ALLIED MEDIA CORP.

While many view New York City as a Mecca for immigrants, it seems that some advertisers have yet to catch up with reality.

According to the recent article titled “State and Federal Advertising Dollars” published in Voices that Must be Heard, NYC currently holds more community media institutions than at any time of the city’s history, many of them catering to ethnic communities. John Liu, New York City’s Chief Fiscal Officer hopes to increase the presence of the city’s advertising dollars in these local ethnic media outlets.

Liu, the city’s first Asian American comptroller, often referred to as a “Trailblazer” and “Pioneer,” criticizes various public service agencies “for not spending more of their advertising dollars with those media outlets that penetrate the immigrant and other ethnic communities.”

Liu justifies these concerns by pointing out that these public agencies are using his ethnic constituents’ taxpayer money in ways that don’t directly reach them. “I think that both the MTA and the City can do a better job of doing that because the reality is that the so-called daily papers are not read by a large percentage of people living in this City.”

Liu indicates that reaching out to ethnic and immigrant communities presents a wealth of benefits. Utilizing advertisements in ethnic media outlets is a powerful tool because the content they provide appeals more to the readers.

“Unlike the mainstream publications which emphasize crime and periodic ethnic festivals when covering immigrant neighborhoods, community papers are driven by issues such as the interpretation of American life and they focus on the challenges confronting immigrants.” Furthermore, these media outlets “highlight the burning social, economic and political issues back in the respective home countries or regions,” which make them even more relevant to their readers.

Sandy Close, executive director of New American Media adds that “ethnic media play a critical role in the economic utility of communities they serve.” In other words, these media outlets offer vital opportunities for advertisers to get in front of their potential customers.

And with the downturn of the economy still in effect, knowing where to spend your money is critical. Many mainstream media outlets, particularly print, are on the decline, whereas ethnic papers remain strong and widely read. When there is an estimated 3 million ethnic and immigrant residents in New York City, it’s hard not to justify that bang for your buck.

-Efrata Yitbarek

“I will host a Summit on Entrepreneurship this year to identify how we can deepen ties between business leaders, foundations and social entrepreneurs in the United States and Muslim communities around the world,” President Obama, Cairo, Egypt, June 2009.

President Obama speaking at Summit Photo: Morocco Board News

Often times putting words into action can take a long time. However, President Obama and several senior Cabinet officials, including Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, hosted the first Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship less than a year after the President delivered his speech in Cairo last June. The two-day conference, co-hosted by the department of Commerce and State in Washington, included close to 250 foreign delegates from more than 50 nations around the world. Among the attendees were entrepreneurs, investors, academics and many more distinguished individuals from nations such as Kuwait, Morocco, India and Cameroon, to name a few.

During the opening ceremony, President Obama commented on how “the United States and Muslim communities around the world too often fell victim to mutual mistrust” in spite of the common beliefs shared between the two communities. According to the President, now is time to change the course of the future that is plagued with past divisions, destructive actions, and the mentality of the past. Instead, the President hopes for greater cooperation in order to build “confidence and conviction in a future of justice and progress and the dignity of all human beings regardless of their race, regardless of their religion.”

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks at summit: Photo courtesy of Morocco Board News

The first summit found its focus within the discussion of entrepreneurship. “We believe entrepreneurship is a fundamental American value; it’s also a force that has the ability to unlock opportunity for people around the world,” said Ben Rhodes, White House deputy national security adviser for strategic communications. The President also added that entrepreneurship as a whole, “is in our mutual economic interest, fosters opportunity and prosperity in all our nations” as well as continuously fosters partnerships.

Among several objectives behind the summit, a large one is to forge concrete steps toward mutually beneficial partnerships among America and nations around the world, primarily those with vast Muslim populations.

Photo courtesy of Morocco Board News

Summit Attendees: Photo courtesy of Morocco Board News

Concrete Steps Forward

In response to President Obama’s commitment to partner with Muslim communities worldwide based on mutual interest, mutual respect and the 2010 Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) has already forged partnerships with Business for Diplomatic Action (BDA) and Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) to expand exchange programs and pursue new opportunities in entrepreneurship and innovation.

Photo courtesy of Morocco Board News

ECA’s International Visitor Leadership Program, New Beginning: Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation, aims to bring 25 entrepreneurs each year to the United States “from countries with significant Muslim populations over the next four years for educational seminars, mentorship, and first-hand experience in the business place with American entrepreneurs.” To complement this exchange, ECA aims to cooperate with “private sector partners to send 100 American entrepreneurs abroad over the next four years.” The ultimate goal of this and future programs is to create long lasting partnerships and networks that are “mutually beneficial and will support job creation and economic opportunity” in the U.S. as well as abroad. In sum, the program will focus on developing a spirit of entrepreneurship and small business enterprise, and expand on the understanding and benefits.

Most importantly, programs like this and more of which will come in the future, sets a strong example of the success of President Obama’s summit and mission to connect and nourish healthy relationships with Muslim and non-Muslim countries abroad.

For more information visit:

www.exchangesppp@state.gov

www.entrepreneurship.gov