Latest news with #BBM
Scoop
12 hours ago
- Health
- Scoop
Study Finds Māori, Pacific Communities Can Reshape Media Narratives
Article – RNZ The success of Brown Buttabean Motivation shows how initiatives can use media stereotypes to create their own narrative. , Māori News Journalist A new study shows Māori and Pasifika community initiatives can use media stereotypes to create their own narrative. The University of Auckland study, 'Taking the mic: Māori and Pacific voices in the media' examined the success of Brown Buttabean Motivation (BBM), New Zealand's largest community-based fitness and well-being organisation throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the study's lead author Dr Sandra Smith, senior marketing lecturer at the University of Auckland, over time, and especially during lockdowns, BBM became 'much more than just a bootcamp and how to eat healthy'. 'It became an extension of whānau and a safe space where support could be provided to members in need. This finding echoes the notion that Māori and Pacific people are likely to seek help from family and community rather than from formal health providers,' she said. Structural inequities and media framing Outlined in the report, Māori and Pacific peoples in Aotearoa face entrenched socio-economic and health gaps, including lower life expectancy and higher obesity rates. 'Māori have experienced socio-economic deprivation because of colonisation and racism, manifesting in their significantly reduced life expectancy compared to non-Māori. Similarly, Pacific people also experience socio-economic and health inequities,' the study said. 'These health inequities were exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, requiring a consideration of the changing experiences and requirements of diverse communities.' Smith said these disparities can be worsened by mainstream media that frame health as an individual's responsibility, rather than a societal one. 'Media narratives can shape how others view Māori and Pacific people and how Māori and Pacific people view themselves,' Smith said, noting past decades of biased coverage. 'So, we were interested in whether the media was actually reflecting the community in an accurate way, in a truthful way, or in a biased way.' BBM's community, Māori and Pacific led innovation Using the kaupapa Māori framework, Te Whare Tapa Whā and Pacific framework Fonofale, the researchers analysed 102 media articles and interviews (27 before Covid-19, 75 during) via computer-assisted tools and member checks with BBM. They tracked shifts in top media themes, such as Letele, people, weight, life and boxing, food, health, lockdown, children, and community support. 'Covid-19 created different issues for the community. BBM adapted… New themes such as food, lockdown and children are reflective of this adaptation,' Smith said. 'It became more than just a bootcamp, but a community [and] a whānau.' The study found that as gyms shut due to lockdown restrictions, BBM's strong social-media presence which let it livestream workouts, share health information and organise food parcels – became a safe space for whānau. 'That's where they reach out to each other. That's how they perhaps coped when people were being locked down, losing their jobs, not knowing where their next healthy meal was coming from. That was a place where people obviously used those channels to connect.' Smith said from previous research in the health space, specific communities – including Māori and Pacific – will respond better to their own people when it comes to disseminating important information or getting advice. 'They're a lot more trusting of people within their own community. So, I think BBM then became a very important conduit for perhaps some of the health messaging helping people to navigate through some of the confusions around the time of the pandemic.' Despite some lingering stereotypes, media coverage of BBM was 'reasonably friendly… and reasonably accurate', the researchers found. 'It's good to see that the media was reasonably friendly towards this community and was reasonably accurate. It wasn't perfect, but that was one of the key findings,' Smith said. Creating your own narrative Letele's ability to co-create his own media narrative was a stand out finding, Smith said. 'Dave's own celebrity status… he was quite proactive and quite good at co-creating the narrative with the media rather than just having the media telling his story.' Smith hopes this study will inspire other community-based groups to pick up the mic and tell their own stories. 'I saw that Dave was very proactive in actually reaching out to the media, ensuring that the community's story was told accurately… I think communities can take a more proactive stance,' she said. 'Not necessarily waiting for mainstream media to create your narrative, but using the media channels that they're using themselves to tell their story.' She said this specific study is a great way of learning about how Māori and Pacific people benefited from having a community like BBM. 'I think we can all take something out of this story.' The paper is published in the Pacific Health dialogue – a journal dedicated to health issues in the Pacific region – and is connected to a larger post-doctoral research project led by co-author, Dr Fa'asisila Savila (Pacific Health) and funded by the Health Research Council.
