Comcast drops ImaginAsian TV
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Following in the path of AZN, it looks like another one bites the dust. I never had access to Imaginasian (and I don’t get to watch much TV anyway), but from looking at the website, I’m not really surprised that it went down. It looks like their programming focused either on:
a) Foreign films/dramas
or
b) Original productions that are really, really, really saccharine and wholesome
I think it was a noble effort, and I’m glad businesses like ImaginAsian are taking risks by trying to showcase people of Asian descent. But from my experiences in working with the Asian American community, most Asian Americans will only watch stories of people in other countries who speak different languages for so long, even if the people are really beautiful. Eventually we hunger for an organic media that addressed our issues. And even though the sweet, happy, and wholesome approach seems like the friendlier, let’s-all-get-along way of doing things, Asian Americans eventually get tired of that too. Compared with our real life experiences, it’s lame.
I think IA Media’s President Adam Ware makes a good but possibly half-correct point:
Ware said statistics show that the primary language of an overwhelming majority of Asians in America is not their native language but English.
“Stations like KTSF do a disservice to the Asian American market as they niche Asian communities and then pitch programming in their languages - to me that’s horribly uninspired,” said Ware. “I am a firm believer that there is room for an English Asian pop culture channel.”
I think there is room for an English Asian channel, but I just don’t think the wholesome approach works. Pop culture itself may have to wait. Think about hip hop; it’s technically pop culture, but there are deeper stories that lie beneath the surface. I think Asian Americans want to put more resources into deeper issues because we’re tired of not controlling our own media, and we’re tired of fake wholesomeness.
(Picture from USA Today)
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RebelAzn
4:03 pm | Aug 07, 2008Time for Internet TV? It is time.
kwak76
5:19 pm | Aug 07, 2008Couple of issues.
On the foreign films.
I don’t know other areas but here in NYC there is local Asian channel that broad cast native Asian TV shows. For example here in NYC channel 531 and 532 are local Korean channels(for Queens which has a high Korean population) that broad cast Korean native TV shows. There is also a couple of Chinese channels too. Most people I know that watch those channels never heard of ImaginAsian. I think in the local markets like here in NYC I imagine that ImaginAsian was losing out to the other Asian channels because most first generation like my dad would watch 531 or 532 but never channel 560 which is ImaginAsian.
The reason why is that 531 and 532 is purely Korean. ImaginAsian was trying to mix everything up and trying to cater to everyone. The problem with that is that if learn marketing sometimes you need to specialize . ImaginAsian does not cater well to the first generation.
ImaginAsianTV made a mistake because they have to know there demographics. Most first generation Asian who don’t speak English would not watch ImaginAsianTV but prefer to watch the local Asian native TV or go to the local rental video stores. (go to any Chinatown or Koreantown your going to see those rental video stores and you know what I mean.)
Second issue. The Asian American generation who falls under the 1.5 and up should of been the demographics that ImaginAsian should of targeted and this is where I agree with Jaehwan. It has to be rich content with some meaning not stuff from Asia.
Stuff from Asia is good but it does not relate to the Asian American story that has to be told. I tried watching ImaginAsian Tv sometimes but half the shit that they had was some Korean soap opera (I could go to local video to see that or 531 and 532) or some soap opera from Japan .
They tried doing some home grown Asian American stuff but lack the punch behind it. I can’t think of anything from ImaginAsianTV that has local home grown stuff that stands out.
Adam Ware
2:06 am | Aug 14, 2008I couldn’t agree more.
iaTV can’t possibly be all things to all people. In today’s fragmented media world it’s an impossible goal. And a foolish one.
Over the coming months we are going to shake things up a bit. We want to be relevant and the only way to do that is with a distinct point of view that gets reflected in our content. The shows we make, the ones we acquire and the branding that surrounds it all.
We probably won’t connect with the viewers who watch KTSF, KSCI and the other local Asian American broadcasters. And we will probably fail more times that we succeed, but in the end….I LIKE OUR CHANCES.
Stay tuned….and let me know what you think…. aware@iatv.tv
jaehwan
1:07 am | Aug 15, 2008Adam,
Thanks for your input.
I don’t know about the SF market, but I think a lot of Asian Americans would enjoy watching some hard hitting debate. It would be good (I think) to see some smart Asians in the media with some real opinions, not the manufactured ones to make us more acceptable.
Thanks again for coming here, and best of luck with your next endeavor.
hyhy
2:24 am | Aug 15, 2008I was watching Imaginasian TV (ch 560 NYC) the other day and saw promotions for Banzai. What’s up with that? Are ratings that bad?
Adam Ware
3:50 am | Aug 16, 2008I like the idea of allowing passionate voices to express themselves in an unfiltered forum on TV and online. The last thing iaTV should be is average and safe.
Which is also why I liked Banzai so much. People either love it or hate it and this is the kind of passion we are trying to get at. Keep it coming…
P.S. I am thrilled that at least one person actually can recall our marketing. That’s half the battle.
thanks!
adam
jaehwan
2:22 pm | Aug 18, 2008Adam,
Since this is an Asian American intellectual and empowerment site, most people here would probably hate Banzai.
Regardless, I think there is a difference in the kind of controversy that a show like Banzai produces and the kind of controversy that better shows might produce. With Banzai, some find it offensive, while others don’t. People debate over what is essentially a negative, which means that people will either oppose and eventually destroy the efforts of the Banzai producers, or they’ll keep it but never become inspired. I would guess that it would be far more interesting–and lucrative–to have controversies over more progressive themes. This would enable you to use media to push the envelope on Asian American thought and grab a larger audience, and the additional revenues would help you to grow your fan base.
Anyway, I will send you my phone number/email from my naruguard-44 yahoo account if you’d like to continue the discussion. I’m always excited to speak with people who are doing new things.
Byron/Jaehwan
Adam Ware
6:43 pm | Aug 19, 2008Please send me your info….I look forward to talking more.
We are working on several ideas that I think goes to what you are hoping for….one of them is called Johnny’s Wall. I’ll post more info shortly.
Re Banzai….it’s a tough one. I don’t want to go on for too long about the show as it represents one half hour of our 24 hour 7 days a week schedule, but….
I remember the days of shows like In Living Color, The Simpsons and even Married with Children. I don’t want to put Banzai in the same league as those shows, but I think it does demonstrate a point.
All of these programs were highly controversial when they first hit the airways. The Homeboy Shopping Network, “Don’t have a cow, man” and Peg Bundy saying “I just want what every married woman wants, someone besides her husband to sleep with” set the stage for traditional TV to finally reflect real life “situation comedies”.
Shows like The Office, My Name is Earl and even Seinfeld could not have played on America TV without those early FOX shows. There is a reason that The Simpsons is the longest running show on television. I think this is part of it.
Asian American television doesn’t even try to reflect real life experience - comedy, drama or real life. When I watch channel 18 in LA or 25 in the Bay Area I am reminded of 1970’s television where viewers had just three choices. I am not saying Banzai is going to change Asian American TV, but I do believe it is a very important part of the process.