Research Guides: International News: Jamaica

Researcher

Maddie Wilson

General Country Overview

Jamaica gained independence from the United Kingdom on August 6, 1962. The capital is Kingston, and the official language is English. The population is approximately 3 million, and the currency is the Jamaican dollar (JMD). Located in the Caribbean, Jamaica is known for its rich cultural heritage and contributions to music, particularly reggae.

News Sources

Jamaica Observer
A media outlet owned and operated by the Appliance Traders Group and is reported to be a center-right affiliating news source due to their support of pro-business ideals.
Jamaica Star
Jamaica’s #1 source for entertainment news as they tend to focus less on politics and report on the happenings of the local Jamaican community. It should be mentioned and warned that they tend to be quite picky with their story/news selection and tend to push articles that will get them the most views and clicks.

Political Climate and Media Biases

Jamaica’s media is all privately owned, and none of the government has a stake in it. Currently, Jamaica is ranked #24 in the 2024 RSF Index, especially because of the content's independence from government intervention. The Jamaican press criticizes government officials constantly, and they rarely get attacked. Even though the reporters do get threatened when investigating sensitive topics.

Academic Sources

Freedom House
Shows the initial bases of freedom of the media in Jamaica
RSF
Reasons behind the lack of media
Encyclopedia Britannica
Background on Jamaica's history
WACC Global
Background on the media in Jamaica
Jamaica Observer
Details on the background on the Observer