Scoop
14 hours ago
- Health
- Scoop
Study Finds Māori, Pacific Communities Can Reshape Media Narratives
A new study shows Māori and Pasifika community initiatives can use media stereotypes to create their own narrative. The University of Auckland study, 'Taking the mic: Māori and Pacific voices in the media' examined the success of Brown Buttabean Motivation (BBM), New Zealand's largest community-based fitness and well-being organisation throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the study's lead author Dr Sandra Smith, senior marketing lecturer at the University of Auckland, over time, and especially during lockdowns, BBM became 'much more than just a bootcamp and how to eat healthy'. 'It became an extension of whānau and a safe space where support could be provided to members in need. This finding echoes the notion that Māori and Pacific people are likely to seek help from family and community rather than from formal health providers,' she said. Structural inequities and media framing Outlined in the report, Māori and Pacific peoples in Aotearoa face entrenched socio-economic and health gaps, including lower life expectancy and higher obesity rates. 'Māori have experienced socio-economic deprivation because of colonisation and racism, manifesting in their significantly reduced life expectancy compared to non-Māori. Similarly, Pacific people also experience socio-economic and health inequities,' the study said. 'These health inequities were exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, requiring a consideration of the changing experiences and requirements of diverse communities.' Smith said these disparities can be worsened by mainstream media that frame health as an individual's responsibility, rather than a societal one. 'Media narratives can shape how others view Māori and Pacific people and how Māori and Pacific people view themselves,' Smith said, noting past decades of biased coverage. 'So, we were interested in whether the media was actually reflecting the community in an accurate way, in a truthful way, or in a biased way.' BBM's community, Māori and Pacific led innovation Using the kaupapa Māori framework, Te Whare Tapa Whā and Pacific framework Fonofale, the researchers analysed 102 media articles and interviews (27 before Covid-19, 75 during) via computer-assisted tools and member checks with BBM. They tracked shifts in top media themes, such as Letele, people, weight, life and boxing, food, health, lockdown, children, and community support. 'Covid-19 created different issues for the community. BBM adapted… New themes such as food, lockdown and children are reflective of this adaptation,' Smith said. 'It became more than just a bootcamp, but a community [and] a whānau.' The study found that as gyms shut due to lockdown restrictions, BBM's strong social-media presence which let it livestream workouts, share health information and organise food parcels – became a safe space for whānau. 'That's where they reach out to each other. That's how they perhaps coped when people were being locked down, losing their jobs, not knowing where their next healthy meal was coming from. That was a place where people obviously used those channels to connect.' Smith said from previous research in the health space, specific communities – including Māori and Pacific – will respond better to their own people when it comes to disseminating important information or getting advice. 'They're a lot more trusting of people within their own community. So, I think BBM then became a very important conduit for perhaps some of the health messaging helping people to navigate through some of the confusions around the time of the pandemic.' Despite some lingering stereotypes, media coverage of BBM was 'reasonably friendly… and reasonably accurate', the researchers found. 'It's good to see that the media was reasonably friendly towards this community and was reasonably accurate. It wasn't perfect, but that was one of the key findings,' Smith said. Creating your own narrative Letele's ability to co-create his own media narrative was a stand out finding, Smith said. 'Dave's own celebrity status… he was quite proactive and quite good at co-creating the narrative with the media rather than just having the media telling his story.' Smith hopes this study will inspire other community-based groups to pick up the mic and tell their own stories. 'I saw that Dave was very proactive in actually reaching out to the media, ensuring that the community's story was told accurately… I think communities can take a more proactive stance,' she said. 'Not necessarily waiting for mainstream media to create your narrative, but using the media channels that they're using themselves to tell their story.' She said this specific study is a great way of learning about how Māori and Pacific people benefited from having a community like BBM. 'I think we can all take something out of this story.' The paper is published in the Pacific Health dialogue – a journal dedicated to health issues in the Pacific region – and is connected to a larger post-doctoral research project led by co-author, Dr Fa'asisila Savila (Pacific Health) and funded by the Health Research Council.
