Best Way to Get your Asian-American Pop Culture Fix

A couple of years ago, executives at the Brisbane-based Asian-language TV station KTSF began to notice that an increasing number of their viewers were younger, American-born, and English-speaking. They brought their research to Asian-American media veteran Jeff Yang (who used to run the now-defunct A. Magazine and is Stir's editorial director) and to the cable station International Channel, and soon, Stir TV was born. It's the first nationally televised English-language show of its type, a weekly, half-hour magazine-style program "for and about Asian America's next generation." Aired on both KTSF and the International Channel, the show is driven by its charismatic Bay Area-based hosts -- Sabrina Shimada, Tony Wang, Brian Tong, and Jeannie Mai -- who introduce viewers to interesting corners of the community by profiling female pro snowboarders, renowned pastry chefs, and award-winning comic artists. Edgy and ahead of the crowd, Stir TV is fresh -- and long overdue -- entertainment.