Getting the Word Out
API artists watch Chron-Ex merger carefully

The life of a publicist is a busy one. There are phone calls to make, press releases to write, interviews to schedule and press kits to mail. Artists promoting themselves also work diligently to get the word out about upcoming performances, exhibitions, readings and shows.

Even with several weeklies and two major dailies in San Francisco, getting noticed is not always easy. With so many artists and groups clamoring for write-ups, and Asian Americans artists say they often find themselves left out and that the merger may make them more so.

Theater Bay Area, a nonprofit member service organization, initiated a letter writing campaign on Aug. 18, asking for two theater critics regardless of the merger. The letter claims that both papers are “already woefully lacking in theater coverage.”

In San Francisco, the Chronicle publishes a daily “Datebook” and Sunday “Pink” section covering arts and entertainment, while the Examiner publishes the “Style” section during the week and “Weekend” section included in Friday’s paper. The Sunday Examiner magazine also includes briefs on upcoming events.

In an interview, Sabrina Klein, executive director of Theater Bay Area, said her organization has received positive feedback since the letter went out. “We don’t know if they will listen to us, but if we don’t try we will have lost our voice forever,” said Klein, who emphasized that it’s not just artists who should be concerned but audiences as well as people who support the arts.

But Tim Hallman, spokesman for the Asian Art Museum, says it’s difficult to predict what will happen.

“I think it’s too early to tell what it [the merger] will mean. Ideally we would like to have as much coverage as possible,” said Hallman, adding that the Examiner and the Chronicle have both supported the Asian Art Museum in its plans to move downtown, and both papers have given the museum “pretty good coverage.”

Still, other Asian American arts organizations have not found both papers as supportive.

“The Examiner has been more approachable than the Chronicle,” said Nancy Hom, executive director of the Kearny Street Workshop, a multi-disciplinary Asian American arts organization. With a merger, she said. “Instead of having two tries, [having one daily] might diminish the chance more. There are so many groups out there, we are all competing for publicity.”

Francis Wong, co-founder and creative director for Asian Improv Arts, also said that the Chronicle has been inconsistent while “the Examiner has been much more supportive of Asian American art events.”

However, with the new management team unformed, the question of future coverage remains up in the air.

Michael Edo Keane, co-artistic director of Theater of Yugen, said though the organization also depends on publicity to bring in ticket sales, he doesn’t think a merger will make or break them.

“Coverage as it is, is not that good,” Keane said.

If arts organizations have the resources, they can hire public relation firms to contact the media. Kim Ina, associate producer for Children of the Camps, a documentary and education project, says she was fortunate enough to have the funds to hire a public relations firm based in New York to work on getting media coverage. The documentary, which aired on PBS, was given a write up in the Examiner. She says without an outside public relations person, “It would have been very difficult for us.”

Wong said that aside from the obvious reasons, publicity is important because it provides validation. “Unless you’re in the daily, you don’t necessarily get the respect and legitimacy. We are still trying to get that respect,” Wong said.

When Asian Improv musicians tour, Wong said, they receive exposure from major dailies around the country, including the Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe, New York Times and the Chicago Tribune. But when it comes to local coverage, getting publicity has been more difficult.

“When the [local] dailies support us, we feel like San Francisco supports us. It’s like rooting for the home team.”

This article was researched and written by Anna Mantzaris.