Jamaica - Media



The Post and Telegraphs Department provides daily postal deliveries to all parts of the island and operates Jamaica's internal telegraph service. Jamaica International Telecommunications (JAMINTEL) is 51% government-owned and provides five major international services: telephone, telegraph, television, telex, and leased circuits. Telephone service is provided by the privately owned Jamaica Telephone Co. In 1997, 350,000 mainline telephones were in use. In 1996, there were 54,640 cellular phones in use. Telephone communications between Jamaica and other countries were improved in 1963 by a 1,370-km (850-mi) submarine telephone cable linking Jamaica and Florida and in 1971 by the addition of a satellite communications system. All telephone exchanges are automatic.

Jamaica has two major broadcasting companies. The privately owned Radio Jamaica Rediffusion broadcasts 24 hours a day over both AM and FM bands; it also owns an extensive wire network. The government-owned Jamaica Broadcasting Corp., with similar transmitting facilities, broadcasts FM radio and television programs. As of 2001 there were 13 radio station and 3 television stations. In 2000, there were 784 radios and 194 television sets for every 1,000 people. The same year, there were 21 Internet service providers serving 60,000 subscribers.

As of 2002, there were four daily newspapers, all privately owned. The morning Jamaica Gleaner (circulation about 259,000 in 2002) and the evening Daily Star (circulation 49,500) are published by the Gleaner Co., which also publishes the Sunday Gleaner (est. 950,000) and the Thursday Star (60,000), an overseas weekly. There are also a number of weeklies and monthlies, and in addition, several papers are published by religious groups.

The Constitution of Jamaica provides for free expression, including the rights of free speech and press, and the government is said to respect these rights in practice.

Also read article about Jamaica from Wikipedia

User Contributions:

1
Gary Clarke
I have been trying to find out who privately owns the company that runs the Jamaica Gleaner newspaper. The information is for my sons education. He has been trying to find out with no answers from the net. Please could you help.
Thanks
Gary Clarke

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