When we think of Jamaica, we hear reggae music, the steel drums and the echo of Bob Marley's revolutionary sound. This tourist-attraction island located in the Caribbean has reached the same media heights as its mother country, the United Kingdom and has culturally influenced the United States. In addition, Jamaican Media is quite reflective of American and British media, utilizing print, broadcast, films, and internet, and is quite modernized in comparison to its general economic state.
Although Jamaica is populated by just over 2.6 million people, the rule and influence of the UK has allowed for media expansion. Its print media market has been around for over two centuries, and holds records for its longevity and early beginnings.
The Jamaican Gleaner, though not the first print circulatory paper, was founded in 1834 and is Jamaica's longest running paper. Under it's direction, the Sunday Gleaner and the Afternoon and Weekend Star were created, usually filled with reviews, culture and local events. The Gleaner is still the most prominent print news source closely followed by the recently founded, Jamaica Observer.
RJR Communications Group, Jamaica's Radio Jamaica and Television Jamaica are the nation's leading news and entertainment network, providing the same array of "programmes" as the US, and is also available on the internet at www.televisionjamaica.com
As mentioned above, the most globally prominent media from Jamaica is its music. With a blend of African, Caribbean and the United State's "rhythm and blues" came reggae, dancehall and ska music to mention a few. With Rastafarian-ism came Bob Marley, a musical performer whose lyrics inspired equality, exposed corruption and the Rastafarian movement. Marley social awareness in his performances became a type of campaign toward nonviolence and peace in the third world nation.
