Globalization and Cultural Imperialism in Jamaica: The Homogenization of Content and Americanization of Jamaican TV through Programme Modeling

Abstract

There is a great deal of discussion about the globalization of media, particularly television, especially as it is being driven by the spread of satellite technology and cable. While certain scholars view this as promoting cultural heterogeneity and the diversification of programme content, others see this trend as proliferating the homogenization of programme content and American popular culture. The paper investigates the relevance of the two above perspectives within the Jamaican media context. By conducting informant interviews as well as a programme analysis of content aired on local television stations, the research reveals that the cultural imperialism perspective remains quite relevant as is evidenced through the modeling of programming originating predominantly in the United States of America