Asian Media Access: Shining a Light on Asian Led Media Organizations in Toronto

On Tuesday April 9th from 11AM to 3PM, the Transmedia Zone will be connecting students to some of Toronto's most influential Asian Led Media Organizations, including, OMNI TV, BIPOC TV & Film, and Reel Asian Film Festival. Come by the lobby of the Student Learning Centre to meet representatives from each one of these organizations and sign up for opportunities that they have coming up. 

In addition, the Transmedia Zone's Jessie Lee and Dan Speerin, will be there to guide you through this event by answering questions about the media industry, where you can find more organizations and opportunities, and who you should connect with to find the best pathway for your career. Also, a fun bonus: the first 100 students to sign up for the TZ Student League will receive a coupon to this event's sponsor, Congee Queen!

This event was created by Transmedia Zone Staff Member and RTA Alumni, Jessie Lee, to help Asian students find representation and opportunity in the media industries post-graduation. As a media professional, she realized that there was a knowledge gap surrounding Toronto-based organizations which fostered diversity for students entering the workforce, so in an attempt to fill this gap, she brought on fellow alumni working in OMNI TV, BIPOC TV & Film, and Reel Asian Film Festival to create Asian Media Access. 

Students from any faculty or program who are interested in the media industry are all welcome to attend this event to learn more about what it means to be a journalist, filmmaker, artist, showrunner, etc. And it is highly recommended that students take this opportunity to learn about the highly valuable programming that these organizations provide to foster the next generation of creatives. From learning about festival circuits to finding out how to get a job as a producer in television, these media professionals will be here to answer all those questions. 

OMNI Television (external link, opens in new window)  is Canada’s only multilingual and multicultural television broadcaster.

OMNI offers a wide range of locally produced and acquired programming in more than 40 languages, including news, current affairs and entertainment content in Arabic, Cantonese, Filipino, Italian, Mandarin, Portuguese, and Punjabi. OMNI is available in 11 million households across Canada through its five local over-the-air television stations in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto (OMNI.1 and OMNI.2) and its national specialty channel – OMNI Regional. In Quebec, OMNI Regional has partnered with independent ethnic broadcaster, ICI Television, to offer French-language local programming to the province’s ethnic communities. OMNI Television offers a wide range of locally produced and acquired programming, including daily national news and current affairs programming in a variety of third-languages and popular entertainment programming from around the world. OMNI Television is proud to offer its content on digital platforms, as we continue to support our television broadcast news division at OMNITV.ca. To access OMNI Television content online, please sign in with your cable credentials, where you can watch our four 24/7 regional livestreams, in-language news coverage, and special programming like documentaries and seasonal specials.

Grounded in a commitment to social justice, decolonization and reconciliation, BIPOC TV & FILM (external link, opens in new window)  is a community-centric non-profit organization advocating for racial equity and decent work practices in Canada’s screen media industry. 

Our Mission

• To build and empower a thriving community of Black, Racialized, and Indigenous screen media artists, creators, entrepreneurs, and leaders.
• To transform the Canadian screen industry by identifying and uprooting barriers to funding, training, and employment opportunities for Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour creatives—at all levels, in front of and behind the camera, on our sets and in all decision-making roles.

Our Vision

An anti-racist, decolonized and accessible Canadian screen-based media industry that embraces and champions stories and storytellers from diverse racial and cultural backgrounds, abilities, genders, and sexualities.

Our Values

• Advancing equity to realize just and liberated futures
• Building solidarities to strengthen communities
• Embracing vulnerability to cultivate a culture of accountability and healing
• Sowing reciprocity through gratitude and generosity
• Imagining new worlds and ways of being in community with ourselves and each other

What We Do

• We create safe spaces for Black, Indigenous and Racialized people working in the sector to gather, build networks, find collaborators, and share knowledge and resources.
• We amplify the creative work and experiences of BIPOC in the industry.
• We bridge access to jobs and training.
• We support the growth and sustainability of BIPOC-owned production companies.
• We advocate for racial equity, fair labour practices, and Indigenous cultural sovereignty.

The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival (external link, opens in new window) ® is a unique showcase of contemporary Asian cinema and work from the Asian diaspora. Works include films and videos by Asian-identifying artists in Canada, the U.S., Asia and all over the world. As Canada’s largest pan-Asian film festival, Reel Asian® provides a public forum for Asian media artists and their work, and fuels the growing appreciation for Asian cinema in Canada.

Founded in 1997 by producer Anita Lee and journalist Andrew Sun, this non-profit community-based festival has grown into an eagerly anticipated annual event that attracts thousands of attendees to 10 exciting days of galas, screenings, forums, workshops and parties.

Reel Asian is a not-for-profit charitable cultural organization that advocates for Asian representation through media arts.

Reel Asian is a proud member of the Independent Media Arts Alliance (external link)  and is committed to paying industry-standard artist fees to artists, filmmakers & curators in all our initiatives.

A special thanks to our sponsor, Congee Queen, for supporting media and arts education here at the Transmedia Zone and Toronto Metropolitan University.