Invisible Ink:
Media Representation of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Report finds that news coverage of Asian Americans was so sparse, it was as if it was written in invisible ink. During Asian Pacific Heritage Month last month, the Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP) released Invisible Ink: Media Representation of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Invisible Ink explored news media coverage of AAPIs through a pre-pandemic snapshot, seeking to answer how often AAPIs are included in, or the focus of, stories related to economic inequality, and how they are portrayed. Invisible Ink found that news coverage of Asian Americans was so sparse, it was as if it was written in invisible ink. Given the power of the media to shape the perceptions and decisions of philanthropy, policy makers, and other key decision makers, it is critical for news media to accurately and robustly include AAPI people in the course of covering the full spectrum of issues, including economic inequality. “Our initial reaction to the report was one rooted in affirmation. There was a lack of surprise as the report reflects what we have heard from the AAPI community and also experienced firsthand. Traditionally tagged as the model minority group that has intentionally tried to blend into the background, it should come as no surprise that we are often not only left out of the conversation, but also the media,” said Chris Bui.
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June 2021 | Feature
Coverage reinforced underlying themes of the model minority myth and news coverage focused on Pacific Islanders was virtually nonexistent. In particular, for articles related to economic inequality and that mention at least one racial group, the report notes: • Less than a third of this set of news articles mention Asian Americans or Pacific Islanders.
• Only 2 percent of these news media articles feature disparities in Asian American/Pacific Islander communities.
• Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are the explicit focus of these articles less than 4 percent of the time.
