713 多元文化媒體的角色

《同路人》2004年9出版, 當時我對出版、媒體及多元文化社會發展毫無認識, 只是盼望能在墨爾本可以有高質素的中文刊物, 提供給華裔移民, 協助他們融入澳洲社會。那時我看到的,這是從神而來的異象, 我認為會得到基督徒的支持及投身參與。事實上, 第一位到中國的傳教士馬禮遜, 就是在中國出版了第一本中文雜誌, 向中國人介紹西方文化、科學及基督教。

我當時相信基督徒會見到新移民對高質素的中文社會資訊的渴求, 更明白資訊對他們在一個新的國家中適應生活的重要性。可惜的是出版高質素刊物, 需要極多資源, 直到今天, 支持我們工作的基督徒寥寥可數。不過, 我感恩神讓我們出版至今。

今天在澳洲生活, 說普通話及粵語的有接近1百萬人, 而生活上閱讀中文的, 也有數十萬人,中文媒體在澳洲這一個移民為主導的社會中扮演著重要角色。

澳洲政府假設了移民澳洲的人都會懂得一點英文, 因此一直以來對少數族裔媒體並不重視, 其實是掩耳盜鈴, 自欺欺人。不錯, 英文是澳洲社會使用共通語言, 卻並非是少數族裔使用獲取生活資訊的語言。新冠大流行期間,移民部長及各州政府向社區發放疫情資訊時, 最初他們推搪把部份資訊選擇翻譯成為不同語言,放在政府網站上, 就解決了問題。結果是初期在海外出生的澳洲人, 感染新冠病毒及死亡率為本地出生者兩倍, 到「證據確鐅」顯明訊息無法發放至多元文化社區時, 政府才願意提供支援給多元文化媒體, 發送疫情訊息。

可以見到, 多元文化媒體, 在澳洲社會的發展及運作之中, 扮演著重要的角色。

研究顯示, 來自不同文化背景的移民, 絕大部份在生活上保留了他們的原居地文化的連繫。華人在這裏的娛樂資訊, 有相當大的部份, 都是以他們的語言進行的。通過互聯網, 不同民族都可以繼續享受他們在原居地喜歡以自己熟悉的語言發佈的影視節目或網絡訊息。Netflix 供應的多元語言節目極受歡迎,澳洲人也不例外。

不過, 在澳洲有關世界、澳洲或其它地區的訊息, 大部份華人都是以中文來獲取。是時候澳洲政府及華人社區, 要協助中文社區媒體的發展, 為華人社區提供更多高質素的社會資訊。

周偉文 社長

Sameway was first published in September 2004. At that time I was not too knowledgeable on publishing media and development in multicultural society. I just hoped we could offer Chinese migrants a high-quality Chinese publication helping their integration into the Australian society. I perceived that as a God-given vision and I thought I could have support and participation from Christians. Actually the first missionary to China Morrison did published his first Chinese magazine introducing Western culture, science and Christianity. 

I was thinking Christians should agree high-quality information on Chinese social circles would be welcome by and important to those new immigrants. Yet publication of high-quality is very resource-demanding and support from Christians has been very limited. Thank God for allowing it to happen till to-date.

By now almost a million people living in Australia speak Mandarin and Cantonese and hundreds of thousands are reading Chinese. So Chinese media should be playing a very important role in this nation of multiculturalism.

Australian government assumes all immigrants to here know English to certain extent thus has been pretending good to be indifferent to media of ethnic minority. Though English is the common language of our society, it is not necessarily the one used by many ethnic groups in acquiring their daily life information. During the pandemic, Immigration Minister and the State governments chose not to put up the various full translation versions of Covid information. Not until data came out to prove that the infection and death rates were doubled in population of overseas born Australians, then they realised the importance of channelling information in multicultural communities and they started funding multicultural media for doing more pandemic updates.

Hence multicultural media is playing a significant role in the development and functioning of the Australian society.

Researches indicate immigrants coming from various cultural background still maintain connection in their daily living with their fatherland. Most of Chinese entertainment information are in their first language. With internet, people of various origins can continue to enjoy programs and channels they used to have before they migrated. Multi-language broadcasts on Netflix proved to be very popular to many including Australians.

But most Chinese here are still obtaining information about Australia and the rest of the world through Chinese media. It is time for Australian government and Chinese communities to give more support to the development of Chinese media for the provision of more high-quality publication.

Mr. Raymond Chow, The Publisher