Scoop
17 hours ago
- Health
- Scoop
Study Finds Māori, Pacific Communities Can Reshape Media Narratives
A new study shows Māori and Pasifika community initiatives can use media stereotypes to create their own narrative. The University of Auckland study, 'Taking the mic: Māori and Pacific voices in the media' examined the success of Brown Buttabean Motivation (BBM), New Zealand's largest community-based fitness and well-being organisation throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the study's lead author Dr Sandra Smith, senior marketing lecturer at the University of Auckland, over time, and especially during lockdowns, BBM became "much more than just a bootcamp and how to eat healthy". "It became an extension of whānau and a safe space where support could be provided to members in need. This finding echoes the notion that Māori and Pacific people are likely to seek help from family and community rather than from formal health providers," she said. Structural inequities and media framing Outlined in the report, Māori and Pacific peoples in Aotearoa face entrenched socio-economic and health gaps, including lower life expectancy and higher obesity rates. "Māori have experienced socio-economic deprivation because of colonisation and racism, manifesting in their significantly reduced life expectancy compared to non-Māori. Similarly, Pacific people also experience socio-economic and health inequities," the study said. "These health inequities were exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, requiring a consideration of the changing experiences and requirements of diverse communities." Smith said these disparities can be worsened by mainstream media that frame health as an individual's responsibility, rather than a societal one. "Media narratives can shape how others view Māori and Pacific people and how Māori and Pacific people view themselves," Smith said, noting past decades of biased coverage. "So, we were interested in whether the media was actually reflecting the community in an accurate way, in a truthful way, or in a biased way." BBM's community, Māori and Pacific led innovation Using the kaupapa Māori framework, Te Whare Tapa Whā and Pacific framework Fonofale, the researchers analysed 102 media articles and interviews (27 before Covid-19, 75 during) via computer-assisted tools and member checks with BBM. They tracked shifts in top media themes, such as Letele, people, weight, life and boxing, food, health, lockdown, children, and community support. "Covid-19 created different issues for the community. BBM adapted… New themes such as food, lockdown and children are reflective of this adaptation," Smith said. "It became more than just a bootcamp, but a community [and] a whānau." The study found that as gyms shut due to lockdown restrictions, BBM's strong social-media presence which let it livestream workouts, share health information and organise food parcels - became a safe space for whānau. "That's where they reach out to each other. That's how they perhaps coped when people were being locked down, losing their jobs, not knowing where their next healthy meal was coming from. That was a place where people obviously used those channels to connect." Smith said from previous research in the health space, specific communities - including Māori and Pacific - will respond better to their own people when it comes to disseminating important information or getting advice. "They're a lot more trusting of people within their own community. So, I think BBM then became a very important conduit for perhaps some of the health messaging helping people to navigate through some of the confusions around the time of the pandemic." Despite some lingering stereotypes, media coverage of BBM was "reasonably friendly… and reasonably accurate", the researchers found. "It's good to see that the media was reasonably friendly towards this community and was reasonably accurate. It wasn't perfect, but that was one of the key findings," Smith said. Creating your own narrative Letele's ability to co-create his own media narrative was a stand out finding, Smith said. "Dave's own celebrity status… he was quite proactive and quite good at co-creating the narrative with the media rather than just having the media telling his story." Smith hopes this study will inspire other community-based groups to pick up the mic and tell their own stories. "I saw that Dave was very proactive in actually reaching out to the media, ensuring that the community's story was told accurately... I think communities can take a more proactive stance," she said. "Not necessarily waiting for mainstream media to create your narrative, but using the media channels that they're using themselves to tell their story." She said this specific study is a great way of learning about how Māori and Pacific people benefited from having a community like BBM. "I think we can all take something out of this story." The paper is published in the Pacific Health dialogue - a journal dedicated to health issues in the Pacific region - and is connected to a larger post-doctoral research project led by co-author, Dr Fa'asisila Savila (Pacific Health) and funded by the Health Research Council.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
British and US bestsellers hit by purge in Russian bookshops
