Pacific communities are also very supportive of media devoted to their issues and Pacific

CROSSING

media like to highlight success stories within their communities. Pacific media include the

BORDERS

television programme Tagata Pasifika, which is a keen supporter of any arts with a Pacific

involvement. Radio is also an important tool for reaching a wider Pacific Island audience.

 I wanted to target young

Some stations (e.g. Radio 531 PI in Auckland, Samoan Capital Radio in Wellington, and

New Zealand Chinese and

Auckland and Wellington Access Radio) target Pacific Island communities and air

other Asian audiences  

programmes in Pacific Island languages. As well as seeking interview times on these

people who understand what

stations, you can often negotiate good discounts on advertising rates.

it's like to be on the border

of two different cultural

Niu FM, the new network of Pacific stations broadcasting in six centres, is another good

identities,  Sonia Yee says.

option for reaching Pacific audiences. It has its own news team with morning, lunch and

Her one woman play, The

drive time special bulletins. It is nationwide and captures a large, young, Pacific audience.

Wholly Grain, premiered at

It also has regular slots for different audiences. 

BATS Theatre in 2003. To

Remember that while Pacific Island peoples living in New Zealand share many social and

reach her target audience, she

cultural similarities, each Pacific country has its own language, and distinctive arts and

placed eye catching posters

in Wellington's Asian

cultural traditions. 

restaurants and networked

Don't forget the growing Asian media, which are keen to receive information about

with Chinese organisations.

shows/events that may interest their target audience. And for the gay community, there

She also  sold  her story to

are publications such as Express, which may be interested in what you are promoting. If

Asian media, including Asia

your show has target markets with specific interests such as gardening, books, bowls or

Downunder and Capital Chinese

even rugby, remember that there are niche publications and websites that offer

News.Yee is the first New

promotional opportunities.

Zealand Chinese woman to

graduate from Toi Whakaari

New Zealand Drama School.

This, plus the fact that The

Wholly Grain was the first

play she wrote and performed

a

in after graduating from Toi

edi

Whakaari in 2002, also made

it a strong news story for

e m

mainstream media. A front 

page photo and caption story

Th

appeared in The Dominion Post

the week before the play

opened.

5

RESPECT 2003 at The

Dowse, Lower Hutt  

working with media

outside the mainstream

can be an effective way to

reach specific markets 

57

Smart arts

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