Mapping Canadian Diasporic Media: the Existence and Significance of Communicative Spaces for Overseas Canadians
Canadians Abroad Project Project Paper Series No. 10-01 March 2010 Mapping Canadian Diasporic Media: The Existence and Significance of Communicative Spaces for Overseas Canadians Sherry S. Yu School of Communication, Simon Fraser University www.CanadiansAbroad.ca Project Paper Series #10-01 Mapping Canadian Diasporic Media: The Existence and Significance of Communicative Spaces for Overseas Canadians Sherry S. Yu School of Communication, Simon Fraser University Executive Summary To understand how Canadian diasporas are established as communities, this study mapped the ―communication infrastructure‖ of the Canadian diaspora -- that is, media and organizations established within diasporic communities. As part of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF)’s Canadians Abroad Project, this study continues the APF’s efforts to profile the Canadian diaspora. This study identified 60 Canadian diasporic media, 53 organizations and 110 alumni networks in 12 selected destinations in Asia, Europe, North America and the Middle East, which represent nearly 60% of overseas Canadians. This study finds that the largest communications infrastructure has been established in the US (58), followed by the UK (37), China (24), Hong Kong (23), and France (22). Canadian diasporic media (defined in this study as Canadian-owned and operated media that are printed, broadcast or published online or offline in English, French or in any other third language, and directed at overseas Canadians) are most numerous in France (14), followed by the UK (10), the US (9), Taiwan (7) and China (6). Canadian diasporic media are mainly provided by volunteer-run, not-for-profit, overseas Canadian organizations (social networks or business organizations) in the form of online, micro media (e.g., newsletters, blogs, forums, social networking groups) to share Canadian understanding of the new locale and to facilitate interaction among Canadians.
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