Su’a William Sio – 
The Essence of Ethnic Journalism is telling a story about a Changing World.
When I was asked if I would write something about the ‘Essence of Ethnic Journalism,’ the first question that came to mind was, ‘What is it?’
While still thinking about it, I decided if I removed the word ‘Ethnic,’ all that would remain would be ‘the essence of journalism.’
That, I thought, sounded easier.
When thinking about the essence of journalism, it was suggested to me that I think about, “What kind of work journalism was doing today?”
I think what journalists are facing today is a fast changing and a dynamic New Zealand.
I believe that most Kiwi journalists have not yet decided what this means. For Pacific and ethnic communities, we believe we do.
Changing world
The world is changing and what used to be in the past is no longer the case today.
It definitely will not be the case in the future. This goes for everything and particularly the people of New Zealand. It also goes for the media and what it reports on.
My journalistic experience is extremely limited to meeting journalists and sending out press statements.
As a Labour MP, it seems that despite our efforts to send our regular press statements, and our efforts to get our stories into the media – any media – the polls, while they are trending in the right direction for Labour, still favour the incumbent government.
Indifferent attitude
Despite how Government policies have produced the growing inequalities faced by most New Zealanders, inequalities that will impact badly on the next generation of New Zealanders, the mainstream papers seem to focus on individuals owning yachts, cars, and young, tiny-waist girls.
It suggests that individualism is to be worshipped and praised as the only way for the future of New Zealand. That thinking is also a refusal to acknowledge and accept that there are other people, for whom New Zealand is their home, that abhor individualism as they see prosperity in the eyes of how well the collective or the community gets along, thrives or responds to crisis.
Mainstream failure
From a personal perspective, looking at it from my Samoan heritage and Pacific eyes, I’ve always found the work of the mainstream New Zealand media extremely biased, one sided, and almost totally irrelevant to a multiracial, multilingual society that is becoming more brown and not white.
It focuses still on a white run, white control world despite the fact that in Auckland a majority of people are made up of Maori, Pacific, Asian and overseas-born New Zealanders. It also loves to focus on the negative of Maori, Pasifika and Ethnic or Asian communities. It enhances stereotype beliefs.
If Auckland today is a microcosm of this country, then our world is no longer just a white New Zealand world.
Today’s New Zealand is extremely diverse from a social as well as from an economic perspective. It is colourful and growingly so – brown, black, yellow, red – Maori, Pasifika, Asian – culturally and linguistically.
To be able to promote the Maori, Pasifika and Ethnic world in the light that is true, pure and non-threatening, I think journalism needs to find ways of promoting a group of people that values families, genealogy, food, work, religion or spirituality.
A group of people that celebrates the seasons, the crisis, the births, the good, the moon, the stars, life, the earth, rivers and the mountains.
Journalistic obligation
A group of people that sees not just the person standing before you, but their parents and grandparents too and the place where the puke is buried when they were born.
So what is the essence of journalism and why should it matter? My friends tell me that the main goal for journalists is “to ensure the right of citizens to truthful and important information, which allows them to form adequate impression about social processes, their essence and importance, about the situation in the modern world.”
What is the essence of ethnic journalism? For me, it is to tell the truth about our cultures, communities, languages, colours and flavours. To tell it in such a way that Pakeha New Zealanders embrace and celebrate it.
To talk about our dreams and aspirations for the future of New Zealand.
A future which is diverse, colourful, peaceful, thriving and communal.
There is nothing wrong with ethnic journalists telling this story or showing a bit of bias. They just need to ensure the process of verifying the truth is included and explained.
All the best.
Su’a William Sio has been elected Member of Parliament from Mangere Constituency in south Auckland since 2008. He is Labour Party’s Spokesman for Pacific Island Affairs, Local Government and Interfaith Dialogue.
