Asian American media companies have been having a rough year. AZN TV shutdown in April, when we started channelapa.com. Now, KoreAm Journal could suffer a similar fate. This publication has been delivering a Korean American perspective for 18 years. They are finding it tough to get advertisers. As they point out:

At KoreAm Journal, we believe in providing you a window into Korean America. But ironically, the reason for our very existence is also the reason behind our ongoing financial struggle. Most mainstream and Korean companies and businesses would rather advertise in Korean-language or mainstream publications, but not in the media representing the in-between generations who have a foot in both cultures.

Lack of advertisers was also the main reason why previous Asian American media outlets shut down and Comcast pulled the plug on AZN TV. KoreAm Journal may suffer a similar fate.

Just a week after that phone conversation, KoreAm’s editor-in-chief James Ryu gave the staff some sobering news about our own company’s financial woes. Fortunately, no one was let go (yet), but significant cuts to salaries and budgets were announced. Last year, we suffered a 30-percent dip in advertising so, of course, there would be consequences. Still, the news felt surreal because, for the first time, I felt an urgency greater than ever before that we could lose this voice in our multicultural forest, just as Tu Ciudad was suddenly gone. Just as A Magazine, an Asian American monthly, had gone before that. Just as the English-language Korea Times Weekly had gone before that.

To prevent the potential closure of KoreAm Journal, they have launched a three-month Save KoreAm campaign. Learn how you can help them here.

2007 Koream Jounral & Audrey’s Anniversary Party (Koream Jounral & Audrey were bother started by James Ryu)