A Russian book distributor has ordered bookshops to "return or destroy" works by the Pulitzer Prize-winner Jeffery Eugenides and the British bestseller Bridget Collins, among others, in the latest case of censorship targeting the country's literary scene. Trading House BBM sent a letter to shops this week, seen by the BBC, with a list of 37 titles that should immediately be removed from sale. The list also included texts by Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Zizek, Japanese novelist Ryu Murakami, and a number of Russian writers. The order comes amid growing Kremlin censorship since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which has targeted books featuring anti-war sentiment, LGBTQ themes, and criticism of Russia's leadership. The letter warned of "adverse consequences" if books such as Eugenides' The Virgin Suicides and Murakami's Ecstasy were not pulled from shelves as there were suspicions they "do not comply with Russian laws," without providing further details. Booksellers should "immediately cease sales and return [the titles] or destroy the remaining copies, providing writing confirmation of destruction", the message said. The targeted books are an eclectic mix. Bridget Collins' book The Binding, about an apprentice bookbinder, features, as does An Oral History of Reggae by David Katz, along with Lisi Harrison's romance The Dirty Book Club. The letter was signed by BBM's chief executive Anastasia Nikitanova, who hung up when the BBC approached her for comment and did not respond to further messages. "We checked the list and we don't have these books in stock now," an employee of one of the shops that had received the letter told the BBC on condition of anonymity. They continued: "If we did, we could have tried to understand what's wrong with them. I have no idea why the publisher chose these books… it's a sign of the moral panic that has overtaken the market." The newly banned books were released in Russia by the publishing houses Ripol Classic and Dom Istorii, which are affiliated with BBM. Sergei Makarenkov, the head of Ripol Classic, said: "I think [the list] is most likely connected to the anti-LGBT law. This needs to be clarified with BBM… I can't clearly explain to you what has happened here." "Such lists appear everywhere now, it's become completely routine," he added. Makarenkov said he would get back to the BBC when further details were available but at the time of publication had not responded to follow-up calls. Russia banned the promotion of "non-traditional sexual orientations" to minors in 2013 but since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine has expanded the law to forbid "LGBT propaganda" being disseminated among people of any ages. Moscow has also labelled what it calls the "international LGBT movement" an "extremist organisation," despite no such official movement existing. The BBM letter follows a high-profile case against the publishers behind the teen romance novel A Summer in the Red Scarf and other titles with LGBT themes. On 15 May, a Moscow court placed under house arrest managers from Popcorn Books and Individuum - which are part of Russia's largest publishing group, Eksmo. Additional reporting by Sergei Goryashko Russia seeks extremist label for LGBT movement Russia blocks dozens of independent media outlets
BBC News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
British and US bestsellers hit by purge in Russian bookshops
A Russian book distributor has ordered bookshops to "return or destroy" works by the Pulitzer Prize-winner Jeffery Eugenides and the British bestseller Bridget Collins, among others, in the latest case of censorship targeting the country's literary House BBM sent a letter to shops this week, seen by the BBC, with a list of 37 titles that should immediately be removed from list also included texts by Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Zizek, Japanese novelist Ryu Murakami, and a number of Russian order comes amid growing Kremlin censorship since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which has targeted books featuring anti-war sentiment, LGBTQ themes, and criticism of Russia's leadership. The letter warned of "adverse consequences" if books such as Eugenides' The Virgin Suicides and Murakami's Ecstasy were not pulled from shelves as there were suspicions they "do not comply with Russian laws," without providing further should "immediately cease sales and return [the titles] or destroy the remaining copies, providing writing confirmation of destruction", the message targeted books are an eclectic Collins' book The Binding, about an apprentice bookbinder, features, as does An Oral History of Reggae by David Katz, along with Lisi Harrison's romance The Dirty Book letter was signed by BBM's chief executive Anastasia Nikitanova, who hung up when the BBC approached her for comment and did not respond to further messages."We checked the list and we don't have these books in stock now," an employee of one of the shops that had received the letter told the BBC on condition of continued: "If we did, we could have tried to understand what's wrong with them. I have no idea why the publisher chose these books… it's a sign of the moral panic that has overtaken the market."The newly banned books were released in Russia by the publishing houses Ripol Classic and Dom Istorii, which are affiliated with Makarenkov, the head of Ripol Classic, said: "I think [the list] is most likely connected to the anti-LGBT law. This needs to be clarified with BBM… I can't clearly explain to you what has happened here.""Such lists appear everywhere now, it's become completely routine," he added. Makarenkov said he would get back to the BBC when further details were available but at the time of publication had not responded to follow-up banned the promotion of "non-traditional sexual orientations" to minors in 2013 but since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine has expanded the law to forbid "LGBT propaganda" being disseminated among people of any has also labelled what it calls the "international LGBT movement" an "extremist organisation," despite no such official movement BBM letter follows a high-profile case against the publishers behind the teen romance novel A Summer in the Red Scarf and other titles with LGBT 15 May, a Moscow court placed under house arrest managers from Popcorn Books and Individuum - which are part of Russia's largest publishing group, reporting by Sergei Goryashko
