A fresh voice for Asian-American youth has been blazing trails and making noise. A new music entertainment channel is taking over and word on the street is that MYX® is the new lucky cat in town.
Despite the fact that nine million Asian-Americans are under the age of 35 and are totally media-savvy, it has been an underserved group by mainstream media and an untapped market – until now. MYX® programming is tailored to scratch everyone’s music itch, while recognizing the importance of APA cultural heritage, one that is unique, trendy and current.
In the San Francisco Bay Area, MYX® is available on Comcast Channel 368 but television isn’t the only platform that’s rocking to a new sound. Booming online and out in the community, MYX® has made a smart move by bringing the music to the people.
Current Content
Building a channel from scratch is no easy task but with a team that’s represented by local Asian-American pros in their own departments of expertise, locally-produced programming has not only changed the landscape of API media as we know it but has also received accolades from award giving bodies. Last year, MYX® was given the 2009 NAMIC thumbs up for its “Dig: Lyrics Born” in the Digital Media Short Form category. Dig is the channel’s flagship artist platform. This two-minute monthly vignette features up-and-coming indie artists at work.
Just how exceptionally anomalous is MYX®? All eyes have been on the channel with its recent launch of two new programs: Vinyl Addiction, which takes the audience to an up-close look at the Vinyl Toy Revolution which originated in Hong Kong. Visual Crunch which goes behind the scenes of groundbreaking, creative music videos produced at impossibly low budgets – veritable video miracles at this age, serving well the Asian American market, whose artists are, surprisingly, independent.
Redefining a Culture
In recent articles run on mainstream publications, like Keith Kamisugi’s piece on the Huffington Post, it is clear that Hollywood needs to catch up. Mainstream media has long portrayed a stereotypical Asian-American, typecast as amorphous, caricature-like and “good in math.” Making noise, MYX® is dubbed the community’s “fresh voice” for spotlighting the real deal, Asian-Americans as pop culture’s pilot. MYX® Channel Head, Miguel Santos explains that, “We’ve made it our mission to accurately portray the Asian-American on television. Highlighting the real prototype, we’re showing a global audience what our generation really looks like.”
San Jose State University freshman Lorenze Torres says, “It’s great to see APIs that I feel represent who I am, just rocking on TV. I look at Utada Hikaru, Nicole Scherzinger, Cassie… and I think to myself – now, that’s what I’m talking about!”
“The Asian American youth is a community of creative minds and bi-cultural propensity so MYX® has taken up the challenge to provide television-forward programming where they can see themselves represented as the innovative visionaries that they are,” shares Santos.
Tomorrow’s Bullhorn
As with any successful media venture, the key element is to be current and to give viewers substantial but popular content. It’s about finding talent that has yet to be discovered and digging into the community’s pockets where our talent abounds. “The new trend favors the independent YouTube artists, comedians and breakout artists that follow their own tune. MYX® is in the know and shines that spotlight in the right direction. I’m addicted,” says artist manager and founder of The Luna Co., Christina Luna.
So next time you’re surfing channels, drop by MYX® and see what all the buzz is about. While success may hinge on a little luck from the cat, the audience finds that with forward-looking content, progressive goals and a pool of ridiculous talent, MYX® is, officially, the new voice of Asian-American youth.
ABOUT MYX®
With its U.S. headquarters in Redwood City, California, MYX® was developed by ABS-CBN International, a US-based subsidiary of ABS-CBN Broadcasting, the largest media company in the Philippines and among the largest in Asia. MYX® is the only music entertainment and lifestyle channel dedicated to the Asian American community, utilizing music, culture and entertainment. MYX® can be seen on Channel 368 on Comcast’s Digital Preferred Tier in the San Francisco Bay Area, Comcast ON DEMAND, Cox Digital Basic Cable, DIRECTV 2067 and RCN. For more information, visit http://myx.tv.
Keesa Ocampo works for ABS CBN International and is a member of the Young Filipino Professionals Association.
