International Encyclopedia of Communication Online

Extract

The Caribbean archipelago curves from Cuba in the northwest to Trinidad in the southeast. The islands have all been at some stage colonies, departments, or possessions of European or North American countries. This history has given the region a varied culture that has created divisions among groups of islands. The English-speaking group, for example, traditionally has been apart from the others. These differences of language and other aspects of culture have created barriers in communication among the 38 million people of the islands. The Caribbean's history has left it with differing political and administrative systems that, to a significant degree have determined the structure and operations of the media in the many countries. The culture of the media is also a consequence of the economic history of the islands. The media are more diverse in the larger and more populous islands such as Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and Trinidad and Tobago. With the exception of Cuba, the political systems in the region are based on periodic elections that have produced administrations ranging from social democratic through centrist to center right (→  Cuba: Media System ). They are generally pro-business. Fundamental political changes in recent years in the English-speaking islands have seen them become politically independent of the UK over the past 45 years. These countries inherited ... log in or subscribe to read full text