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This is largely the reason the founders of Viet Herald decided to start it up. Its first issue debuted July 4, with about 12,000 copies.
Viet Herald's editors also felt that readers wanted coverage of some "hot-button issues" that other newspapers are afraid to touch, said Dzung Do, who left Nguoi Viet to start Viet Herald.
"For example, some political issues in the community, some papers might like this candidate and not the other. We don't care," he said. "We cover both."
"Those other newspapers have been in the community for so long, they want to play it safe," said Ha Bich Bui, Viet Herald's editor in chief, who is also a popular personality on Little Saigon Radio.
"It may be that we are taking a risk. The community is more or less conservative. Those of us who are in jour- nalism have to struggle with that."
In this staunchly anti-communist enclave, pushing the boundaries of journalism has gotten newspapers in hot water.
Last year, Nguoi Viet ran a photo of a foot spa painted the colors of the South Vietnamese flag, which sparked a round of protests by those who believed the photo was offensive and was sympathetic to communism.
The newspaper quickly apologized to protesters, fired two top editors and offered refunds for the offending issue, but the protests continued. Nguoi Viet then filed a lawsuit, and a jury ruled that the protesters were liable for trespassing and causing a nuisance, finally ending the 18-month demonstrations.
Since then, Nguoi Viet hired back one of the fired editors, Hao-Nhien Vu.
The other fired editor, Anh Vu, is a co-founder of Viet Herald. Anh Vu and others liked the sound of "Herald," a traditional name established by newspapers at the turn of the 20th century.
On a recent morning, Viet Herald Managing Editor Dzung Do and a reporter chuckled as they leafed through the pages of their competitors.
"I think other newspapers should appreciate what we are doing," Do said. "Our presence makes them better. Now you have more newspapers, more news and more competition, so we have to all better ourselves."
my-thuan.tran@latimes.com
Viet Herald's editors also felt that readers wanted coverage of some "hot-button issues" that other newspapers are afraid to touch, said Dzung Do, who left Nguoi Viet to start Viet Herald.
"For example, some political issues in the community, some papers might like this candidate and not the other. We don't care," he said. "We cover both."
"Those other newspapers have been in the community for so long, they want to play it safe," said Ha Bich Bui, Viet Herald's editor in chief, who is also a popular personality on Little Saigon Radio.
"It may be that we are taking a risk. The community is more or less conservative. Those of us who are in jour- nalism have to struggle with that."
In this staunchly anti-communist enclave, pushing the boundaries of journalism has gotten newspapers in hot water.
Last year, Nguoi Viet ran a photo of a foot spa painted the colors of the South Vietnamese flag, which sparked a round of protests by those who believed the photo was offensive and was sympathetic to communism.
The newspaper quickly apologized to protesters, fired two top editors and offered refunds for the offending issue, but the protests continued. Nguoi Viet then filed a lawsuit, and a jury ruled that the protesters were liable for trespassing and causing a nuisance, finally ending the 18-month demonstrations.
Since then, Nguoi Viet hired back one of the fired editors, Hao-Nhien Vu.
The other fired editor, Anh Vu, is a co-founder of Viet Herald. Anh Vu and others liked the sound of "Herald," a traditional name established by newspapers at the turn of the 20th century.
On a recent morning, Viet Herald Managing Editor Dzung Do and a reporter chuckled as they leafed through the pages of their competitors.
"I think other newspapers should appreciate what we are doing," Do said. "Our presence makes them better. Now you have more newspapers, more news and more competition, so we have to all better ourselves."
my-thuan.tran@latimes.com
