CUNY Graduate School of Journalism Formally Launches New Center for Community and Ethnic Media

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Ethnic media outlets provide a cultural, political, and educational lifeline to the 37 percent of New York City’s population who speak little or no English.

New York, New York (PRWEB) January 16, 2013

The CUNY Graduate School of Journalism formally launches its new Center for Community and Ethic Media with a reception on Thursday, January 17, 2013, at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism (219 West 40th Street).

The establishment of CCEM is a milestone in efforts by CUNY and its trustees to support and promote New York’s burgeoning and diverse community and ethnic media.

“The Center’s mission dovetails nicely with that of CUNY and the Graduate School of Journalism,” said Stephen Shepard, founding dean of the School of Journalism. “This media sector is vibrant and plays a pivotal role in the city’s and the region’s discourse. We’re proud to be part of that conversation.”

At the reception, CCEM Executive Director Garry Pierre-Pierre will unveil “Many Voices, One City,” the new directory of some 270 local publications and broadcast outlets that focus on nearly 2 million New York City residents who are foreign-born. The directory is the first published since 2008.

Said Pierre-Pierre, “Ethnic media outlets provide a cultural, political, and educational lifeline to the 37 percent of the city’s population who speak little or no English. Ethnic media serve as a bridge between new arrivals and more established immigrants and ensure that the next generation, though assimilated, remains connected to its heritage.”

Pierre-Pierre is a Pulitzer Prize winning, multi-media and entrepreneurial journalist, a veteran of The New York Times. He added, “There are dozens of small community newspapers, public access cable stations and, more recently, blogs that provide timely, hyperlocal information to targeted neighborhoods in New York City. Many of these communities are home to underserved minority populations; often, the only journalistic coverage they receive is from the community press. “

CCEM is offering a full menu of services for its members:

•     Research and to enhance this media sector’s audience engagement and economic sustainability;
•     Education and new media training to raise professional journalism standards in areas such as investigative reporting, fact-checking, copy editing, legal and ethical issues, and business, health and political reporting as well as business sustainability issues and opportunities to identify new revenue streams;
•     Administering the highly regarded Ippies awards, scheduled for March 28th, which honor journalistic excellence in this media sector;
•     The Newsmaker Series to increase the opportunities for reporting on city and state officials, business leaders, and academic and policy experts; and
•     Voices of NY, an online news aggregator, which translates and extends the reach of stories in the ethnic and community press.

CCEM will also announce the first members of its Advisory Board:

•     Jonathan M. Albano, Esq. managing partner in the Boston office of Bingham McCutchen
•     Tina Lee, Managing Director of the World Journal, the largest Chinese-language daily newspaper in North America.
•     Fatima A. Shama, Commissioner of the NYC Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs
•     Richard Siklos serves as vice president, Corporate Affairs for Time Warner
•     Mark Anthony Thomas, director of City Limits
•     Sarah Bartlett, CUNY Graduate School of Journalism
•     Michelle Rea, Executive Director, New York Press Association
•     Yulian Ramos, program officer at Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans
•     Rabbi Bob Kaplan, founding Director of CAUSE – NY, formerly known as the New York Center for Community and Coalition Building

For more information, contact: Jehangir Khattak at 646-758-7774 or email ccem(at)journalism.cuny(dot)edu

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