The explosive growth of ethnic media in the U.S. mirrors the very market it serves. Just as the U.S. minority markets are growing in population - so fast, in fact that the combined groups will soon become the majority population - so too is the media targeted to this population.

"It's booming, not just growing," said Ms. Cheryl Harps, EVP, Director of Media Communications, Don Coleman and Associates, a Detroit-based agency targeting African Americans.

In the past year alone, the U.S. has seen the successful introductions (or planned introductions) of Latina, a magazine aimed at Hispanic women; The Black World Today, an online publication with Afrocentric news and information; Cu'dese Bien, (Take Good Care of Yourself) a newspaper supplement in Spanish with essential consumer health information; and Ming Pao, a major Hong Kong daily newspaper that has just launched a New York edition.

"In just a 10 year period, from 1985 to 1995, African American media grew by 72%, Hispanic media by 160% and Asian American media by 173%" said Esther Novak, president of Vanguard Communications, a marketing communications company that specializes in ethnic markets. "The reason for the growth is that ethnic consumers have very specific needs for information that is relevant to their community - and that information is simply not available in general media."

Ethnic media informs and educates - and enjoys a special relationship with its readers. Samuel J. Chisholm, Chairman & CEO, The Chisholm-Mingo Group, a full-service agency helping clients reach African American, Hispanic and urban markets, said that "ethnic media also provides a different point of view, and that is very, very important. Ethnic media will speak from the heart."

"Mainstream media does not, for the most part, address the specific interests and concerns of the ethnic community," said Don Rojas, publisher of The Black World Today. "So ethnic-oriented media, whether print or electronic, is filling a void."

"We are launching Cu'dese Bien to respond to the different health concerns of the Hispanic population," said Barbara Slonevsky, publisher, Hispanic Health Outreach, Inc. "There are differences in terms of access to health care and degrees of health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure and childhood diseases."

Ethnic media serves as a "4th party endorsement," said Chisholm. "Remember the slogan, 'It must be the truth because I read it in Jet magazine.' "

"There (is a) credibility that ethnic media enjoys," said Barbara Britton, National Advertising Director, Essence magazine, a publication that is 27 years old and is the largest circulation magazine for African American women.

"When we write about something, it's almost an endorsement of the product. And ads in our publication show that an advertiser has acknowledged that the reader has money to spend."
Sears has recognized the value of this market. "Sears started with the Hispanic and African American markets and now targets the Asian American market," said Misha Kim, Sr. Account Executive on the Sears account at K&L West Advertising, Inc. "We've helped Sears reach Asian Americans with free standing inserts, print and TV," she said.

"Word of mouth is very effective here. What the community is reading, is what the new immigrants will also read," said Mona Lisa Yuchengco, publisher of Filipinas magazine, a publication serving the interests of all Filipinos. "Ethnic media are only too willing to help advertisers reach the market they want."

"Overall, Asians like highly advertised brands," said Hiroko Hatanaka, Advertising Representative for SinoVision, a Chinese in-language TV program provider. "Consequently, continuous advertising on Asian media will help to expand the market into Asian groups."

Indeed, ethnic media is considered "as a tested and trusted friend - a family member," said Carey Davis, VP/General Manager of Mega 97.9 and Suave 93.1 Spanish radio stations in New York City. And he noted that ethnic media has "responsibilities to the market in addition to our opportunities."

Bringing it all back to service to the customer - the ethnic media user, the urban shopper.

For more information, please contact Lisa Skriloff, 212-242-3351, infobrokr1@aol.com.

This article was written for publication in Urban Call, the trade magazine for urban retailers. For more information about Urban Call, contact publisher Lafayette Jones, 910-759-7477.