rather than marginalizing them.
On the other hand, some stories Pacific Time would have covered may not get aired. Pacific Time was one of the few news programs around with an Asian American focus, so it is a loss. Pacific Time's last show will air Oct. 11.
Posted by harry at September 26, 2007 11:39 AM
Comments
This is so disappointing. I podcast Pacific Time even in China.
Posted by: Jason at September 26, 2007 10:59 PM
God help me, i tried to listen to Pacific Time, but it was BO-ring! hey guys how about starting a Hyphen podcast? could be a great opportunity for all.
Posted by: kerbot2000 at September 27, 2007 10:53 PM
ha ha, i'd have to agree. i was glad it was there, but yeah, it was often boring. i second a hyphen podcast.
Posted by: ee at September 28, 2007 5:35 PM
I liked Pacific Time specifically for it's mix of Asian and Asian American stories. I think the trend amongst younger Asian Americans to forge stronger cultural connections with their ancestral homelands and I don't think Hyphen should discount this trend.
Posted by: Caliboy at September 30, 2007 10:01 AM






